In 1989, comic writer James O’Barr penned as a means to emotionally overcome the death of his fiancée, who was killed in a drunk driving incident. He as a way to put some of his anger down and “purge it” from his system. In 1994, the comic was adapted into a feature film, starring Brandon Lee as Eric Draven.
In the course of filming, a mishandling of prop equipment led to Lee being shot and killed – and so, the story of was defined by a further tragedy. In 2024, Lionsgate will release a new adaptation of the original comic – a complete reimagining starring Bill Skarsgård and FKA Twigs. This film, which seems to focus more on cartoonish hyperviolence as seen in early trailers, is getting a and tie-in, as its version of The Crow will soon be available as a playable Operator.
As revealed by the official account, Eric / The Crow will be available in an Operator Bundle launching on , around the same time the Lionsgate film is set to arrive in cinemas. While the teaser for this bundle was kept vague, you can see the back of The Crow’s coat, and it does appear to be Skarsgård’s voice talking about coming back from the dead. Why putting in feels like a bad idea The inclusion of in is incredibly strange, and to be frank, it feels a bit crass when you consider the origin of the tale, and its legacy.
While is a fairly violent comic, it explores a middle ground between what is right and just, and when violence is acceptable. It’s a story of revenge, but it agonises about the nature of crime, violence, and guilt. In the wake of the 1994 film, gun violence has also become irrevocably linked with the franchise.
In fact, Brandon Lee’s death during filming inspired change on film sets, and calls for greater care when handling weapon props on set (although tragedies still occur). The 2024 adaptation of is an entirely different beast, yes, but its ties to the 1994 film and the original comic book remain intact. , in name, will always be linked to the original film adaptation – for its popularisation of the franchise, and for its tragedy.
To have the franchise now directly tied with , a game which is defined by gun violence, feels like an oversight. It feels like a misunderstanding of the franchise and its legacy. While has become abstracted, as a popular way to – marketing must go to where the people are – having feature in the game can only be described as a bad choice.
When the character launches, there’s no doubt he’ll be a popular Operator, but for those familiar with the long history of , his appearance will more than likely feel a bit odd, and a bit inconsiderate..
