The Crow is a story about vengeance, chronicling the crusade of one undead warrior’s quest to massacre the criminals who killed him and his girlfriend. The original 1994 film, starring Brandon Lee as Eric Draven — the one-man warrior on a mission to unleash retribution on his assailants — brings a deep sense of melancholy to its action movie stylings; we understand the hero’s pain and motivations despite not being made privy to most of his backstory. However, while Rupert Sanders’ upcoming remake will keep the core vengeance-driven plot intact, it will also lean into the romance.
While speaking to Vanity Fair, the filmmaker revealed that the new movie will explore the relationship between Draven (Bill Skarsgard) and his girlfriend, Shelly (FKA twigs), before tragedy strikes and chaos unfolds. As such, he had to find two actors who had a connection, and he knew he found that as soon as his stars met for the first time.
“I had them for dinner when they first arrived [on set] in Prague, and I was a bit like a nervous parent looking to see if there were any sparks, because you don’t know. And they were great. They hung out and were straight into it.”
Don’t expect The Crow remake to be too mushy, though. According to Sanders, Draven’s loss turns him into the monster he needs to become to exact vengeance on those who’ve wronged him. Horror fans can expect lots of blood-letting and action, along with the same gothic sensibilities that made this franchise such a hit in the first place.
“I think the beauty of Bill is that he has a disturbing beauty, and as he transforms through his loss he becomes this thing that even he can’t control. It’s that famous line: ‘Whoever fights monsters must be careful that they don’t become one.’”
