If you’re a fan of the 1994 supernatural comic book movie, The Crow, you’ll know it is a brilliant film. The picture – directed by Alex Proyas – stars Brandon Lee, Michael Wincott, Rochells Davis, and Ernie Hudson, and is one of the best comic book movies of all time.

You’ll also know The Crow tells the story of Eric Draven – a young musician who is brutally murdered, alongside his fiancée. Draven then comes back from beyond the grave to avenge their deaths, and makes a damn fine job of it too!

All of the above is certainly nothing new and if you do call yourself a fan, then you’ll know all this already. You’ll also know that ever since the film made its debut in ’94, The Crow has carried an ’18’ certificate in the UK.

Or at least, it did.

In 2024, to mark the 30th anniversary of The Crow, the film is returning to select UK cinemas. When the movie returns to the big screen, it will no longer carry an ’18’ certificate, it will know be a ’15’.

Does this mean the film has been cut, to remove strong language or violence? No – it’ll be the exact same version of the movie you have grown to love, it will simply carry a new certificate.

Image: ©Miramax Films
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So, if The Crow is not losing any material, and no edits are taking place, why is the film being reclassified for UK cinemas? Well, it’s simply because the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) believe the movie should now be a ’15’ rather than an ’18’.

The reason for the change is due to the BBFC using different criteria to rate films. The BBFC continuously monitor the ever-changing landscape and from time-to-time they adjust their guidelines accordingly, which means some films get new classifications as a result.

Back in 1994, the guidelines used by the BBFC meant The Crow had to be rated as an ’18’, meaning it was only suitable for those aged 18 or over. However, in 2024, the BBFC’s readjusted guidelines now place the film as a ’15’, which means it is suitable for anyone aged 15 or over.

It’s worth noting, this is the first time The Crow has been reclassified for UK cinemas since the movie’s release in 1994. The only other time the film has been submitted for classification with the BBFC was back in 2002, when the movie received a DVD release, but at that time it retained its ’18’ certificate.

So, yeah, The Crow is now a ’15’. Once again, nothing has changed.

Whether you watched the film in 1994 or you’re watching the film for the first time in 2024, it’s the same ol’ version of The Crow. The new certificate simply means more audiences can watch it!

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Editor/writer/unrated hack

Alex Wiggan

Alex is the writer and editor of It’s A Stampede! – a blog which specialises in movies, TV, comics, retro toys, and general geekery. He is a championing voice in nerd content, an expert in pop culture, and a trusted movie critic who publishes new reviews on a weekly basis. After graduating with a degree in film & television studies from the University of Derby in the UK, Alex went on to study journalism in Sheffield, before acquiring NCTJ accreditation. Prior to creating It’s A Stampede!, Alex was a magazine editor, a senior copywriter, a features writer, and a freelancer.

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Thank you for taking the time to read this post about The Crow on It’s A Stampede!. For more posts, check out the recommended reads below.

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