Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven in The Crow remake, honoring Brandon Lee’s iconic 1994 role.
Bill Skarsgård, known for his roles in films like It and John Wick: Chapter 4, is stepping into the shoes of a character long associated with tragedy and legend. Skarsgård stars as Eric Draven in the new remake of The Crow, a role made famous by the late Brandon Lee in the 1994 original film.
The movie premiered at Village East by Angelika in New York City on Tuesday, August 20th, with Skarsgård, FKA Twigs, and director Rupert Sanders in attendance.
Skarsgård, 34, admits that taking on the role of Eric Draven was a daunting task, especially given the legacy left behind by Lee, who tragically died in an on-set accident during the filming of the original The Crow.
Lee, the son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee, was accidentally shot and killed while filming a scene in 1993, just before the movie was completed. Despite the tragedy, the 1994 film was finished and released to critical acclaim, with Lee’s portrayal of Draven becoming iconic.
Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the premiere, Skarsgård reflected on the significance of stepping into a role so deeply tied to Lee’s memory. “It’s daunting,” Skarsgård admitted. “An iconic performance, a tragic thing that happened with Brandon. For me, I approached this like I do any other job—like, ‘What’s this story? How can I do this story justice?’”
While acknowledging the weight of the role, Skarsgård was quick to clarify that the 2024 remake of The Crow is not a direct rehash of the original. “We were not remaking that movie, and that was never the intention,” he explained.
“I feel like that movie and his performance is iconic and shouldn’t be tampered with at all. So I’m glad that we tried to do something very different with it.”
The new film, directed by Rupert Sanders, tells the story of Eric Draven, a man who is resurrected after his murder to seek revenge on those who killed him and his fiancée. The official synopsis describes Eric’s journey as one where he “traverses the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right.”
Sanders, known for his work on films like Snow White and the Huntsman and Ghost in the Shell, shared his thoughts on continuing the legacy of The Crow in a February interview with Vanity Fair. He emphasized that the spirit of Brandon Lee was ever-present during the making of the new film.
“There’s a real fragility and beauty to his version of The Crow, and I think Bill feels like he is a successor to that,” Sanders said. “Brandon was an original voice, and I think he will always be synonymous with The Crow, and I hope he’s proud of what we’ve done and how we’ve brought the story back again.”
The 2024 version of The Crow aims to honor the original while also bringing something new to the table. The film features a cast that includes FKA Twigs, Danny Huston, Isabella Wei, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, and Jordan Bolger.
Zach Baylin and William Schneider penned the screenplay, while Victor Hadida, Molly Hassell, John Jencks, and the original film’s producers, the late Samuel Hadida and Ed Pressman, are credited as producers.
The film’s release comes 30 years after the original The Crow, which became a cult classic not only for its dark, gothic atmosphere and soundtrack but also because of the circumstances surrounding its making.
The 1994 film was based on James O’Barr’s 1989 graphic novel, which told the story of a man avenging his and his fiancée’s murders after being brought back to life by a mysterious crow.
Reflecting on the tragedy that marked the original film’s production, Sanders noted, “Lee’s soul is very much alive in this film.” He added, “The terrible tragedy was definitely something that we’ve always had in mind through the making of the film.”
For Skarsgård, who is no stranger to playing complex and dark characters, taking on the role of Eric Draven was a challenge, but one he approached with the utmost respect for what came before.
“There have been prior remakes in both film and TV, so I’m not the first one to fill those shoes,” he acknowledged, further underscoring that his portrayal was meant to be a fresh take on the character, separate from Lee’s iconic performance.
As The Crow prepares to hit theaters on August 23rd, both fans of the original and newcomers to the story will get to see Skarsgård’s interpretation of Eric Draven—a character forever linked with the legacy of Brandon Lee, but one that Skarsgård hopes to make his own.