The Crow Remake Reveals Bill Skarsgard's New Look & Fans Are Making The Same Joke
In 1994, audiences witnessed a modern gothic classic with "The Crow." Starring the late Brandon Lee, "The Crow" had a lush aesthetic with brilliant action sequences. Naturally, Hollywood doubled down with several sequels but none matched the original's acclaim. But in 2022, "IT" actor Bill Skarsgard landed the role of Eric Draven for an upcoming remake. After being in development for over a decade, audiences finally have their first look at 2024's "The Crow" — courtesy of Lionsgate — but they're not having it.
Lionsgate
Lionsgate
Lionsgate
Sadly, many fans seem vehemently against this new direction for Eric. Skarsgard's iteration gives major emo-punk vibes, with the character decked out in haunting — albeit confusingly contrasting — tattoos. Shortly after the first look debuted online, fans began comparing Skarsgard's Crow to Jared Leto's maligned Joker, who notably sported some heavy ink.
Bill Skarsgard is giving Joker
"Holy [expletive] they done went and Jared Leto'd the Crow," wrote X user @mandanduno. "The Crow 1994: Gen X apathy and edgy 'You don't get me' high school attitude. Very much a product of its time. The Crow 2023: What If we made the Jonkler real," said user @GalaxyPeaBrain.
To his credit, Lee's interpretation of the Crow was more of a somber heavy metal biker decked out in torn black leather and white and black face paint. Skarsgard's take is not that. However, given the character's known story arc — seeing the love of his life murdered and being stuck in a supernatural form — he may eventually don more toned-down garbs and attitude. After all, he does transform into a vengeance force looking for revenge.
Yes, the obvious Joker comparisons are there. But fans are also notably disappointed that Skarsgard doesn't boast the character's signature long hair. "I get that they probably don't want to try and copy Brandon's iconic look and legacy but the long hair is missed...it feels a bit off but I do love Bill," said @KryptKeeper21. A similar sentiment was echoed by @FullM3talAlch13, who wrote, "They had 1 job.. long hair man. He looks like the joker." We'll just have to wait and see how Skarsgard embodies the character in a future trailer.
"The Crow" arrives in theaters on June 7, 2024.