Rupert Sanders' "The Crow" avoids real guns after Brandon Lee’s accidental death on original set

Director Rupert Sanders ensures "The Crow" uses Airsoft guns, avoiding real firearms for safety.

Rupert Sanders' upcoming reboot of "The Crow" has taken a significant step to ensure set safety by using Airsoft guns instead of real firearms. This decision reflects Sanders' commitment to avoiding the tragedies that have plagued previous film productions, such as the accidental shooting of Brandon Lee during the 1994 film adaptation and the fatal shooting of Halyna Hutchins on the set of "Rust" in 2021.

Filmed in 2022, Sanders’ version of "The Crow" features Bill Skarsgård as Eric Draven, who seeks vengeance in a dark, revenge-driven narrative. Sanders emphasized that safety was his top priority, insisting on the use of non-firing weapons to prevent any risk of accidents. "We had no firing weapons on set," Sanders explained. "Everything was Airsoft or rubber decoys with no firing mechanism."

This approach aligns with a broader industry movement to eliminate real guns from film sets. Following the "Rust" incident, many actors and directors, including Dwayne Johnson, have pledged to use rubber guns for added safety. Sanders' commitment to this principle, despite budget constraints, underscores the industry’s growing focus on creating safer working environments for everyone involved in film production.