Rupert Sanders' much-maligned remake of The Crow has had a terrible weekend at the box office, opening at #8 and grossing a mere $4.6 million, even less than the Coraline re-release.
It's become apparent that people didn't want a new take on the 1994 cult classic, something the director of that movie - Alex Proyas - has been saying for a while now. In a series of Facebook posts, the filmmaker had fun with The Crow's disappointing performance (it's now slipped to 19% on Rotten Tomatoes).
"Wow. Box office is a bloodbath," he commented before adding, "I thought the remake was a cynical cash-grab. Not much cash to grab it seems."
As well as sharing screenshots of negative reviews, Proyas also posted a meme that stated, "Marked Safe From Seeing 'CROW' 2024 Today." While these comments are relatively tongue-in-cheek, they somewhat contradict what he said when the first trailer for The Crow remake was released in March (and met with an overwhelmingly negative response).
"I really don't get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmaker's work," Proyas said at the time. "And I'm certain the cast and crew really had all good intentions, as we all do on any film. So it pains me to say any more on this topic, but I think the fan's response speaks volumes."
"The Crow is not just a movie. Brandon Lee died making it, and it was finished as a testament to his lost brilliance and tragic loss. It is his legacy. That's how it should remain," he continued. "The sheer amount of dislikes on The Crow remake's trailer might be a bad sign for how the movie will perform."
Well, he wasn't wrong about that last part.
Rochelle Davis, who played Sarah in the 1994 movie, commented on one of Proyas' recent Facebook posts and said the bad reviews were "well deserved." Shelly actor Sofia Shinas has also been asked about the remake and recently said she "totally gets why it might flop."
Shinas added, "People love Brandon in the original film. [It's] hard to imagine how his family and fiancée must be feeling knowing their loved one gave his life, unwilling to make this film and yet, once again, years later someone else is trying to eclipse that role."
The Crow is directed by Rupert Sanders from a script by Zach Baylin and Will Schneider. Producers include Edward R. Pressman, Samuel Hadida, Victor Hadida, John Jencks, and Molly Hassell.
Bill Skarsgård plays Eric alongside FKA Twigs as Shelly, his ill-fated love. The supporting cast includes Danny Huston, Isabella Wei, Laura Birn, and Sami Bouajila.
The Crow is now playing in theaters.