The original version of the gothic superhero film was released 30 years ago. Since then, there have been numerous sequels and, most recently, a remake.
The The Crow film franchise began in May 1994 with the release of Alex Proyas original film (The Crow), which became famous even before its release due to the tragic accidental death of one of its main protagonists. The film is an adaptation of The comic series by James O’Barr published in 1989.
On the eve of his wedding, rock star Eric Dravenplayed by Brandon Lee and his fiancée Shelly Webster are murdered by members of a violent inner-city gang. His soul is accompanied by a crow to the next world, but since his life was ended prematurely, The restless spirit desperately wants to return to earth to settle his unfinished business. With the help of the crow, he manages to return and avenge those who took his life and that of his fiancée.
Brandon Lee’s death during the filming of “The Crow”
On March 31, 1994 Lee was fatally shot in the stomach during the filming of the scene after the rape of Eric’s fiancée. A blank cartridge was accidentally left in the gun and was not removed by an inexperienced prop assistant. It was decided that Lee’s scenes would remain in the film and a stunt double was used for the rest.
The Crow was an instant box office hit and has been generated gross revenue of $50.6 million in the United States and Canada and $43 million internationally. The film was released on VHS at the time and on DVD in 1998. A two-disc collector’s edition, including widescreen and full-screen versions plus extras, was released in 2003, a Blu-ray version was released in 2012, and a 4K edition was released in May of this year.
The Crow can be streamed on Prime Video, AppleTV, fubo, MGM+, Roku – all offer free seven-day trials and can also be rented on Amazon.com, AppleTV And Microsoft Movies and TV.
Sequels and remakes of “The Crow”
Since then, four sequels have been released, starting with 1996’s The Crow: City of Angels, in which mechanic Ashe Corven (Vincent Pérez) and his eight-year-old son Danny are brutally murdered by a drug lord. Corven is revived and led by the Crow to the drug gang, which he eliminates one by one.
The Crow: City of Angels was released in 2014 in DVD format and on Blu-ray as part of a three-disc box set. It can be streamed for free on Tam-tamor on subscription platforms: AppleTV or for rent on Amazon.com, AppleTV And Microsoft Movies and TV.
The Crow: Stairway to Heaven is a television adaptation of O’Barr’s comic book series starring Mark Dacascos as Eric Draven/The Crow. The 22 episodes originally aired from September 1998 to May 1999. The complete series was released as a five-disc box set in 2005. Unfortunately, it is not available for streaming.
Directed by Bharat Nalluri, and Eric Mabius as Alex Corvis, The Crow: Redemption followed in 2000. Corvis returns to Earth to investigate the murder of his girlfriend, for which he was framed and sent to death row. The film was released on DVD and Blu-ray in September 2014. It can be streamed on Prime Video, Hulu, Apple TV, fubo, Peacock Premium, Roku, Pluto TV, Shout TV, Plex, Disney+.
And finally, The Crow: Evil Prayer (2005) is the fourth film in the series. Edward Furlong plays Jimmy Cuervo / The Crow. The convoluted and often implausible fantasy storyline was poorly received, receiving a 0% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on nine unflattering reviews.
The Crow: Evil Prayerwas released on DVD in 2005 with extras such as deleted scenes, making of… and a commentary. Also available as a double feature on DVD and Blu-ray with The Crow: City of Angels. It can be streamed for free on Tam-tam or is available for rent or purchase at AppleTV, Microsoft Movies and TV And Amazon.com.