The Crow is a 2024 superhero film directed by Rupert Sanders from a screenplay by Zach Baylin and William Schneider. A reboot of The Crow film series, it is the fifth film in the franchise, and is the second film, after the 1994 film, to adapt the 1989 comic book series by James O'Barr. The film stars Bill Skarsgård as Eric / The Crow, a man who is resurrected to avenge the deaths of himself and his girlfriend, played by FKA Twigs.
The film entered development in December 2008, with Stephen Norrington stating that he would write and direct a "reinvention" of The Crow. It entered a complicated production process with various directors, screenwriters, and cast members attached at various points. Filmmakers Norrington, Juan Carlos Fresnadillo, F. Javier Gutiérrez, and Corin Hardy were initially signed to direct while Bradley Cooper, Luke Evans, Jack Huston, and Jason Momoa were all cast as Eric during various points in development. Skarsgård was announced as Eric in April 2022, along with Sanders as director. Filming began in July, occurring in Prague and Penzing near Munich.
The Crow had its world premiere in New York City on August 20, 2024, and was released in France on August 21, and in the United States and United Kingdom on August 23. It received negative reviews from critics and became a box-office bomb, grossing $23 million worldwide against a production budget of $50 million.
Plot[]
Eric, an addict with a troubled childhood, struggles with life and nightmares at a rehabilitation center. Shelly, a musician with similar issues, receives a video on her cell phone from her friend Zadie that incriminates Vincent Roeg, a crime lord posing as a musical aristocrat. Choosing to save the video, despite knowing that possessing it would lead to her death, Shelly attempts to go into hiding but is immediately pursued by Roeg's henchmen. They break their pursuit when Shelly is arrested for drug possession.
Zadie is captured and interrogated by Roeg. He reveals that, centuries earlier, he had made a pact with the devil to send innocent souls to Hell in exchange for eternal life. He forces Zadie to kill herself by whispering incantations in her ear. Shelly is sent to the same rehab center where Eric is situated. The two become smitten with each other and bond over time. When Marion, Roeg's right-hand woman, suddenly appears at the institution, Shelly panics and convinces Eric to help her escape. They take refuge in the vacant home of one of Shelly's friends, and the two quickly fall in love and attempt to live a carefree life together, but are soon found by Roeg's men and murdered.
Eric awakens in a purgatory-like rail yard where Kronos, a spirit guide, explains that Eric will have to kill Roeg to be reunited with Shelly. Revived and possessing the ability to heal from injuries, Eric visits Sophia, Shelly's mother, who was present with Marion at the rehab center. Sophia reveals that she made a deal with Roeg: wealth in exchange for Shelly's soul. After Eric leaves, Roeg visits Sophia to inquire about Eric but forces her to jump off the roof when dissatisfied with her answers. Eric proceeds to hunt down and kill several of Roeg's men and finds Shelly's phone with the incriminating video revealing that Roeg had previously forced Shelly to kill a woman. Suddenly doubting his love for Shelly, Eric loses his ability to heal and is again killed. Returned to the afterlife, Eric makes a deal with Kronos to take Shelly's place in Hell in exchange for another chance to kill Roeg.
Roeg learns of Eric's supernatural abilities and orders Marion to lure him to them in order to seize Eric's powers. Eric tracks Marion to an opera house, savagely killing all of Roeg's men to reach her. Marion reluctantly discloses Roeg's location before Eric decapitates her. Roeg subdues Eric and attempts to steal his powers before Eric transports them both to the afterlife, where he quickly finishes Roeg and saves Shelly's soul.
After a brief reunion between the lovers, Shelly is revived on the night of their deaths and mourns for Eric after Kronos, disguised as a medic, tells her that he gave his life for her. Eric accepts his fate, content in his belief that their souls will one day find each other again.
Cast[]
- Bill Skarsgård as Eric / The Crow
- FKA Twigs as Shelly, Eric's girlfriend
- Danny Huston as Vincent Roeg, a demonic crime lord
- Josette Simon as Sophia, Shelly's mother
- Laura Birn as Marian, Roeg's right-hand woman
- Sami Bouajila as Kronos, a spirit that guides Eric in his mission
- Isabella Wei as Zadie, Shelly's friend
- Jordan Bolger as Chance, a tattoo artist and friend of Eric and Shelly