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.

 

[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]

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

 

[DoomsdayApex]

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.

 

[Donut]

Green Lantern

 

[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]

-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.

 

[Donut]

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

 

[DACrowe]

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.

 

[Sentinel X]

I second Halo. It would've been the first truly amazing video game adaptation

Also,
At the Mountains of Madness directed by Del Toro
Battle Angel directed by James Cameron

 

[Brother Jack]

At the Mountains of Madness directed by Del Toro

He's still determined to get it made, apparently.

 

[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.

 

[Warhammer]

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.

 

[Spidermatrix53]

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/supermanlives-20Sep98.pdf

 

[Warhammer]

Any of y'all remember when WB was actually going to make a sequel to Batman & Robin? Scarecrow was going to be in it and Jack Nicholson pretty much confirmed at the Comic-Con that year that he was going to reprise his role as the Joker? I am actually a little curious to see how that would have turned out...

 

[dark_b]

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

 

[redhawk23]

Sucker Punch. Seriously.

 

[chaseter]

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.

 

[chaseter]

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.

 

[redhawk23]

Now this was neither a financial nor (as far as I know) a critical failure, but Kingdom the Crystal Skull did not live up to its potential by any means. What ticked me off the most was during the marketing lead up when Spielberg and Lucas kept mentioning how they were trying to keep the aesthetic of the older movies and limit the cg, but then in the movie itself there were CG gofers, and CG monkeys, and cg pillars and cg....ad nauseum.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

All the ANOES sequels past Dream Warriors
Halloween 3
Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom
Hellboy 2
Iron Man 2

So on, so forth.

 

[DoomsdayApex]

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]

-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.