The Crow original director slams the Bill Skarsgård reboot: "I thought it was a cynical cash grab. Not much cash to grab it seems"

The director of the original Crow movie, Alex Proyas, has taken aim at the reboot.

The new movie, which is directed by Rupert Sanders and stars Bill Skarsgård in the role first played by the late Brandon Lee, disappointed at the box office with an opening weekend total of just $4.6 million against a reported $50 million budget.

"I thought the remake was a cynical cash-grab. Not much cash to grab it seems," Proyas wrote on his Facebook page (H/T Variety), where he has also shared negative reviews of the reboot and even a meme about avoiding watching the new film.

This isn't the first time Proyas has spoken out against the movie, either. "I really don't get any joy from seeing negativity about any fellow filmmakers work," he previously wrote on Facebook. "And I'm certain the cast and crew really had all good intentions, as we all do on any film. So it pains me to say any more on this topic, but I think the fan's response speaks volumes. [The Crow] is not just a movie. Brandon Lee died making it, and it was finished as a testament to his lost brilliance and tragic loss. It is his legacy. That's how it should remain."

In our own The Crow review, we gave the reboot just 2 stars, with our reviewer commenting: "Ignore what's come before and you’ll find things to like in Sanders' ultra-violent reimagining. But it’s hard to imagine this forgettable take will enjoy the same legacy as its predecessor."

The Crow is in theaters now. For more on what the year has to offer, check out our guide to all the upcoming major movie release dates.

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.