The Crow just won’t let up. That’s pretty much its thing. Of course, the concept of the wrongfully dead returning from their graves seeking revenge – inspired by James O’Barr’s comics of the same name – has spawned a franchise that has spanned five films since Alex Proyas’ iconic, stylish film debuted in 1994. The original film is still heartbreaking to watch after star Brandon Lee’s tragic death on set, but it’s also considered a stunning, hugely influential gothic-rock urban fantasy – not to mention an early comic book adaptation.
And the rest of The Crow films? Well, they’re not quite as enduring, although the cast does feature familiar faces, including Kirsten Dunst, Edward Furlong, Mia Kirschner, Fred Ward, David Boreanaz, and now Bill Skarsgard and FKA Twigs in the long-awaited remake.
Aside from a main character being carried over from the first film to the second, there is very little connecting tissue between the films other than the central idea, so you don’t need to worry about plot chronology to watch The Crow films in order. Here’s the order of release dates:
- “The Crow” (1994)
- “The Crow: City of Angels” (1996)
- “The Crow: Salvation” (2000)
- “The Crow: Evil Prayer” (2005)
- “The Crow” (2024)
“The Crow” (1994)
The original 1994 film stars Lee as musician Eric Draven, who returns from the dead to avenge his and his fiancée’s murder one year after their deaths – on Halloween. The film also stars Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott, Sofia Shinas, Bai Ling, Tony Todd and Rochelle Davis as Sarah.
“The Crow: City of Angels” (1996)
Vincent Perez took over the role of the Crow after Lee’s tragic death, playing Ashe Corvin, a father who returns from the dead to avenge the gruesome murder of himself and his young son. This time, the Crow gets a little help from an adult version of Sarah (Mia Kirshner), the young girl from the first film who has had previous experiences with the Crow. “City of Angels” was directed by Tim Pope, The Cure’s music video director, and also stars Iggy Pop, Judah Earl, Thomas Jane and the late “Power Rangers” actress Thuy Trang.
“The Crow: Salvation” (2000)
Hallmark favorite Eric Mabius takes on the role of Crow in the third installment, playing Alex Corvis, an innocent young man wrongly convicted of the brutal murder of his girlfriend. After a botched execution, Alex returns from the grave to hunt down the man with the mysterious scar that the police could never find. Directed by Bharat Nalluri, the film also features Kirsten Dunst, Fred Ward and Jodi Lyn O’Keefe.
“The Crow: Evil Prayer” (2005)
Edward Furlong plays Jimmy Cuervo, an ex-con who returns from the dead after he and his girlfriend are murdered as part of a ritual to raise the Antichrist. The fourth film was directed by Lance Mungia and also stars David Boreanaz, Tara Reid and Emmanuelle Chriqui.
“The Crow” (2024)
After nearly 15 years of interruptions, the remake of The Crow is finally out in 2024, starring It and Barbarian actor Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven. Like the original film, Eric returns from the dead on a quest for revenge after the death of his beloved Shelley (FKA Twigs), but there are some key differences that set the films apart. Directed by Ruper Sanders, The Crow also stars Danny Huston.
