Over the past couple of years, I’ve made it known that I’m not entirely against the idea of rebooting or remaking a popular franchise. Far from it. If handled correctly, a reboot or remake can take an ailing franchise and give it a new direction and new energy. A good example of this is Star Trek. After the dismal box-office results of the final Next Generation film, Star Trek: Nemesis, Paramount Pictures opted to reboot the franchise, by setting it in the James Kirk/Spock era when they first met. The resulting film gave the franchise new energy and new purpose. It was a fantastic film. The same thing could be said for Man of Steel and X-Men: First Class. Those were really good films that took their respective franchises in a new direction and infusing them with new ideas. Did it always work? Of course not. The follow-up films often left a bit to be desired. But those initial films showed new interest and new promise. Sometimes that can be enough to get a project off the ground. Sometimes it can’t or shouldn’t. A more recent example of a reboot/sequel that probably shouldn’t have happened was Terminator: Dark Fate. I enjoyed the film a great deal, but it felt way too much like the first two films tossed in a blender. It was the third attempt at rebooting the franchise. After three failed attempts at bringing that franchise back to life, they’ve currently opted to not go for new movies for a while. The question to be asked is this: Does a film franchise need to be rebooted in the first place?
I bring this subject up because according to an article on horror website, Bloody Disgusting, there is a renewed attempt to reboot The Crow, a film released back in 1994. The original film featured Brandon Lee, son of the legendary Bruce Lee, play Eric Draven, a rock star who was brutally murdered along with his girlfriend on the night before Halloween. The film followed the character as he rose from the grave to exact revenge on his murderers. Based on the James O’Barr graphic novel of the same name, The Crow was a dark and Gothic action film that had a powerful and emotional core in the form of Brandon Lee. Sadly, Brandon was killed in a freak accident involving a prop gun that misfired. The rest of the film had to be completed using a body double and CGI. It was done well enough, that you really couldn’t tell. The film was a hit with fans around the world and ended up being a major cult classic, but you couldn’t escape the fact that there was something off about the film. Not from a film-making standpoint, mind you, but rather from a more metaphysical aspect, you could say. Some would point to the fact that the film was popular and successful, because of the news surrounding Brandon’s death. Would the film have been received differently if Brandon had lived? It’s hard to say, but I would certainly point to Brandon’s passing as having an affect on the film’s popularity, regardless of how morbid that sounds. Over the years since Brandon’s death, the film has gained a massive following. We got video-games, a short-lived TV series starring Mark Dacascos, and three less-than-stellar sequels. I personally hold the original Brandon Lee film as one of the best films based on a graphic novel. It wasn’t a perfect, but it didn’t need to be and the flaws that were evident were overshadowed by an emotionally gripping story and a powerfully strong performance by Brandon Lee.
That brings me back to the idea of rebooting The Crow. In 2008, Stephen Norrington, who directed Blade, announced that he would write and direct a “re-invention” of The Crow. Ultimately, he would leave the project in 2011. Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was tapped to direct with Bradley Cooper to star in the role. Due to certain “legal” issues and apparent scheduling conflicts, Cooper bowed out and Fresnadillo was no longer attached. Mark Wahlberg was in talks to star along with Ryan Gosling and Channing Tatum. Still, nothing really happened. In May of 2013, Luke Evans(Dracula Untold, No One Lives, The Hobbit)was confirmed to take the lead. Unfortunately, he would be dropping out of the role, because the project had stalled yet again. Over the next couple of years, more names would be tapped to helm the role of Eric Draven: Jack Huston, Sam Witwer and Jason Mamoa. Between the constant delays and the overall dissatisfaction of the sequels to The Crow, it seemed like the franchise was suffering from some kind of curse. I don’t think it’s a curse, but rather the desire to get it right. Not just to honor the fans, but also to honor Brandon Lee and the source material. If you think about it, any attempt at rebooting The Crow would have audiences and critics ultimately compare the new film to the original, and that’s a legacy that’s really hard to live up to. The fact that there hasn’t been a successful attempt at bring The Crow back tells me that the folks involved want to make it, but they don’t want to tarnish the reputation of the original. Again, that brings me back to the question of should it be rebooted?
While I tend to be open-minded about most reboots, The Crow is the one that I have to say shouldn’t be touched. It’s not that I think it couldn’t be done. It very well could. It could be a hell of a movie. But it could also be a major stinker. Considering how most people view the original film, there is no way in hell that any new movie could ever live up to what was achieved in that first movie. The fact that the reboot has had so much trouble getting off the ground over the past decade should tell most people that this is one property that should be left well enough alone. The original film showed Brandon Lee at his very best, even if it was his final performance. The story was incredible and the visual aesthetic of the film was superb. It bothers me that they are still trying with a new writer and director, who have yet to be announced. To them, I say this: Please stop. Let this ghost rest. We don’t need another attempt, especially one that has no chance of being anywhere near the film that the original was. To me, the original film is a classic. The first sequel was alright, but almost everything else was not very good. Even the TV series with Mark Dacascos didn’t fully deliver. So, my personal answer is that The Crow SHOULDN’T be rebooted. Again, I don’t think the series is cursed, but it does have a specific kind of audience and you really don’t want to be pissing those people off. I know, I’m one of them. But, that’s just one man’s opinion, and I’m certain others have a different view.