The box office bombs of the 2024 movie schedule have had some entries that shall live in infamy for quite some time. Earlier this year Madame Web landed with a thud that some can still hear echoing through the internet today. And now, thanks to The Crow’s opening weekend numbers, another cinematic tragedy is about to unfold.
So it’s naturally that point in the story arc where O.G. Crow director Alex Proyas has a blast trolling how the Bill Skarsgård fronted remake is faring. To be certain Proyas’ previous comments on The Crow still seem to apply, as the trolls he’s shared on his Facebook page don’t cut nearly as deep as they could.
With that in mind, there is a bit of vindication that seems to be at work with his social media schadenfreude. In fact, the earlier posts Proyas’ recent run of redemption started with remarks such as these:
One only needs to look at write-ups like our own Eric Eisenberg’s review of The Crow to see that the long in development reboot was misguided at best, and totally unnecessary in the worst case. Overall critical reaction to what’s been branded as a “reimagining” seems to savagely support that, as the picture currently sits at 19% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Which could help explain how the box office is so dismal that Alex Proyas was able to share this burn over the weekend:
What’s kind of strange about all of this is that somehow the Popcornmeter, Rotten Tomatoes’ anti-trolling fan score system, has the movie sitting at 65%. It may not be enough to earn the site’s new “Verified Hot” badge, but it’s shaping up to be another potential case where viewers and critics wildly diverge in opinions.
Turning back for a moment to the horrible haul The Crow 2024 has brought in, here’s another dig from the legacy director. This time, the man of the hour uses the picture’s public perception as its ultimate downfall:
Of course, there’s more ways to slay a film’s reputation than its box office standings. And sure enough, Alex Proyas started to dig into the fan reactions from the more negative side of the aisle. Adding insult to injury, the Australian helmer slyly inferred what the future may hold for Lionsgate’s latest release, thanks to the following comment:
Capping off this cacophony of criticism is a meme that someone had created when referencing The Crow 2024’s less than open reception. Delivering a comedic message that could probably say it all, this image is among some of Proyas’ most recent contributions:
Does The Crow have the power to potentially become another moment where, much as we saw in IF’s critics vs. fans discourse, the people may favor this project more than “the establishment?” That’s will remain to be seen as the next couple of weeks play out at the box office. Stranger things have happened, for sure; so it’s not like anyone can totally rule it out at the moment.
That being said, if the box office continues on the trajectory Alex Proyas has honed in on, such a re-appraisal may have to wait. The home entertainment release for The Crow could lead to a potentially vengeful afterlife of streaming rentals and physical purchases. Like the O.G. Eric Draven once said, “it can’t rain all the time.” Or can it?
The Crow reimagining is currently still in theaters, in case you’re curious about experiencing the results for yourself. Meanwhile, Alex Proyas’ original 1994 classic is available on a brand new 4K disc, as well as streaming through access to a Paramount+ subscription.