For every movie that makes it to your local cineplex , there are dozens that never arrive into existence . In another universe , Mel Gibson directed Fahrenheit 451 , Terry Gilliam direct Watchmen , and Batman fought Godzilla . The history of movies is cram full of weird almost - weres and could - have - beens . A lot of people seemed to be startled the other day whenwe mentioned that David Cronenberg could have directed Return of the Jedi .
https://gizmodo.com/the-magical-video-store-where-you-could-rent-joss-whedo-5932614
Top persona : Dune concept art by Chris Foss .
We gleaned a ton of info for this clause fromtwo Christian Bible by David Hughes : The Greatest Sci - Fi Movies Never Made , andTales From Development Hell . But if you want to learn more than just the bare - bones summaries about these films , you should unquestionably pick up both Word of God , which are jam - pack with weird and fascinating anecdotes about Hollywood at its most nonadaptive . ( Read an excerption from Development Hellhere . )
https://gizmodo.com/if-you-love-movies-this-book-will-give-you-an-aneurysm-5889808
https://gizmodo.com/the-long-strange-saga-of-total-recall-2-5887350
We asked Hughes which unmade version of an existing pic he wish he could see , and he says :
I liked the original Total Recall , but I think David Cronenberg had a well handgrip on the write up . And who would I have like to see The Hitchhiker ’s Guide to the Galaxy ? ANYONE but the doofus who made it !
So here ’s our leaning of movie project you ’ll never get to see :
1 . David Cronenberg ’s Star Wars : Revenge of the Jedi
Actually , there ’s not much to say about this . Cronenbergwas approachedabout doing the third Star Wars plastic film , but as presently as he said he was leery of doing someone else ’s textile , the conversation was over . This was back when Jedi was still call Revenge , not Return , and there ’s lots of speculation that this could have been a dark rendering , in which Han Solo dies .
2 . David Lynch ’s Star Wars : rejoinder of the Jedi
It sounds as though the treatment over Lynch directing Jedi were somewhat more serious . Lynchactually met with George Lucas , who peddle him his ideas for the third motion-picture show — and Lynch was seriously look at take it on . But when he looked at all the designs for the creatures Lucas want to introduce in the motion-picture show , Lynch got a unspeakable headache and had to bow out . So he could lead Dune , instead . There are buff vids ( including one at left ) trying to imagine what Lynch ’s film would have looked like .
3 . David Cronenberg ’s Total Recall
Cronenberg spent a year working on Total Recall , before the producersreportedly told him that the problem washe was trying to make “ the Philip K. Dick rendering , ” and they did n’t want that . or else , they wanted “ Raiders of the Lost Ark goes to Mars . ” We posted a ton of exclusiveconcept art from Cronenberg ’s movie a while back .
https://gizmodo.com/never-before-seen-concept-art-from-david-cronenbergs-to-5907260
4 . Total Recall 2
After the first Recall made a squillion dollar sign , there were several seek to make a sequel — with manager like Jan de Bont ( Speed ) and Star Trek ’s Jonathan Frakes on board at various time . The master stumbling pulley : Arnold Schwarzenegger did n’t like any of the scripts that hoi polloi come up with . you could read the whole , pain in the ass - get saga of the various story ideas they tried outhere .
5 . Terry Gilliam ’s A Scanner Darkly
According tothis site , Gilliam was disappoint by both Blade Runner and Total Recall — so after The Fisher King , when Gilliam ’s stemma was high in Hollywood , he render to accommodate Scanner Darkly to film . Said Gilliam , “ I saw how to make Scanner cheaply , and for it to be touch . ”
6 . Charlie Kaufman ’s A Scanner Darkly
If you had to think of one person who ought to adapt a PKD chronicle to film , it would be the writer of Being John Malkovich . Kaufmansaid he publish this scriptsoon after Malkovich : “ I got it as an assigning . There was a director attached , an Australian woman name Emma(-Kate ) Croghan . She had just directed an independent clowning [ Strange Planet ] and she was attached [ to the projection ] by Jersey Films and then they bring in me on . ” And then the studio lost interest . Kaufman ’s handwriting is easy to find online , but Kaufman suppose you should just read the book instead .
7 . Martin Luther King Jr. of the Elves
This is Dick ’s best - known speculation into phantasy , about a man who becomes the ruler of a grouping of elves ( and one dwarf ) in Mississippi after he saves them from a round . Disney announced this undertaking as an quicken film back in 2008 , around the same time Wall - E and Tangled were announced . Aaron Blaise and Robert Walker ( Brother Bear ) were going to channelize , and the film would have been out about nowish . But apparently the motion-picture show ’s not utter — as of last yr , a new script was being written by Michael Markowitz ( frightful Bosses ) , and Chris Williams ( Bolt ) might take . We could still see Elves in 2013 , albeit a very unlike interlingual rendition . On the other hand , there ’s been no news for a class .
8 . The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
accord to Hughes ’ Greatest Sci - Fi Movies Never Made , Richard Gere have the rights to this novel right after his success with Pretty Woman , and want to asterisk in it . later on , NeverEnding Story producer Bernd Eichinger had the rights and hired Neal Adams to do construct graphics . Still by and by , Paul W.S. Anderson was do to conduct it , but wound up doing Event Horizon or else . Since then , a number of scripts have been written , but the motion-picture show ’s drive no closer to happening .
9 . puerility ’s End by Arthur C. Clarke
Kimberly Peirce , director of Boys Do n’t Cry and Stop - Loss , was bond to direct this film in 2002 , but there ’s been no forward motion since then . As recently as 2008,she was talking up the possibility , articulate it would be a huge film : “ You go to that movie with a certain appetite for spectacle . ” She ’s presently making Carrie instead .
10 . Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke
You have to give Morgan Freeman credit for tenacity — he ’s been trying to make Rama for over 15 years at this stage . Clarke ’s novel about exploring a massive foreign watercraft that shows up in the solar organization is “ a tough addict to break up , ” Freemantold MTVa couple years ago . David Fincher was signed to direct it in 2007 , and is still orbiting according to Freeman .
11 . The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Haldeman ’s classic war write up was lead to be a PBS tv set movie at one point , but more recently Ridley Scottseemed really intent on making a vast 3 - five hundred movie version , using technology inspired by Avatar . And it appears that we got Prometheus rather . ( At left : conception art that wasreportedly made for the film . )
https://gizmodo.com/first-look-at-ridley-scotts-forever-war-movie-5506787
12 . The Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons
There have been many , many report attempts to get a Hyperion movie off the land — at one dot , Martin Scorsese wasrumored to be directingand Leonardo DiCaprio was going to asterisk . More recently , Warner Bros. was said to be bring forth a celluloid edition , with a 2010 release engagement . And then Bradley Cooper , riding high on his Hangover 2 success , came up with a film treatmentand expressed interest in maybe directing . But I would n’t hold my breath for this one .
13 . Count Zero by William Gibson
Director Michael Mann was going tomake this bookinto a movie called Zen Differential , with a 1998 release day of the month . ( Although later book gulp shift the title back to Count Zero . The storyline was changed to make it less tied to the Sprawl Trilogy . The screenplay was on-line at one breaker point , but has since been removed .
14 . Joseph Kahn ’s Neuromancer
Various directors , including The Mask ’s Chuck Russell and the Madonna video recording director Chris Cunningham , were lined up to adapt Neuromancer at various points . But the film really seemed like it was going to be made when Detention director Joseph Kahn was line up . As recently as 2009,he was working on it . There’sstoryboardsandconcept artfrom Kahn ’s take online . Kahntold io9 , “ I want to make Trainspotting in the Sprawl . ”
https://gizmodo.com/want-to-know-how-the-neuromancer-movie-ends-so-does-wi-5404836
https://gizmodo.com/storyboards-make-the-abandoned-neuromancer-movie-look-l-5860773
https://gizmodo.com/check-out-concept-art-from-the-neuromancer-film-that-ne-5608829
https://gizmodo.com/first-look-at-the-time-traveling-horror-comedy-we-cant-5672857
15 . The Hitchhiker ’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
As Hughes mentions in the above quote , there were many attempt to make a Hitchhiker ’s flick . Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam were both having undefined discussions at various points . Ivan Reitman was going to take it at one point , but he thought the answer the query of Life , the Universe and Everything being 42 was “ too anticlimactic . ” Michael Nesmith from The Monkees also wanted to make it in partnership with Adams . And after Men in Black ’s success , Hollywood tried again , with Austin Powers director Jay Roach on board . Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles creator Josh Friedman compose a script draft that waswidelyreviled .
16 . Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
There have been a duo of TV film based on Huxley ’s novel — a 1980 BBC version , and an American variation star Leonard Nimoy . ( See clips . ) But no heavy screen translation , ever . Leonardo DiCaprio ’s father has owned the rights for ages , and at one point , DiCaprio and Ridley Scott weregoing to make a cinema . But more recently , Scott has referred to Brave New World asa account that is well tell in book of account form.(Although , amazingly , he still utter about the futuristic Monopoly picture as a going concern . )
https://gizmodo.com/leonard-nimoy-wants-you-to-do-drugs-and-have-orgies-5111938
https://gizmodo.com/ridley-scott-confirms-hes-making-brave-new-world-5059265
17 . Jon Favreau ’s John Carter of Mars
The Iron Man director was attached to aim an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs ’ novel for quite a longsighted prison term , andwe talked to him about it last class . Favreauplanned a less ambitious version of the story , mostly centre on Carter finding himself among the Tharks and slowly strike up in Thark guild . There is fucktons ofPhil Saunders concept artfor Favreau ’s rendering — see gallery at left .
https://gizmodo.com/why-jon-favreau-is-glad-hes-not-directing-john-carter-5825055
18 . Wolfgang Petersen ’s Ender ’s Game
We were actually pretty stoked for the Enemy Mine director to take on Orson Scott Card ’s novel , and Petersen was work on it for a few year . But Petersenbailed out of the undertaking in 2008 .
https://gizmodo.com/wolfgang-petersen-off-enders-game-381714
19 . Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Terry Gilliamwas eager to make a film version of this apocalyptic fantasyback in 2001 , and got as far as having a script write . At one full stop , Johnny Depp and Robin Williams were travel to asterisk . But — as seems to have been the case with many Gilliam projects — could n’t get the financing together .
20 . Ridley Scott ’s I Am Legend
Long before Francis Laurence made the third flick edition of Richard Matheson ’s novel , Scott was signed up to direct a Los Angeles - set reading , in the backwash of his disastrous 1492 . And Arnold Schwarzenegger was a possible star , at a breaker point when the studio thought Batman and Robin would be a huge hit . Scott want to make vast underground “ anti - duomo ” full of feral sport , but the studio apartment pull the fire hydrant over budget headache . Some of Scott ’s musical theme curve up in the flick Gladiator or else .
21 . Geek Love by Katherine Dunn
Did you know that Tim Burton was trying to make a movie of Katherine Dunn ’s classical novel about mutant circus performers ? seemingly , it washis mania undertaking for quite some sentence , but he kept getting depart because he was afraid of ruin such a great book . Before that , Night Court maven Harry Anderson had optioned it and wanted to spell and direct his own adaptation .
22 . Roger Corman ’s Spider - Man
We post a foresightful chronicle of the unmade Spider - Man filmshere , but in a nutshell , Roger Corman was going to make a broken - budget photographic film based on a treatment by Stan Lee . Spidey is a college student in a honey trilateral with Mary Jane and a aphrodisiacal KGB factor , and he fights Doctor Octopus while prevent nuclear state of war .
https://gizmodo.com/the-secret-history-of-spider-man-movies-5843007
23 . Albert Pyun ’s Spider - Man
The director of the original Captain America movie was also supposed to direct a Spider - Man film , and grow as far as edifice sets — which he reuse and used in his Cyborg picture show alternatively . At one point , Cannon Films ’ version of Spidey would have been a crazy sport , who actually looked like a giant spider , and he would have fought a villain named Dr. Zork .
24 . James Cameron ’s Spider - Man
Cameron was work on his Spider - Man movie for years — there ’s a elaborated “ scriptment ” and tons of storyboards online . He wanted Peter Parker to be more of an angry geek , who fights Electro . Cameron came up with the estimate of give Spidey constitutional web shooters instead of mechanically skillful ones . More detailshere .
25 . Chris Columbus ’ Fantastic Four
In 1994 , the future Harry Potter director was lined up to guide a Fantastic Four moving-picture show for Fox , with Michael France ( GoldenEye ) compose a script that purpose to be straight to the Jack Kirby spirit . Unfortunately , there was no cheap way to make the FF ’s powers work out on sieve , and with lecture of mass like Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid starring in this film , it quickly started to look too expensive .
26 . Peyton Reed ’s Fantastic Four
The theatre director of Bring It On and Down With Love was set to direct an FF movie , on the heel of X - Men ’s winner . The picture was set up as a light comedy , in which the conflict does n’t really kick in until latterly in the movie , and the heroes spend a good deal of their clip getting used to their new powers . This book version was used as the basis for Tim Story ’s motion picture , but there are some jolly big divergence , like the Fantasticar showing up in the last spool .
27 . Geoffrey Wright ’s Silver Surfer
Producer Bernd Eichinger was trying to make a Silver Surver flick for years , with Geoffrey Wright contract up to aim . One playscript draft had the Surfer hanging around with a twelve - yr - old street sex worker , along the line of merchandise of Jodie Foster in Taxi Driver . Another draft had the Surfer marshal Galactus and then losing his powers due to a solar energy experiment — transforming into an ordinary human being — all in the first 10 pages . ( And then the now - human Surfer falls in love with a young violoncellist , named Kat . ) Oh , and there was going to be a metallic , CGI adaptation of the Punisher .
28 . Alex Proyas ’ Silver Surfer
After the second Fantastic Four movie , Fox was eager to make a Silver Surfer spin - off — and Proyas , who had directed I , Robot for the studio , was widely report to be in air to direct it . J. Michael Straczynskiwrote a handwriting . But Proyassaid in 2008that he was set never to act with Fox again after they screwed up I , Robot , and he also feel as though Fantastic Four 2 had messed up the Surfer ’s origin too seriously to be fix .
29 . Jodorowsky ’s Dune
One of the most splendidly bizarre flick productions of all time , this would have lasted 11 or 12 hours , and featured Salvador Dali as Emperor Shaddam IV . A team of designers let in Moebius , Chris Foss and H.R. Giger , modernise amazing intention , but in the end the film fell through . ( Although Jodorowsky enounce that in his intellect , “ the movie was made . ” )
30 . Ridley Scott ’s Dune
Fresh on the heel of Alien , Scott was hire to direct this moving-picture show by producer Dino De Laurentiis — and at one point , Frank Herbert himself wrote a 176 - varlet playscript , which was pooh-pooh . The screenplay Scott chose to go with had , at one power point , an incestuous relationship between Paul Atreides and his female parent , so that Alia is both Paul ’s sister and his girl . ( The studio made them take this part out . ) After a few years , Scott swing out , and was replaced by David Lynch .
31 . Peter Berg ’s Dune
A new interpretation of Dune has been in the works for ages — at one point , Pierre Morel ( Taken ) was going to direct it . And then in 2008 , Berg was seize , to make agritty “ hard PG-13 ” versionthat would be “ muscular and adventurous . ” And at one compass point , Robert Pattinson was rumored to be starring . But Berg dropped out of the project in later 2009 , and wound up making battlewagon rather . At left : Jock’sconcept artfor Berg ’s Dune .
32 . Renny Harlin ’s Alien 3
Soon after Aliens , Neuromancer author William Gibson was engage to write a book for a third Alien movie , which Gibson has given the “ TV Guide sum-up ” of “ infinite commie highjack foreign eggs — Big difficulty in Mallworld . ” The muster was both too all over the plaza and too unadventurous for the producers , who instead hired screenwriter Eric Red to drop a line a playscript in which Sigourney Weaver did not appear , and instead of the Xenomorphs , the main lusus naturae was six - legged “ exotic cattle . ” Renny Harlin was jell to lead this Ripley - less reading of Alien 3 . ( Sigourney Weaver was suing the studio apartment over amateur royalties from Aliens . )
33 . Vincent Ward ’s Alien 3
The New Zealand director was hired to make an Alien sequel that would admit Sigourney Weaver — although in some variation , she would be unconscious for half the movie . David Twohy work on one version of the playscript ( featuring a very Riddick - esque prison house escapee ) decent before he was due to make Pitch Black . Another film writer , John Faisano , create a draught that choose place on a “ wooden minor planet ” with a medieval culture and android .
34 . Alien 5
After two somewhat dissatisfactory Alien sequels , Sigourney Weaver started speak with both James Cameron and Ridley Scott about doing a fifth Alien film , with both Cameron and Scott involved — and Cameron could have devolve to direct . Fox determine that Alien Vs . Predator was a better investiture .
35 . Close clash 2
The sequel to Spielberg ’s classic movie , multifariously called Watch the Skies and Night Skies , would have been about a James Leonard Farmer and his mob , being terrorized by UFO and cows mutilations . Except that one nice alien befriends the farmer ’s autistic son . This task gave animal interior decorator Rick Baker his commencement in the byplay , but finally morphed into both Poltergeist and E.T.
36 . E.T. 2 : Nocturnal Fears
A bunch of giant albino cousins of E.T. arrive and kidnap Elliott and his friends , so they can experiment on them and material . E.T. has to come back and hold open his friend . This sequel never got past the treatment phase .
37 . Time Bandits 2
Terry Gilliam wanted to make a sequel to his classic photographic film about time - traveling fiddling people who stole a map from God — and after the huge succeeder of Twelve Monkeys , this seemed in reality potential . But even though two script were indite , no studio wanted to make Bandits 2 , and Gilliam eventually lost interest . But Gilliam still tried to make a sequel to bandit , first as a series of TV picture on the Hallmark channel , andthen as a mirthful ledger .
https://gizmodo.com/virgins-death-kills-time-bandits-ii-again-5042018
38 . Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian
agree toGeekscape , Tim Burton was asked to do a Beetlejuice sequel right after his achiever with the first Batman film . And the sequel would have involved the Deetz family moving to Hawaii , with Beetlejuice follow them and linking up with some ancient Tiki Supreme Being . Urgh .
39 . Roger Rabbit 2
Robert Zemeckis has been trying to make a Roger Rabbit continuation for decades . At one level , it would have been a World War II prequel called The Toon Platoon , feature toons and German Nazi . More recently , a few years agohe was talking aboutanimating the human characters via motion - seizure , the same as his Polar Express and Beowulf films . Producer Frank Marshallwas late speaking of this sequelas something that follow near ( past tense ) to being made .
40 . The Crow : 2037
Rob Zombiecame up with this theme for a third Crow movieset in the dystopian future . A young son and his mother are slay by a non-Christian priest of the Fallen One , and the Crow brings the boy back to life — and finally , 27 year later , he becomes a futuristic bounty hunting watch and seeks retribution . Zombie work on this project for 18 months before bail .
41 . The Day the Earth Stood Still II : The Evening of the Second Day
Ray Bradbury was hired to compose this Christmas - themed sequel to the original Day the Earth Stood Still , which takes lieu 30 years later . Klaatu ’s daughter Klaata comes to Earth and tells us that we ’re not as bad as we reckon we were , because we ’ve made so much progress in 30 years . Read direction more detailshere .
https://gizmodo.com/ray-bradbury-s-bizarre-earth-stood-still-christmas-se-5105075
42 . Terminator 5
A 5th Terminator film could still happen at some point — although time is turn tail out before the right field revert to James Cameron , and the presumptive director Justin Lin is in use . ButMcG ’s version of Terminator 5is by all odds dead . In McG ’s storyline , Skynet visualize out how to institutionalize Hunter - Killers and other huge hardware back to 2011 , pre - Judgment Day . ( And yes , Judgment Day was supposed to have happened in 2004 . ) John Connor travels back in time and meets his still - living mother , and a scientist play by Robert Patrick .
http://io9.com/5233918/terminator-5-will-shred-all-of-the-franchises-most-sacred-rules-mcg-promises
43 . James Cameron ’s Planet of the ape
Back in 1998 , Cameron was grueling at work on a book for a new Apes motion picture , one which would have pick up where the original motion-picture show leave off — with Taylor return to a greatly altered “ planet of the ape ” from his space journeying . This was rumour to be a much more technologically advanced version of anthropoid smart set , because of Caesar ’s trip back in time . Arnold Schwarzenegger was reportedly endure to spiel the Charlton Heston role , with Cameron piece of writing and grow and Peter Hyams directing . Cameronsayshe had a “ big idea ” for this pic but the studio apartment picked up their marbles and went home .
44 . Metropolis
Two producers , Thomas Schuehly ( Name of the Rose ) and Mario Kassar ( Terminator 2 ) annunciate they were remaking Fritz Lang ’s Graeco-Roman film back in 2007 , but since then there ’s been basically no news . Varietyquoted Schuehly as saying , “ With the overwhelming role engineering science plays in our daily lives , the grow gap between rich and poor , include the gradual elimination of the middle form , the story of ‘ Metropolis ’ is a frightening reflection of our lodge that direct place in an all too possible not too remote future tense . ”
45 . Oliver Stone ’s Return of the Apes
really , though there were rumour Stone was going to direct a young Apes movie , he was only ever go to produce . The chapter of Hughes ’ Development Hell about the various attempts to make a new Planet of the Apes film in the 1990s is hilarious and deep sadden . The Oliver Stone - produced rendering would have involved a pestilence that starts wiping out everyone in the present day — and then a scientist attain it ’s a genetic “ time bomb ” engraft by A-one - healthy apes 102,000 years ago . So two human have to go back in sentence and stop them . This was the celluloid that supposedly had a great script — but some Fox administrator insisted on adding a succession where ape are fecklessly playing baseball game , and would n’t earmark the movie to be made without it .
46 . Mel Gibson ’s Fahrenheit 451
Back in the mid-1990s , Gibsonwanted to direct a new version of Ray Bradbury ’s classic novel , after he ’d already done Braveheart . At one point , Tom Cruise was being considered to star , but Eyes Wide Shut made that impossible . But some of the intention from Gibson ’s celluloid evidently ended up in Minority Report . Later , Frank Darabont was going to make a adult - budget film version starring Tom Hanks , until The Mist make out out and failed . In 2001 , Bradburysaid one of Gibson ’s script drafts“should be seen by people to show how dense studios can be . ” As of 2010 , Bradbury suppose Gibsonstill possess the motion picture rights .
47 . Barbarella
There ’s been talk for old age about remaking Barbarella — most notably , Robert Rodriguez was die to directa interpretation of it and cast his then - girlfriend Rose McGowan in the Pb . After that fall through , Robert Luketic ( Legally Blonde ) wasattached to direct in 2009 , and his interlingual rendition would beless aphrodisiacal and campy . Jessica Albaand Anne Hathaway wererumored to be starring . But it seems jolly likely that Barbarella is dead as a motion-picture show project — rather , she’scoming to telecasting .
https://gizmodo.com/whatever-happened-to-these-7-awesome-movie-projects-5014707
https://gizmodo.com/drive-director-nicolas-winding-refn-is-making-a-barbare-5919943
48 . Heavy Metal
David Fincher was endeavor to spearhead a remake of this high-strung French cartoon moving-picture show back in 2008 , with people including Guillermo del Toro and Zack Snyder reportedly going to lineal segments . Then Paramountdropped the filmand Sony pick it up for a while . But finally , it seemed to fall by the roadside . Until last year , when Robert Rodriguez assure Comic Con he had gain the rights , adding it to the long list of projects that Rodriguez may make some 24-hour interval .
49 . antic Voyage
There have been attempt to contribute Fantastic Voyage to the bighearted screen for years , with James Cameron write a playscript . For a while , Roland Emmerich was determined to direct a edition , but that fall through . And then at one compass point Bourne helmer Paul Greengrass was fail to direct a version , but producers James Cameron and Jon Landau decidedthey were n’t felicitous with his shaky - cam trend . More recently , Real Steel director Shawn Levy has been signed up , but there ’s been footling advancing motion on it .
https://gizmodo.com/paul-greengrass-spares-fantastic-voyage-from-his-shaky-5543307
50 . Conan the Conqueror
This was the third Conan picture show that would have starred Arnold Schwarzenegger — until he pull out to star in Predator . finally , Kevin Sorbo was take replace Arnie in this film , but he did n’t want to work the role of Conan — so the name was changed to Kull the Conqueror .
51 . King Conan : Crown of Iron
With the Wachowskis on board as producers or director , there was talk of the town about making a Modern Conan movie star Arnie in 2001 , with an older Conan discovering that he has a Logos , Kon . Except that , reportedly , Kon turn out to be not the son of Conan , but rather of the Ice Worm .
52 . Star Trek : Planet of the Titans
The first effort to get a Star Trek movie out of dry dock would have starred Toshiro Mifune as a Klingon , who spars with Spock . Meanwhile , Kirk would have been missing , presume bushed — but really live on as a “ wild man ” on a primitive planet . We posteda ton of Ralph McQuarrie concept graphics from the film here .
https://gizmodo.com/ralph-mcquarries-concept-art-for-a-star-trek-movie-in-1-5721854
53 . Star Trek : The Fields of Flanders
This was a movie idea that Walter Koenig ( Chekov ) flip in the seat of Star Trek IV : The Undiscovered Country . It would have seen the Romulans conjoin the Federation , and the Enterprise gang ( except for Spock ) drummed out of Starfleet for failing their strong-arm exams . In the end , Kirk and the other crewmembers have to return to obligation to deliver Spock — and everyone except Spock and McCoy dies .
54 . Star Trek : The Beginning
This film would have bridged the opening between the Enterprise TV series and the original series , launching a new trilogy thattells the story of Kirk ’s ancestor Tiberius Chase . But this moving picture fall victim to a “ regime change ” at Paramount , and was replaced by the J.J. Abrams cinema .
55 . Star Trek : The First Adventure
Another idle proposition for a 6th Star Trek movie , this would have been one of many story ideas that focus on Kirk and Spock at the Academy — including a subplot where Spock use his creative thinker conflate to help Kirk cheat on a test . There ’s a short ton of insane details about this project in Hughes ’ first book — admit the odd item that there ’s still a quite a little of bondage in the Federation during this time period , obstinate to Roddenberry ’s utopian visual sensation .
56 . Star Trek : Starfleet Academy
And then there ’s Harve Bennett ’s own plan for a film feature Kirk and Spock at the Academy , which rumor has it could have featured Ethan Hawke as Kirk and John Cusack as Spock . Gene Roddenberry strongly opposed this idea , which he report as “ Police Academy forgather Star Trek . ”
57 . Milton Subotsky ’s third Doctor of the Church Who movie
The God Almighty of the two Peter Cushing films in the 1960s had the rights to make one more flick , and he ’d planned to adapt the third Dalek story , “ The Chase . ” But the winner of the first two Cushing movies was n’t quite enough to make Amicus Films greenlight a third outing — which probably would have had a heavy time get a agency to encapsulate the very episodic social organization of “ The Chase . ”
58 . Doctor Who Meets Scratchman
As we’vecovered before , Tom Baker and his costar Ian Marter worked feverishly on this script , in which the Doctor met a version of the Devil — peradventure play by Vincent Price . The film also would have have Daleks , and golem adversaries called Cybors , plus killer scarecrow . British supermodel Twiggy was reportedly going to be the Doctor ’s companion .
https://gizmodo.com/10-things-you-probably-didnt-know-about-doctor-who-5783845
59 . Doctor Who and the Krikkitmen
Baker made a 2d effort to star in a Doctor Who picture , working with then - script editor in chief Douglas Adams on a feature script that combines the sport of cricket with a plot to destruct the Earth . Adams recycle the idea from this script into his Hitchhiker ’s book Life , the Universe and Everything .
60 . Dr. Who : Last of the Time Lords
If you ever desire to cry uncontrollably , you should read the book The Nth Doctor , by Jean - Marc and Randy L’Officier , which details all the various attempts to bring back Doctor Who from the show ’s cancellation in 1989 to its restoration as a TV movie in 1996 . In special , there wasan attempt at making a big - screen versionstarring Donald Sutherland , from a book by Who writer Johnny Byrne . The Doctor would have campaign Jack the Ripper – who can release into a rat - corresponding creature . And in one version , Amelia Earhart would have been the Doctor ’s companion .
61 . David Yates ’ Doctor Who
The Harry Potter director make a huge splash a while back , when he harbinger he was directing a Who flick . This would have star a new player as the Doctor , and would have ignored most of the persistence of the idiot box show — reading between the line of descent , it would have gone back to the basics of an bizarre alien time traveler in a headphone box , fight back evil and so on . But it sound as though even if Yates was having serious discussions with the BBC , they ’ve since been disavow . At least , showrunner Steven Moffat is very adamant that he ’s the voice of Doctor Who for now , and no such film is going to happen .
62 . Terry Gilliam ’s Watchmen
At one point , in the late eighties , producer Joel Silver was endeavor to make a Watchmen movie — one early playscript , by Sam Hamm , end with Adrian Veidt go back in time and preventing Jon Osterman from becoming Dr. Manhattan in the first place . hire as director , Terry Gilliam throw out that handwriting and created his own version — but Silver could n’t raise enough money , and Gilliam offend up agreeing with Alan Moore that Watchmen was un - filmable by figure .
63 . Darren Aronofsky ’s Watchmen
author - director David Hayter tried to get a reading of Watchmen off the ground in the early 2000s — and even film some trial footage — but the task settle through . In 2004 , Darren Aronofsky was hire to direct based on Hayter ’s handwriting , but wind up up dropping out because of scheduling conflicts with The Fountain .
64 . Paul Greengrass ’ Watchmen
After calculate the second Bourne flick , Greengrass was lined up to aim Watchmen , and got as far as creating rafts of concept nontextual matter and an animatic of the opening sequence where the Comedian was kill . But a change of management at Paramount and budgetary concerns led to the picture show return apart , and Greengrass left to direct United 93 .
65 . Indiana Jones and the Monkey King
This was a script by the young Chris Columbus , which could have been the third Indy film alternatively of Last movement . The genuine script is float around online . And apparentlyit hold place in a city guarded by soldier gorillas — shades of Gorilla Grodd , and Indy ’s distaff sidekick is a heady - check young woman from Brooklyn describe Betsy who ’s always trying to woo Indy .
66 . Indiana Jones vs. the Saucer Men From Mars
There were a few attempt to make an “ Indiana Jones and aliens ” pic prior to Kingdom of the Crystal Skull — including this fifties pastiche script handling , in which the foreigner speak Sanskrit and have an ultimate weapon that the Russians desire to get their hands on . Also , Frank Darabont write a script versioncalled Indiana Jones and the City of God , which is closer to Crystal Skull but still somewhat unlike . There ’s a lot of toxicant tree frog action — and later , a homo gets sour into a tree salientian and stepped on .
67 . George Romero ’s Resident Evil
Before Paul W.S. Anderson made this zombie video biz enfranchisement his own , the original Dawn of the Dead music director write a playscript ( which is online ) andwas in line to lead . Apparently , the studiowanted more of a “ war movie”than Romero was comfortable with , and also did n’t think Romero ’s take was close enough to the picture game reservoir stuff .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BaVb2TlWb0
68 . Neill Blomkamp ’s Halo
Before Blomkamp train District 9 , hedirectedthree Halo short-circuit ( at left ) and was in pipeline to conduct a full - duration film base on Microsoft ’s pip biz . In the oddment , the project fell through after Blomkamp put five months of “ sweat and blood ” into it . Afterwards , Blomkampsaid he probably would n’t do Haloeven if he was asked to again .
69 . BioShock
This is the other vast television game movie that seemed to be actually arrive together at one stop — plagiarist of the Caribbean mastermind Gore Verbinski was in charge , and things seemed to be moving along with this undersea repugnance version . But Verbinski refused to budge on the gas constant evaluation he wanted , and could n’t get the studio to pony enough immediate payment for a film with that rating . Verbinskitold Coming before long , “ I just wanted to really , really make it a pic where , four days later , you ’re still shiver and going , “ Jesus Christ ! ” ”
70 . Bryan Singer ’s X - Men 3
After place the first two X - Men movies , Singer was desire to guide the third as well — until he was entice forth to make a Superman movie instead . And apparently , Singer ’s version of X - humankind 3would have focused alone on Jean Grey come back as the Phoenix , a near - omnipotent entity that decides to take thing into its own hands , no matter what the X - Men or the Brotherhood imagine . Meanwhile , a guilt - ridden Cyclops would have decide to create the Danger Room because he blamed Jean ’s death on the X - Man ’s weakness . In the end , the Phoenix force leaves Earth to become a godlike force in quad , but warn she ’ll be watching .
71 . Darren Aronofsky ’s The Wolverine
I ’m still kind of sad that this did n’t work out out — Aronofsky could have reteamed with his Fountain superstar for a stand - alone Wolverine movie where Logan goes to Japan . But Aronofsky spend off the project , reportedly because he did n’t want to spend a whole class overseas , and instead is making his Noah ’s Ark movie . The Wolverine is still happening , just with James Mangold direct .
72 . Batman Versus Godzilla
Okay , so this one probably could n’t ever have happened — but still . What the hellhole ? Toho Films writer Shinichi Sekizawa , who ’d write the other Godzilla films , developed this theme in 1966 , when Batman was just about to debut on television . Batman and Robin would have gone up against Godzilla using the Batmobile , the Batcopter and the Batcycle . And another scoundrel would have been controlling Godzilla , perhaps forcing Batman and Godzilla to crusade . It ’s not known whether this receive as far as being pitched to DC Comics .
73 . Batman Triumphant
There was a point where Warner Bros. really thought Batman and Robin would be a Brobdingnagian collision , and they want director Joel Schumacherto make a third film , along the same toy - friendly bank line . Nic Cage would have played the Scarecrow , who utilize his fear toxins to make Batman think all his old enemies were back — let in Jack Nicholson ’s Joker . And Harley Quinn would have appeared , turning out to be the Joker ’s daughter , out for revenge .
74 . Batman : Year One
AnotherDarren Aronofsky project that never was , this picture show has run into legend — it would have been ahugely radical departurefrom the usual Bat - mythos , with Bruce Wayne live in a service department with Big Al and his son Little Al . Bruce disguises himself with a field hockey mask , and off mass with a signet halo with his father ’s initial , “ TW ” — but it looks like a bat - form to everyone . Hence “ Batman . ”
75 . Superman Vs . Batman
This picture occur very close to baffle off the ground , with Wolfgang Petersen aim . In a nutshell , Batman ’s immature wife is murdered , and he decides to take uncut vengeance — with Superman stepping up to stop squash racquet from crossing the line of products . But eventually they team up to crusade the real bad guy . Producer Akiva Goldsman snuck a Superman / Batman logotype into I Am Legend .
76 . Superman V
Cannon Pictures made Superman IV , andfor a while they were badly attempt to make a 5th Superman motion picture — which would have been part made up of unused footage from Superman IV . ( In special , Superman IV had a sequence where Supes fights a Frankenstein monster created by Lex Luthor , which was cut out of that film but could have been tuck into a fifth picture . ) But Christopher Reeve finally bailed out of the task .
77 . Superman : The New Movie
In the late 1980s , the Salkinds , who ’d made the first few Christopher Reeve movies , got the rights back and want to make a brand new film starring Gerard Christopher , who also starred in their Superboy TV show . There was a playscript by Cary Bates , involving Brainiac and the wizen bottle city of Kandor . But the Salkinds were n’t able to set off principal photography before the right reverted to Warner Bros.
78 . Superman Reborn
This was Warners ’ first try at earn a novel Superman film in the long , tortured process after they arrest the rights back in the other 1990s . With the Death of Superman storyline clean in people ’s minds , this filmwould have involved Doomsday stamp out Superman — whose spirit comes and settles in Lois Lane ’s body . Lois gives nascence to a clon of Superman , who farm to adulthood in a matter of weeks and becomes the new Superman . While Lois decease .
79 . Superman Lives
This is thefamous versionwith Nic Cage as Superman and Tim Burton direct — also loosely based on Death of Superman , with a young script by Kevin Smith featuring killer spiders and Brainiac writhe diametric bear and Lex Luthor having a space dog . And thoseinsane disco costume designsthat you ca n’t avail staring at for 60 minutes .
80 . dot : Flyby
J.J. Abrams wrote the script for another take on Superman , which was going to be direct by either McG or Brett Ratner . This interlingual rendition has Superman coming to Earth to fulfill a prophecy , and a Kryptonian civil war that starts play out on Earth . And Superman die and goes to Kryptonian heaven , where he meet his father Jor - El , before come back to life to make unnecessary the earthly concern . And then go back to Krypton , which has n’t actually been destroy . conception art by Steve Johnson , viaMTV
81 . Superman Returns 2
Bryan Singer was intent on score a sequel to his first Superman movie , whichreportedly had a storylinein which Lex Luthor ’s raw Krypton grows to the size of a Moon , orbiting Earth . And a unexampled Kryptonian visitor comes to Earth and declare that their duty is to interfere in the affairs of humans — banning war and imposing his rule on the major planet . But then this supposed Kryptonian turn out to be Brainiac in camouflage .
82 . Justice League
George Miller ( Mad Max ) was all set to direct this film with a young cast , including Armie Hammer as Batman . In a nutshell , it would have beenan adaption of the Brother Eye and OMACs storylinefrom Infinite Crisis , somehow pack together into two 60 minutes . Batman create a super - satellite to spy on the other superheroes , but Maxwell Lord twist it evil and send OMACs after everybody . Until finally Wonder Woman slay Maxwell Lord in front of everybody .
83 . Wonder Woman
A few unlike version of Wonder Woman have languished in development hell — but most notably , Joss Whedon spent a long time trying to make a moving picture happen . All we really know about his interlingual rendition is that he wanted tofocus on Diana as a public figure , kindred to Angelina Jolie .
https://gizmodo.com/joss-whedons-wonder-woman-would-have-been-based-on-ange-5694050
84 . Plastic Man
The Wachowskiswrote a Plastic Man scriptback in 1995 — and as lately as 2008 , there weretons of rumors / reportsthat they were generate to the project , with Keanu Reeves possibly star as “ Eel ” O’Brien , the stretchable superhero . Supposedly Joel Silver also told German television that the Wachowskis would only ever make movies with Keanu again .
85 . The Flash
The writers of Green Lantern were also write a Flash script for DC — and there ’s been no news for rather a foresightful time . Last we hear , Warner Bros. had fundamentally decided its next flick after Man of Steel would be full - fledged Justice League movie , which means the Flash could spin out of that instead of launching as a standalone fomite .
86 . Green Lantern
Comedian Robert Smigel write a silly version of Green Lantern , with Jack Black at one point attached to star . Black would have play a reality TV star who gets the power ring by mistake , and the movie would have ended with him using the pack to make a immature Superman to twirl the Earth so time go backward . More detailshere . you could also find an early order of payment of the playscript online here and there , and it ’ll give you a Modern appreciation for the Ryan Reynolds version .
87 . Y : The Last Man
Not too long ago , DJ Caruso was going to direct a celluloid adaptation of this awesome lifelike novel serial publication , with Shia LaBeouf star as Yorick . There was even lecture of the filmcoming out in 2010 . Carusosaw the film as the first in a trilogy , believably traverse the first 12 issues of the comic . But eventually the project fell apart because New Linedidn’t desire to pull to a trilogy .
https://gizmodo.com/shia-the-last-man-in-2010-5028007
https://gizmodo.com/shia-labeouf-may-still-be-the-last-man-er-boy-on-ear-364196
https://gizmodo.com/d-j-caruso-on-y-the-last-man-you-cant-handle-yoric-5696458
88 . Lobo
Guy Ritchie ( Sherlock Holmes ) wasall signed upto point a movie about the bike - ride alien bounteousness hunter who befriends dolphins and wipe out off his own people . Unfortunately , Ritchiejumped off Lobo to make a 2nd Sherlock Holmes pic instead . More latterly , there ’s been talking that Journey 2 director Brad Peyton could address a Lobo picture — which would presumptively be much more family - friendly than the splatter - heavy rendering Ritchie planned — possibly starring Dwayne “ The Rock ” Johnson .
89 . The Boys
Okay , so Garth Ennis ’ bizarrely funny vivid novel about hooligans who beat up superheroes was n’t published by DC past its first six issues , but I did n’t know where else to stick this . Columbia was all fructify to make a Boys moving-picture show with a number of writer , including Seth Rogen , taking a crack at the handwriting . And then Adam McKay ( Anchorman ) signed on to direct and co - write , and there was talk of Simon Pegg play Wee Hughie . But then Columbia pulled the quid .
90 . Godzilla Vs . Frankenstein’s monster
Yes , Batman Vs . Godzilla was n’t weird enough — Toho alsoseriously consideredpitting Godzilla against a colossus , kaiju - sized version of Frankenstein ’s monster . The screenplay was loosely based on an unproduced American book call King Kong Vs . Prometheus , in which the grandson of Frankenstein is live in New York and create a elephantine rendering of his gramps ’s world — which then fights King Kong . More detailshere .
91 . Godzilla Vs . Godzilla
Toho need to pitthe wraith of the original Godzilla , from the first movie , against the 1980s-1990s translation of Godzilla . Can Godzilla vote down his own ghost ? We ’ll never find out .
92 . Zeppelin V. Pterodactyls
I eff everything aboutthis 1971 Hammer Studios film , which apparently start as far as creating a poster . A World War II German zeppelin gets float off form and winds up in a mysterious continent full of dinosaurs , where it has dogfights against pterodactyls . Perhaps the best part ? The use of “ V ” alternatively of “ Vs . , ” making this seem like a landmark tort case .
93 . At the Mountains of Madness
This still makes us squall to excogitate . James Cameron was move to produce a too-generous 3 - five hundred revulsion movie direct by Guillermo del Toro , give careful court to H.P. Lovecraft ’s work . And Tom Cruise was reportedly going to star . By all accounts , it come within a hairsbreadth ’s breadth of starting filming — and then the studio decided an R - rated horror movie with a ginormous budget was just not going to make enough money .
94 . The Tourist
According to Hughes , this was one of the most bombinate - about scripts in Hollywood in the early 1980s : the story ofan alien stranded in New York disguised as a man , among other alien who range from well-disposed eccentric person to an evil creature that ’s a whole species in one body . At one point , Ridley Scott was interested in directing , and at another point , H.R. Gigerdid a ton of design work on it . But it wound up being too “ dark ” and misanthropic for studio execs , and languished in developing for 10 .
https://gizmodo.com/is-the-tourist-the-greatest-scifi-movie-never-made-5367004
95 . Ronnie Rocket
We’vewritten about this David Lynch project before — it was the motion-picture show he wanted to make after Eraserhead , but he had problems getting financing for it . Every now and then , Lynch still talks about Ronnie Rocket as if he might make it someday . It ’s hard to resume , but it ’s about a eldritch freak who gets surgically altered to become perfectly handsome , and is then electrocute until he becomes a rockabilly singer . Sort of . It ’s also a tec story about electricity .
https://gizmodo.com/whats-the-deal-with-david-lynchs-unproduced-science-fic-5872892
96 . Carnivore
Very early on in their career , the Wachowskis wrotethis screenplay , discover as“a surreal gothic fay narrative set in a boarding house where wealthy multitude disappear under mysterious circumstances . ” And after The Matrix hit magnanimous and anything with the Wachowskis ’ name on it was vestal gold , Warner Bros. wanted to engage George Romero to direct it . Unfortunately , nothing ever come in of it .
97 . Planet Terry
free-base on an on-line comic serial publication by Rob Liefeld , this was going to be a moving-picture show about a middle - aged geek who discovers he is actually an outlander who has been localise on Earth as part of an intergalactic witness protection program . And Brian Levant ( Problem Child 2 ) was signed to direct — butproduction sources say usthe film was basically in limbo back in 2008 .
98 . The Roundtable
This was Brian K. Vaughan’sacclaimed screenplay , where Merlin is trapped in the present daylight and has to recruit new knights to champion the realm against Morgana and other magical threats . The handwriting made the Black List of the best unproduced screenplays , and wassold to Dreamworksin 2008 . And then , nothing .
99 . The How - To Guide for Saving the World
Another handwriting that made the esteemed Black List , this is about a bozo who detect a actual how - to manual of arms for fighting foreign invader — and then has to stop a real invasion . Barry Sonnenfeldwas attached to itback in 2008 , but since then there ’s been no newsworthiness .
100 . rider
And ultimately , one more script from the Black List — this is the screenplay that put Prometheus co - author Jon Spaihts on the mathematical function . A piece who ’s on a long interstellar voyage backwash from cryosuspension fashion too betimes — and confront with the vista of growing old alone on this ship , he wakes up a beautiful woman and pretends it was an fortuity . But soon , they face literal risk because the ship faces destruction . Spaihts says this movie still could get made at some point , andwe speak to him about it back in May .
https://gizmodo.com/prometheus-writer-jon-spaihts-on-how-to-create-a-great-5909279
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