The Crow Footage Reaction: Bill Skarsgard Severs Heads In This Ultra-Dark Reimagining [CinemaCon 2024]

The vengeful spirit Eric Draven first appeared in James O'Barr's indie comic "The Crow" in 1989. He became a Goth household name in 1994 thanks to the popularity of Alex Proyas' ultra-stylized, uber-Noir film adaptation starring Brandon Lee, who was infamously killed on the set of "The Crow" thanks to a misfiring prop gun. The teens of 1994 venerated the film, and "The Crow" was deeply beloved by many. The film warranted several sequels, including "The Crow: City of Angels" in 1994, "The Crow: Salvation" in 2000, and "The Crow: Wicked Prayer" in 2005. O'Barr's characters were also featured in the 1998 TV series "The Crow: Stairway to Heaven." 

Although O'Barr's Goth sensibilities were a product of their time, filmmakers and producers have been trying to get a "Crow" remake off the ground for a long while, and the project has changed hands almost a dozen times in the last 20 years. After a lot of juggling, negotiating, script re-writes, more script re-writes, and even more script re-writes, the remake of "The Crow" is finally headed to the big screen. The final version is directed by Rupert Sanders (the live-action "Ghost in the Shell" remake) and will star Bill Skarsgård in the lead role. Early photos depicted Skarsgård as a wiry, tattooed skate punk, a far cry from the leathery brooder played by Brandon Lee. 

/Film's own Ryan Scott is currently in Las Vegas, Nevada attending this year's CinemaCon, a convention of massive proportions wherein Lionsgate has shared new footage from "The Crow." Here's a breakdown of what he saw.

Fans of the original have no doubt been waiting on pins and needles to see how Bill Skarsgård steps into the role of Eric Draven and, well, the reel begins on the best possible note: the actor naked in a shower. He soon meets co-star FKA Twigs as Shelly Webster in a correctional facility, encircled by others in matching pink sweatsuits. It doesn't take too long for the two characters to feel themselves drawn to one another as kindred lost souls and broken people who managed to find each other. Spliced together with sex scenes and other imagery, we hear Twigs' voice saying, "If I jumped, you'd jump with me." Skarsgård, in response, says, "Of course I would."

But the good times can't last, obviously, since the whole premise has to do with the soulmates ending up brutally murdered. Those in attendance received a glimpse of this gnarly scene, before Draven wakes up again and realizes that they're both dead. This leads to a scene in stormy waters as Draven swims toward his love, urged on by the Crow that he can "get her back" by setting many wrongs right. "Kill them all," he's told by his guide, which neatly transitions to our main protagonist "going full John Wick" (to quote our own Ryan Scott) in a thrilling car chase that results in several deaths and brutal violence. Sword-fighting, gunplay, and one memorable moment of Draven on stage at an opera holding two severed heads sets the tone for a very dark reimagining — one that apparently went over incredibly well in the room, despite skepticism surrounding the remake.

"The Crow" flies into theaters June 7, 2024.