Movies that were to be
Were these movies cursed? Films that never got finished
Image: DS stories
Some movies flicker out before they’re even made. What do you call a film with a famous director, a finished script, and a dream cast? In many cases, unfinished. Hollywood’s drawers are filled with a graveyard of unfinished movies in varying stages: scripts, production plans, casting decisions, and even filmed footage. But they all remain tantalizing what-ifs. Let’s look into the stories of some flicks that never achieved their full potential!
1
The mythical "Kill Bill Vol. 3"
Image: Til Man
Ah, yes, the revenge of the revenge. Quentin Tarantino has been teasing Kill Bill Vol. 3 for nearly two decades. He’s talked about giving the character of Nikki time to grow up and take center stage in the third installment, even floating the idea of casting Zendaya or another grown-up actress in the role.
But as of now? It’s all smoke and samurai swords. Tarantino claims he has one more film left in him, and every fan theory points to Vol. 3 as the final strike.
2
The loaded history of "The Man Who Killed Don Quixote"
Image: Iuliia Dutchak
Johnny Depp and Jean Rochefort were originally set to take the leads, battling windmills as Cervantes’ mad knight and his companion. But this is another case of a film that seemed hexed.
Terry Gilliam first attempted the project in 2000, but many disasters ensued. Health issues, floods that wrecked the sets, and insurance company failings led to the project's dramatic collapse. In 2018, Gilliam finally released a version starring Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce. But fans agree—it wasn’t that version.
3
Kubrick’s "Napoleon"
Image: Nicolas HIPPERT
The holy grail of unmade epics. Stanley Kubrick devoted years to this project—allegedly reading over 500 books, creating a card catalog of Napoleon’s daily life, and scouting locations across Europe.
He wanted Jack Nicholson in the lead and even planned to use actual armies to stage the battles. MGM said yes… then said nope. The budget was colossal, and Kubrick ultimately shelved it. Though he carried the idea to his grave, the script survived. Steven Spielberg has since talked about adapting it into a miniseries.
4
The irony of "Superman Lives"
Image: Yogi Purnama
Superman Lives was meant to reboot the Man of Steel, with Tim Burton at the helm and Nicolas Cage sporting long black hair and a glow-in-the-dark suit.
But after years of rewrites, studio shake-ups, and ballooning budgets, the whole thing collapsed under its own weight. Though it was never filmed, test footage of Cage in costume became internet legend. And if you really want the full story, the documentary The Death of Superman Lives: What Happened? is the way to go.
5
Jodorowsky’s "Dune"
Image: Francisco Gomes
Alejandro Jodorowsky’s Dune was meant to be a 10-hour odyssey, starring Salvador Dalí as the Emperor, Orson Welles as Baron Harkonnen, and featuring music by Pink Floyd. Yes, really.
However, as one can imagine, the budget grew past sanity. No studio could afford Jodorowsky’s vision. The 2013 documentary Jodorowsky’s Dune explores how this unmade film went on to influence countless others—from Star Wars to Blade Runner .
6
The true "The Thief and the Cobbler"
Image: Fabian Centeno
Richard Williams, the man behind Who Framed Roger Rabbit , spent nearly three decades working on _The Thief and the Cobbler_—a painstakingly hand-drawn masterpiece, inspired by Persian art and silent comedy.
However, by the 1990s, delays and mounting costs led the studio to reconsider its decision. The film was recut, rewritten, and released under various titles, with added songs and jarring voice-overs. The truth is, the original version was never fully completed.
7
The cursed "Blood Meridian"
Image: Erik
So many doomed attempts have been made that Cormac McCarthy’s brutal novel is often labeled "unfilmable." Blood Meridian is a violent fever dream, soaked in sun and sand—which might sound easy to bring to the screen.
Ridley Scott tried. So did James Franco and Todd Field. But each version was ultimately abandoned. In 2024, New Regency announced a new adaptation was in the works. As of now, however, it still seems cursed— Blood Meridian remains untouched by the screen.
8
Orson Welles’ "The Other Side of the Wind"
Image: Andre Moura
Yes, a version was released by Netflix in 2018… but it wasn’t quite what its director originally envisioned.
Orson Welles began shooting The Other Side of the Wind in the early ’70s, imagining a satirical, semi-autobiographical tale about a fading director staging a comeback. But financial chaos, legal snarls, political drama, and even missing reels meant that Welles never lived to finish it.
9
"At the Mountains of Madness" featuring Tom Cruise
Image: Balazs Busznyak
Imagine Tom Cruise battling ancient, brain-melting monsters in Antarctica—based on H.P. Lovecraft’s most mind-bending novella. Now picture Guillermo del Toro directing that nightmare in IMAX 3D. So what happened? It’s not entirely clear, though budget concerns likely played a role. You never know, though. Del Toro has shared some original concept art and designs that just might be revived someday.
10
The Rat Pack’s "The Rogues"
Image: Brice Cooper
A film called The Rogues , starring the Rat Pack, appears in fan lore and anecdotal sources—though there’s little documented proof. Frank Sinatra. Dean Martin. Sammy Davis Jr. The Rat Pack was Hollywood’s smoothest syndicate, both on and off-screen.
In the mid-’60s, they began filming The Rogues , a heist flick in the spirit of Ocean’s 11 . But egos clashed, schedules frayed, and the project derailed mid-production, as legend has it.
