Failed Films With Potential

[DoomsdayApex]

I've yet to see a discussion that focuses on films/movies that had great potential but fell face first due to whatever reason -- so I've created this thread. A thread to discuss what could have been...


My first pick would have to be "Babylon A.D."

The film was based on the novel "Babylon Babies" (impressive sci-fi fiction) written by French writer Maurice Dantec. Other than having a solid cast in Vin Diesel, Mark Strong, Michelle Yeoh, Lambert Wilson, and Melanie Thierry, the film had director Mathieu Kassovitz at the helm with a well balanced budget. Unfortunately, issues arose from Day One onset and the film limped on to the finish line. The director publically stated that 20th Century Fox studios interfered quite frequently during the filming and edited his scenes that provided any philosophical message. According to the cast, the director quit mid-way through the film and the project was thrown into chaos (three weeks behind schedule, and another 10 million added to the tab).

[Spidermatrix53]

I think the possible "Superman Lives" movie would have been incredible.

I've read a couple of the scripts and the one that wasn't written by Kevin Smith was really solid and would have been pretty cool. Adding the possibility of Nick Cage as Supes only heightens my curiosity for what might have been.

But, alas, the project died.

[DoomsdayApex]

Originally Posted by Spidermatrix53

I think the possible "Superman Lives" movie would have been incredible.

I've read a couple of the scripts and the one that wasn't written by Kevin Smith was really solid and would have been pretty cool. Adding the possibility of Nick Cage as Supes only heightens my curiosity for what might have been.

But, alas, the project died.

Wow, I was unaware of this. Good choice.

[Spidermatrix53]

Originally Posted by DoomsdayApex

Wow, I was unaware of this. Good choice.

I highly suggest looking up some of the concept art and reading the Dan Gilroy script. It's incredibly fascinating and my morbid curiosity wishes that we lived in a world where it actually happened.

http://www.awesomefilm.com/script/su...es-20Sep98.pdf

[chaseter]

Spider-Man 4. Sony killed what could have been another epic Raimi Spider-Man movie.

Halo. Peter Jackson and Neil Blomkamp showed interest and no one wanted to make this movie??? WTF!?

[DoomsdayApex]

Originally Posted by chaseter

Spider-Man 4. Sony killed what could have been another epic Raimi Spider-Man movie.

Halo. Peter Jackson and Neil Blomkamp showed interest and no one wanted to make this movie??? WTF!?

Disagree with Raimi's Spiderman 4, but Halo... YES! Two great directors show interest but the film was never made

[Donut]

Originally Posted by chaseter

Spider-Man 4. Sony killed what could have been another epic Raimi Spider-Man movie.

Halo. Peter Jackson and Neil Blomkamp showed interest and no one wanted to make this movie??? WTF!?

From what I remember two studios teamed up to make the movie. But they both could not agree on how to divide Box Office, who spends what etc so canned it

[chaseter]

Originally Posted by Donut

From what I remember two studios teamed up to make the movie. But they both could not agree on how to divide Box Office, who spends what etc so canned it

Which doesn't make sense to me why one studio wouldn't have just ponied up the cash. Halo 3 made like $170 million opening day of sales, the biggest entertainment opening ever at that time, and Halo Reach netted $200 million opening day.

It's almost like guaranteed cash. If I had $200 million with Peter and Neil showing intense interest I would give them that money in an instant and say make a Halo movie.

[dark_b]

Originally Posted by chaseter

Halo. Peter Jackson and Neil Blomkamp showed interest and no one wanted to make this movie??? WTF!?

this was before D9. i dont think the studios knew that he had talent. so back then it was only Peter Jackson as a producer and a guy who never made a full movie. Halo is very complicated to talk about. its not that simple.

[Venomfan]

i didn't mind it, but it could have been amazing, and the trailers made it look incredible

[Marvolo]

Originally Posted by Venomfan

i didn't mind it, but it could have been amazing, and the trailers made it look incredible

Seconded strongly. I enjoy the final cut, but it has many problems. Alexander's life is an open book of thrilling stories, and would make a great film. The story just needed someone who knew how to handle it. Truthfully I would prefer an HBO mini series to a movie as Alexander's life is so large it is hard to compress into just 3 hours or less. I still can't believe they left out the Siege of Tyre. Alexander turned an inconquerable island into a penninsula for god's sake, and won an awesome victory. If that isn't the thing of movies I don't know what is.

[chaseter]

Originally Posted by dark_b

this was before D9. i dont think the studios knew that he had talent. so back then it was only Peter Jackson as a producer and a guy who never made a full movie. Halo is very complicated to talk about. its not that simple.

All the nerds were salivating over Neil even before D9 came out. His short films were fantastic. After it came out, us nerds only had their thoughts put it polyurethane and mounted above their computer.

[DoomsdayApex]

Originally Posted by chaseter

All the nerds were salivating over Neil even before D9 came out. His short films were fantastic. After it came out, us nerds only had their thoughts put it polyurethane and mounted above their computer.

^This.

[Donut]

Green Lantern

[DoomsdayApex]

Originally Posted by Donut

Green Lantern

I think this one was universal. After the four minute preview, I expected this film to be EPIC. I mean, the film had a great director and a decent cast (on a $250 million budget), what could go wrong?...

[DACrowe]

-Superman Returns
-Ang Lee's Hulk
-Quantum of Solace
-Sunshine
-The Beach
-The Game
-Death Proof
-The Wolfman (2010)
-The Lovely Bones
-Hannibal
-Burn After Reading
-Eyes Wide Shut
-Wyatt Earp
-The Producers (2005)
-Nine
-Rent

There are many more, but I'll stop there.

[DoomsdayApex]

Originally Posted by DACrowe

-Superman Returns
-Ang Lee's Hulk
-Quantum of Solace
-Sunshine
-The Beach
-The Game
-Death Proof
-The Wolfman (2010)
-The Lovely Bones
-Hannibal
-Burn After Reading
-Eyes Wide Shut
-Wyatt Earp
-The Producers (2005)
-Nine
-Rent

There are many more, but I'll stop there.

You didn't like Sunshine? I thought it was a fantastic film by Boyle.

[DACrowe]

Originally Posted by DoomsdayApex

You didn't like Sunshine? I thought it was a fantastic film by Boyle.

It had a lot of potential, but as this thread implies, it did not live up to it (IMO). It had a number of greats things, parts and/or aspects going for it, most especially the musical score, cast and premise. However, the execution left a lot to be desired and the sum did not equal its parts. Most especially with its third act being one of the worst I've seen in recent memory. Boyle seemed to be trying to marry Kubrick's 2001 with Scott's Alien and the two did not clash well in the final film.

[Warhammer]

Jumper. Whenever I think of wasted potential, I think of this movie for some reason. It had an interesting concept. Unfortunately, a combination of Doug Liman's crappy screenplay and directing along with Hayden Christensen's charisma on par with a wooden chair, this film was such a failure. I remember being so excited to see this movie, too.

[DoomsdayApex]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Jumper. Whenever I think of wasted potential, I think of this movie for some reason. It had an interesting concept. Unfortunately, a combination of Doug Liman's crappy screenplay and directing along with Hayden Christensen's charisma on par with a wooden chair, this film was such a failure. I remember being so excited to see this movie, too.

Ugh, I remember the same thing. I loved the concept of 'Jumpers', but the casting was just bad. I never really got into the film at all. I remember zoning out a couple times during some of the action scenes.

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by DACrowe

It had a lot of potential, but as this thread implies, it did not live up to it (IMO). It had a number of greats things, parts and/or aspects going for it, most especially the musical score, cast and premise. However, the execution left a lot to be desired and the sum did not equal its parts. Most especially with its third act being one of the worst I've seen in recent memory. Boyle seemed to be trying to marry Kubrick's 2001 with Scott's Alien and the two did not clash well in the final film.

I agree. The movie is one of the most visually stunning that I've seen and had massive potential. Great concept, phenomenal cast, amazing special effects, etc. It's the third act when it becomes a slasher film that we've all seen before that screws it all up.

[DoomsdayApex]

Originally Posted by DACrowe

It had a lot of potential, but as this thread implies, it did not live up to it (IMO). It had a number of greats things, parts and/or aspects going for it, most especially the musical score, cast and premise. However, the execution left a lot to be desired and the sum did not equal its parts. Most especially with its third act being one of the worst I've seen in recent memory. Boyle seemed to be trying to marry Kubrick's 2001 with Scott's Alien and the two did not clash well in the final film.

I, myself, felt the third act was alittle weak as well but I didn't think it was as bad as let's say the first act of Transformers DOTM.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by DACrowe

-Superman Returns
-Ang Lee's Hulk
-Quantum of Solace
-Sunshine
-The Beach
-The Game
-Death Proof
-The Wolfman (2010)
-The Lovely Bones
-Hannibal
-Burn After Reading
-Eyes Wide Shut
-Wyatt Earp
-The Producers (2005)
-Nine
-Rent

There are many more, but I'll stop there.

You didn't like Burn After Reading?

I'd say Waterworld is a good example.

[Heffer Wolf]

Originally Posted by DACrowe

-Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading is one of my favorite movies that have come out recently. Loved Brad Pitt in it.

Originally Posted by redhawk23

Sucker Punch. Seriously.

This.

Get a better written script and get rid of some of that damn slow motion and this movie could have been awesome. It has a good premise, hot chicks fighting things, but the dialogue and parts of the story were just so damn stupid.

[WarBlade]

Originally Posted by Matt

I'd say Waterworld is a good example.

Beat me to it. Stories of a storm destroying a set and Costner sinking $25 million USD into it to keep it afloat made this project more famous than the movie itself.

Ghost Rider is a personal sore point for me. It should have rocked, but it was just wrong!

Alien³ was famously troubled from concept to execution.

King Kong (2005) had clumsiness throughout. Plot decisions created pacing problems and even the 35mm film prints had reel joins mid-scene!!! W - T - F... Okay, so not exactly a complete face-plant, but should have been better.

Perfect Creature. There's a reason why this name doesn't ring any bells. And it's not because they cut my scene either.

Spider-Man 3. There, I said it. The idea had promise right up until some knucklehead thought Venom would be a good idea. Even then, the non-Venom content was pretty crappy and when your hero becomes an arsehole performing Flashdance in the street, your movie could well have problems beyond studio interference.

Doctor Who (1996), need a better sonic screwdriver to switch it on.

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1999), the little-known sequel to Once Were Warriors. Actually, maybe a sequel was a bad idea in the first place.

Terminator 3. Terribad. When the director abandons the road metaphor and the survival-of-life themes for a plotless collection of action scenes, then the director has failed to even see the target.


Time to stop before the list gets depressing.