The box office bombs of the 2024 movie schedule have had some entries that shall live in infamy for quite some time. Earlier this year Madame Web landed with a thud that some can still hear echoing through the internet today. And now, thanks to The Crow’s opening weekend numbers, another cinematic tragedy is about to unfold.

So it’s naturally that point in the story arc where O.G. Crow director Alex Proyas has a blast trolling how the Bill Skarsgård fronted remake is faring. To be certain Proyas’ previous comments on The Crow still seem to apply, as the trolls he’s shared on his Facebook page don’t cut nearly as deep as they could.

With that in mind, there is a bit of vindication that seems to be at work with his social media schadenfreude. In fact, the earlier posts Proyas’ recent run of redemption started with remarks such as these:

One only needs to look at write-ups like our own Eric Eisenberg’s review of The Crow to see that the long in development reboot was misguided at best, and totally unnecessary in the worst case. Overall critical reaction to what’s been branded as a “reimagining” seems to savagely support that, as the picture currently sits at 19% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Which could help explain how the box office is so dismal that Alex Proyas was able to share this burn over the weekend:

What’s kind of strange about all of this is that somehow the Popcornmeter, Rotten Tomatoes’ anti-trolling fan score system, has the movie sitting at 65%. It may not be enough to earn the site’s new “Verified Hot” badge, but it’s shaping up to be another potential case where viewers and critics wildly diverge in opinions.

Turning back for a moment to the horrible haul The Crow 2024 has brought in, here’s another dig from the legacy director. This time, the man of the hour uses the picture's public perception as its ultimate downfall:

Of course, there’s more ways to slay a film’s reputation than its box office standings. And sure enough, Alex Proyas started to dig into the fan reactions from the more negative side of the aisle. Adding insult to injury, the Australian helmer slyly inferred what the future may hold for Lionsgate’s latest release, thanks to the following comment:

Capping off this cacophony of criticism is a meme that someone had created when referencing The Crow 2024’s less than open reception. Delivering a comedic message that could probably say it all, this image is among some of Proyas’ most recent contributions:

Does The Crow have the power to potentially become another moment where, much as we saw in IF’s critics vs. fans discourse, the people may favor this project more than “the establishment?” That’s will remain to be seen as the next couple of weeks play out at the box office. Stranger things have happened, for sure; so it’s not like anyone can totally rule it out at the moment.

That being said, if the box office continues on the trajectory Alex Proyas has honed in on, such a re-appraisal may have to wait. The home entertainment release for The Crow could lead to a potentially vengeful afterlife of streaming rentals and physical purchases. Like the O.G. Eric Draven once said, “it can’t rain all the time.” Or can it?

The Crow reimagining is currently still in theaters, in case you’re curious about experiencing the results for yourself. Meanwhile, Alex Proyas’ original 1994 classic is available on a brand new 4K disc, as well as streaming through access to a Paramount+ subscription.

The power of Alex Proyas’s The Crow comes in waves. There’s the initial popularity of the film, which earned critical praise for its grim approach to modern noir. There’s the financial performance of the movie, which tripled its budget by earning $94 million in tickets sold. And then there’s the cultural impact of The Crow, which continues to be felt to this day. Audiences are prepping for a modern reboot of the movie, which casts IT standout Bill Skarsgaard in the lead role. And the film industry has been borrowing visual cues from The Crow ever since Proyas released the movie… something production designer Alex McDowell proudly points out. 

We got the opportunity to speak with Alex McDowell about his work on The Crow now that the movie is available on 4K Ultra HD (grab a copy now). And I asked him specifically about the influence that The Crow had on the comic book genre, seeing as how several other adaptations following in this film’s wake adhered to the “dark and gritty” aesthetic that Proyas, McDowell and cinematographer Dariusz Wolski created for this 1994 standout. That’s a power trio, so it was encouraging to hear McDowell say: 

It didn’t occur to me until Alex McDowell said it, but of course The Crow took inspiration from music videos that were created at that time, by artists thriving in the grunge and alternative music scene. That’s what was dominating the zeitgeist in the mid-1990s, and McDowell had done production design on music videos by Madonna (“Vogue”), Chris Isaak, and Sheila E. He also began working, around this time, with music video director David Fincher. Later, they’d collaborate on a little movie known as Fight Club.

You will better appreciate the design work done on The Crow when you see the movie in 4K. And from that work, you’ll see the influence that director Alex Proyas and production designer Alex McDowell had on subsequent films. While Christopher Nolan’s Batman films deserve credit for bringing a darker tone to the comic book world, you can also trace that style shift to The Crow, and films like it from the 1990s. 

Look for more information on the planned reboot of The Crow as we get closer to the August 23rd release of that movie, and many other upcoming 2024 films. 

In the worlds of both the best ‘90s movies and the upcoming 2024 movies heading to theaters, The Crow looms large. As the release of the Bill Skarsgård-led remake is now on the board for the same summer that celebrates 30 years of the original movie, director Alex Proyas hasn’t held back his thoughts on the long in-development reboot. In a new social media post, Proyas has elaborated on why he’s not a huge fan of director Rupert Sanders’ fresh take even existing. 

Through sharing photos from Lionsgate’s The Crow revamp, Alex Proyas’ Facebook has been the place to go for his comments on a film he doesn’t feel should exist. In his most recent remarks, Proyas explained this stance with this nuanced approach invoking the legacy of the late Brandon Lee: 

There’s certainly room for both sides of this coin when it comes to the discourse. When I saw The Crow’s reboot trailer, the first thing that came to mind was the fact that this movie looks like more of an action/adventure flick than the dark and gothic drama that came before. Whether you're a fan of a beloved property like this or a creative who was involved with a previous incarnation, certain feelings are bound to crop up. 

That’s especially true of The Crow, as it was also the film that saw the tragic on-set death of Brandon Lee. The context of this more long-form sentiment definitely shows off the more reverent side of Proyas grappling with the existence of this offering set to debut this June. 

At the same time, the Australian filmmaker behind Dark City and Gods of Egypt also has some thoughts that align with those fan reactions to The Crow reboot. In another Facebook post sharing some of his own jabs at the picture’s updated sensibilities, Alex Proyas shared the following zingers: 

• Eric Draven's having a bad hair day. Next reboot thanks.
• I guess he's supposed to be a bad mofo with all those tats and werewolves and skulls on his jacket.
• Samuel Adams! Jesus! He could at least drink something more bad-ass.

It’s easy to merely dunk on The Crow for being a reboot, as well as seemingly dishonoring the memory of Brandon Lee’s previous portrayal. But what Alex Proyas has done above, or at least has attempted to do, is show why he has such strong feelings. 

Going beyond being protective of his work, it’s Brandon Lee's legacy that seems to be front and center in Proyas' mind at the moment. Yes, he did take some relatively lighthearted swings at this new film, especially one that'll have Sam Adams fans in a bit of a tizzy. But Alex Proyas' feelings on why The Crow shouldn't be remade certainly haven't changed, in text or sincerity. 

No matter your thoughts on The Crow, you can enjoy either incarnation you choose to indulge in. Bill Skarsgård will get to take flight in the role of Eric Draven, only in theaters on June 7th. Meanwhile, the O.G. Brandon Lee film is currently streaming for those who possess a Paramount+ subscription, with a new 4K disc heading to shelves on May 7th. 

The case against remaking a film like The Crow could be made up of all or some of the following basic arguments: the original was perfect, a modern version would only ruin what was so special about the genuine article, and ultimately it's just not needed. Yet when it comes to director Alex Proyas' reasons for being against the Jason Momoa-starring revamp of the 90s cult classic, his line of thought runs deeper than those more artistic reasons. In the opinion of the man who directed the original film, it would be a disservice to the memory Brandon Lee to even think of proceeding with this new project. He noted

Proyas wrote an extended Facebook post laying out the case for just why The Crow was such a personal film for him to complete, and ultimately it came down to the fact that Alex Proyas feels the film is more Brandon Lee's legacy than his own. While he takes credit in completing the film in the name of Brandon's memory, the Dark City director refused to let the film be known as a "film by" his hand. And in closing, he made the above statement explaining his definitive reasoning for not wanting to see The Crow rebooted, which has everything to do with Brandon Lee's immense talents.

With the new film's rather problematic production history -- which saw a revolving door of talent boarding and leaving the project, and a studio's bankruptcy almost burying the project completely -- The Crow didn't look like it was ever going to happen. But the current incarnation now has Corin Hardy in the director's chair, and Jason Momoa set to play Eric Draven for a new generation, and that means the project has seemingly found its resurrection and is ready to be reborn. And yet, it still feels like The Crow revamp still has a little bit of a shadow hanging over it. If you asked Alex Proyas what he thinks about it, we'd have a feeling he'd say it shouldn't be happening at all.

For all we know, The Crow could be one of those reboots that ends up working in the end, revitalizing a franchise in the name of its own renaissance. Not to mention, if this new version of The Crow works out, there's a chance that the idea for a sequel dreamed up by the comic's creator, James O'Barr, could be revisited. But since the wheels are finally turning, so long as those behind the film proceed with the spirit and legacy of Brandon Lee in mind, the final effort should not be feared.

The Crow doesn't currently have a release date in mind, but should be going into production fairly soon. In the meantime, feel free to see what's heading our way in the next year with our 2018 release schedule.

The 1994 film The Crow will always be remembered because of the tragic death of its star, Brandon Lee, during the film’s production. The movie has gone on to achieve a cult status among fans, in large part because of the terrible accident. Recent years have seen an ongoing attempt to remake the movie, but the original director of The Crow really wishes they would stop, as any remake would surely have an impact on the legacy of the original.

Alex Proyas is currently back in theaters with his most recent directorial effort, Gods of Egypt. Collider recently sat down with him and asked him about both his current and earlier work including The Crow, the film that brought Proyas into a national spotlight. When asked about the continuing efforts to produce a remake, Proyas gave a very honest assessment. He feels that the original movie should be allowed to stand in memory of Brandon Lee.

The attempted remake of The Crow has been going on for years and while the idea isn’t dead, the difficulty that the movie has had getting made might give one pause to wonder if Alex Proyas is on to something. The project has gone through multiple directors as well as several lead actors who have jumped in, and then out, of the film due to the ongoing delay. Relativity Media was sued over the question of whether they had the right to even make a Crow movie, and then they went through bankruptcy. As recently as six months ago, the original creator of The Crow, James O’Barr, swears that the movie is still happening but with everything that has happened you’ll forgive fans if they’re a little skeptical. Add to that the fact that many fans have a strong memory of the original and it’s unlikely that Alex Proyas is the only one who doesn’t want to see this movie.

Should The Crow remake be dropped out of respect for Brandon Lee, or is it time to remake the dark revenge story? They made several terrible sequels to the original without Lee, so is this really any different as far as "legacy" is considered? Let us know what you think.

Gods of Egypt sucks… Well, at least that’s the general consensus that most movie critics have come to. A movie that suffered from immense controversy even prior to its release, Gods of Egypt hit theaters this weekend to near universal panning by the film community. This didn’t sit well with director Alex Proyas, and he decided to voice his opinion on the matter. Trust me, it’s possibly more entertaining than the movie itself.

Gods of Egypt director Alex Proyas has taken to Facebook with some harsh words for the film critic community. Here’s just a small sample of his rather long-winded rant:

The overall message he seems to want to get across is that many critics seem to have jumped the gun with their negative opinions of Gods of Egypt. Long before the film even hit theaters, or even premiered for press screenings, people started forming their own thoughts about it, leveling mass accusations of white-washing upon the film. He then goes on to claim that the profession of film criticism is a dying art anyway, as the advent of social media platforms allow people the opportunity to criticize movies themselves.

There’s a certain degree of validity to his initial claims. Many people developed a negative outlook towards Gods of Egypt before they had even seen it. In his own opinion, the pervasive negative attitude towards the film tainted the critic community, and prevented anyone from going into Gods of Egypt with an open mind. He then goes on to assert that even the critics who did enjoy the film walked on egg shells with their positive reviews so as not to go against the popular opinion of the film critic community.

However, isn’t that what trailers are for? We could kind of already tell that this movie had the possibility of being less than stellar. Gods of Egypt has been panned by critics for far more reasons than just the white-washing aspect. It’s an incomprehensible mess of low-quality CGI, and hammy acting. I agree with him when he says that film critics need to try harder to ensure objectivity in their reviews, but using a slog like Gods of Egypt is not the platform to make such an argument.

Gods of Egypt is in theaters now; if you don’t trust the opinion of mainstream film critics then be sure to give it a watch and let us know what you think.

For those not living under rocks on the other end of the galaxy, HBO’s Game of Thrones will soon be airing its third season finale, after last week’s episode took the Internet by bloody storm. (No spoilers.) One of the show’s stars, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, is set to take over Hollywood in much the same way.

The Wrap reports Coster-Waldau is currently in talks to join Summit Entertainment’s Gods of Egypt, the new epic fantasy from director Alex Proyas, the visionary director who gave the worldDark City and The Crow. An actor of Coster-Waldau’s build seems like a perfect fit for a movie about Egyptian gods. In the back of my mind, though, I thought the casting director would just hire everyone who works on any of the Starz series to fill these roles.

Gods of Egypt will take place in the ancient world of pyramids, sphinxes and legendary gods. Coster-Waldau would play sky god Horus, who joins Hathor, the goddess of love, and a human thief on a quest to avenge the death of Osiris, his father. We’re ignoring the fact that Proyas’ last film was 2009 batshit crazy Knowing, and hoping for the best with this one.

Perhaps if we were basing things on Game of Thrones alone there would be cause for debate, but after decent performances in both Joseph Kosinski’s Oblivion and Andrés Muschietti’s Mama this year, we’re pretty much convinced that Coster-Waldau can lead something of this scale. He’ll be on something of a smaller level when he plays a cheating bastard in Nick Cassavetes’ The Other Woman opposite Cameron Diaz and Leslie Mann, which will be coming soon.

Author Daniel H. Wilson has gotten pretty lucky when it comes to big sci-fi directors signing on to adapt his works. First E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and Minority Report direct Steven Spielberg signed on to helm the big action thriller Robopocalpyse and now another one of his novels is getting the big screen treatment from the helmer of Dark City and I, Robot.

According to THR, Alex Proyas is attached to direct an adaptation of Amped, a new thriller in deveopment at Working Title. The project, which was originally set up over at Summit Entertainment back in 2010, is about a future where "nanotech-enhanced people" are fighting a war against "ordinary humans." Summit's rights to the novel lapsed during the merger with Lionsgate earlier this year, which allowed the Working Title deal to develop.

Wilson has an interesting backstory, as in addition to being an author he has also previously worked as a robotics engineer (hence the pattern in his work). He was also a controbuting editor for Popular Mechanics, where he earned the nickname the "Resident Roboticist." Amped was first published earlier this year on June 5th.

While the trade doesn't say how far along the project is or when it might aim to start production, things are continuing to move rather quickly on Spielberg's Robopocalpyse. Working from a script by Drew Goddard (Cabin in the Woods), the project already has Chris Hemsworth attached to star as the male lead and Anne Hathaway remains in talks. The film will be released on April 25, 2014.

Alex Proyas, the director of Dark City and I, Robot, spent years developing an adaptation of Paradise Lost, which was so far along he showed off concept art at Comic Con last summer. Set to star Bradley Cooper as Lucfier in the adaptation of Milton's classic poem about Adam and Eve and the fall of man, Paradise Lost was first put on hold due to budget worries, then scrapped entirely.

Proyas had a few months to dust himself up and let the Paradise Lost dream die, but admirably, he's jumping right back on the wagon, and with another huge project that seems much more likely to happen. THR reports that Summit has picked him to direct Gods of Egypt, which appears to be exactly s it sounds-- a mortal, a god and a goddess reunite to "fight an evil force" somewhere in ancient Egypt. Unsurprisingly, they've got Clash of the Titans producer Basil Iwanyk on board, surely with that hope that some of that franchise's success can come their way. Yeah, I know you think both Clash of the Titans and Wrath of the Titans are ridiculous, but the first made almost half a billion worldwide and the second has made $300 million, so it really doesn't matter beyond that in studio math.

After 2009's completely insane Knowing, Proyas seemed to be struggling to reclaim the out-there cool he displayed with The Crow and Dark City-- and while an epic set in ancient Egypt might not be quite the same thing, it's a project that at least won't be cancelled by its own producers at the last minute. It's not exactly a rebirth, but it's a step forward.

We've seen directors express their love of the French capital in Paris, Je' T'aime and others explored the five boroughs in New York, I Love You. Now it's time for filmmakers to express their adoration for the largest city in Australia.

As first reported last June, producers Gary Hamilton and John Polson are currently working to create their own love letter to Sydney, Australia - titled Sydney Unplugged - and today they have announced the list of directors that will be tackling segments in the compilation film. THR reports that Anthony LaPaglia, Toni Collette, Alex Proyas, David Michod, Ivan Sen, John Curran, Kieran Darcy-Smith, Liev Schreiber, Rachel Ward, Ray Lawrence and Russell Crowe have all signed on to direct one of 12 stories that will make up the anthology. The film will mark the first time that LaPaglia and Collette have worked behind the camera. Production is scheduled to start in the second half of 2012 and shooting will all be done within the city.

Said Polson when the lineup was announced, "It’s no secret some hugely talented directors, actors and others either live here or are from here. It’s about time this talent got together to tell stories that showcase one of the world’s most beautiful cities. The people that have stepped up to take part in this project are beyond our wildest dreams."

To go with the announcement, a teaser trailer of sorts has been launched online. Check it out below.

While there are some interesting names listed here, there are some key missing names, including John Hillcoat, Baz Luhrmann, Craig Gillespie and Phillip Noyce. Perhaps they were all simply too busy working on their own projects to take part in this one.

Today is one of those days where I get to feel like a soothsayer. On September 16th, 2010, I opened an article about Alex Proyas directing an adaptation of John Milton's Paradise Lost by saying, "There are some books out there that simply can't be adapted for a feature film. Some stories are simply too graphic or set on too large a scale to be made for the big screen. One of these books is John Milton's Paradise Lost. Though often rumored, nobody will ever successfully produce the film." Turns out that I was right.

Legendary Pictures has officially scrapped plans to turn Paradise Lost into a movie, according to Deadline. The news comes almost exactly two months after Warner Bros. put the project on hold due to budget concerns. Last month, Bradley Cooper, who was going to play Lucifer in the movie, said that things were going well and that they would likely start production in June - now it looks like that isn't going to happen. The problem for Legendary, of course, was budgetary, as they were hoping to only spend $120 million on the project at most. T

he dream isn't totally dead, and the project could be picked up again in the future, but it will require advancements in technology that will limit the cost of such a large endeavor. The film had assembled a great cast outside of Cooper as well, with Benjamin Walker, Diego Boneta, Camilla Belle,Casey Affleck, Callan McAuliffe, Dominic Purcell, Rufus Sewell, and Djimon Hounsou all attached.

Anyone who has read Milton's epic poem knows that this was always going to be a long shot, and it's really for the best that the movie is dead. You can't film a story like Paradise Lost with only $120 million and it appears that Legendary and the filmmakers finally figured that out.

Legendary Pictures, which has produced such blockbusters as The Dark Knight and The Hangover, embarked on its first trip to Comic Con with material from a handful of anticipated titles tucked under its metaphorical arm. Our very own Katey Rich live-blogged the Legendary panel, where she captured -- according to director Guillermo del Toro -- the official logo for Pacific Rim, which he said would involve “giant fucking robots versus giant fucking monsters.”

Here are Katey’s shots of the film’s title treatment and logo:

Del Toro was joined on stage by Rim stars Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam and Charlie Day, with the latter promising to perfect a fancy accent before they start filming. Of course, del Toro shifted to Pacific Rim after his planned At the Mountains of Madness fell apart. The director didn’t have too many details to add about the story during the Legendary panel (which Katey said moved very quickly), though he did elaborate on the fact that the movie will try and figure out how humanity reacts when giant creatures emerge from out of nowhere and start wrecking havoc. That seems good enough for the monster-loving del Toro, meaning it sounds good enough for us.

Legendary had a few other titles to promote during its Comic Con panel, including The Seventh Son with Jeff Bridges as well as Alex Proyas and Bradley Cooper’s Paradise Lost. There’s concept art for that one below:

But without question, del Toro and Pacific Rim received the warmest reception, with what Katey calls “massive, massive cheers” for the Hellboy director. Now settle in for the long, long, long wait until Rim reaches theaters on July 12, 2013.

There are two stories here. One is a pretty standard casting scoop. Encore says Sam Worthington is set to star in Alex Proyas’s long talked about Dracula: Year One. Whether that means he’ll be a vampire or the movie’s human protagonist is unclear. He’s merely pegged as having the “lead role”. Since it’s Sam Worthington, that probably means human vampire battler.

Fighting monsters seems to be Worthington’s stock and trade, though I find his continued casting in big-budget effects movies somewhat inexplicable. On the whole he’s proven himself to be terrible. His best performance to date happened in Avatar, a movie where he’s rarely ever actually on screen. That says something about his ability as an actor. I expect this sort of casting from McG, Alex Proyas should know better.

The other story here is far more confusing. The thing is, Encore has since removed their report on Worthington in Dracula: Year One from their website. You can still view it using Google cache here but they’ve erased it and offer this baffling explanation for why it’s gone:

The article was a report on an event held in Australia called the Australian International Movie Convention. Encore got its information simply by attending the event and blogging about what they heard announced. So here’s the question: since when does Universal Pictures have “rights” in the matter of people reporting things that they’ve had spoken to them? Did Encore’s reporter sign some sort of waiver before he entered the convention? That seems unikely. A visit to the AIMC’s website makes it appear as though it’s a fairly standard event, not some secret, clandestine meeting. There’s a link where anyone can register to attend and, in a bitter twist of irony, the convention is actually sponsored by the news website News.au.

Something’s very strange here. Universal Pictures should have no domain over the reporting of publicly announced information, or the reporting of any information at all for that matter. If this were done as a favor, it would be a move lacking in integrity on the part of Encore, but at least that would make sense. Citing “legal reasons” does not. This isn’t a YouTube video using copyrighted material. This is a piece of factual information which appears to have been announced to the general public. I’m no copyright lawyer and maybe there’s a reasonable explanation here, but the notice posted on Encore’s page makes this seem dark and ominous. On the other hand this does come from Australia, where their recent censorship record hasn’t exactly been stellar. Legal experts, chime in.