The Crow Remake Missed Its Chance With This Much Better Actor

The Crow, starring Brandon Lee, was a massive success upon its 1994 release because it expertly blended a gritty neo-noir revenge plot with a healthy amount of camp. Beneath its veneer of violence, The Crow has a heart and a sense of humor that gives it mass appeal. Audiences and critics alike rooted for the late Brandon Lee’s version of Eric Draven in the original film because he so perfectly portrayed a troubled soul turned anti-hero and belted out a number of iconic one-liners before going in for the kill (“Is that gasoline I smell?”).

Jason Momoa’s Dante in Fast X boasts characteristics similar to those of Eric Draven but in a wildly different context. Dante is also hellbent on revenge and knows how to get the audience going with his borderline slapstick approach to cinematic violence, and his flamboyant persona would work perfectly in a darker setting. Just imagine what kind of zingers Momoa could belt out in the middle of a gunfight with Top Dollar if given the opportunity.

What’s more, The Crow is fundamentally an action movie. Emotional throughlines notwithstanding, Eric Draven’s odyssey is not without a considerable amount of carnage, and we need an action hero who can dish out and take a beating. Jason Momoa has been actively practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu since 2017, and his on-screen fighting abilities have the potential to mirror Brandon Lee’s hand-to-hand combat in the original film. Add Momoa’s 240-pound frame to the equation, and it’s safe to say that he can throw some serious haymakers when ambushed by a bunch of thugs on Devil’s Night.

Do I even need to mention that Jason Momoa would be perfect in The Crow reboot because he’s a metalhead who knows how to play multiple instruments? Let’s not forget how Eric Draven rips a blistering solo across six strings on a rainy rooftop before arming himself to the teeth and killing everyone in his path in the 1994 film. It’s also worth noting that there is footage of Aquaman himself holding his own in a Metallica mosh pit that you can find on YouTube, and this is exactly the kind of energy we need in the upcoming remake.

If you’re still not convinced that Jason Momoa would make a perfect Eric Draven in The Crow, then we need to direct your attention toward his hair. We’re not saying that Bill Skarsgård couldn’t pull off the flowing, shoulder-length locks that Brandon Lee’s Eric Draven rocked in The Crow, but at this point in Jason Momoa’s career, his hairdo is synonymous with his name. He simply has that rock star look that Brandon Lee brought to the mix back in 1994, and straying away from that iconic look is a serious creative misstep that we could do without.