The Crow (1994 film)

The Crow is a 1994 American superhero film directed by Alex Proyas from a screenplay by David J. Schow and John Shirley, based on the 1989 limited comic book series of the same name by James O Barr. The film stars Brandon Lee, in his final film appearance, as Eric Draven, a musician who is resurrected from the dead to seek vengeance against the gang who murdered him and his fiancée, all the while being pursued by a sympathetic police officer.

Production on The Crow was struck by tragedy when Lee was fatally wounded by a prop gun during filming. As Lee had finished most of his scenes before his death, the film was completed through script rewrites, a stunt double, and digital effects. After Lee s death, Paramount Pictures opted out of distributing the film and the rights were picked up by Miramax Films, who oversaw the film s completion. The film is dedicated to Lee and his fiancée, Eliza Hutton.

The Crow was released in the United States on May 13, 1994. The film received positive reviews from critics. A sleeper hit at the box office, it grossed $94 million on a $23 million budget and gained a strong cult following. The success of the film led to a media franchise that includes the sequels The Crow: City of Angels (1996), The Crow: Salvation (2000), and The Crow: Wicked Prayer (2005). The sequels, which mostly featured different characters and none of the original cast members, were unable to match the success of the first film.