With news breaking of Warner Bros. axing a couple of films, one being the first solo film for Batgirl, the second being a Scoob! animated sequel, it’s a good time to see what other infamous films were filmed and completed, but never saw the public eye. Without further ado, here are five films made and never released…
5. All American Massacre
Starting off the list of films made and never released, you’d think a short film based upon the original, highly regarded Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directed and written by the franchise creator’s son wouldn’t have any trouble securing funding or finding a distributor.
Conceived back in 1998 by William Hooper as a prequel/sequel sixty-minute short, with Bill Mosely coming back to his Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 role Chop Top, it was supposed to be a monologue of sorts with Chop Top reminiscing about his family’s bloody and gory past, before letting leash one last massacre. It’s yet to see the light of day, and the ever-increasing likelihood being it won’t be released.
Read also: Texas Chainsaw Massacre Review: A Bloody Good Time
4. Don’s Plum
More of an improv movie than a feature film, it apparently painted the now household names in a negative light. Whether it be womanizing, fighting, or other such antics, the two stars involved their lawyers, and as such, we won’t be seeing the particular film no matter how badly we might want to.
The supposed reason the lawyers were involved was that both Tobey and Leo appeared as a favor to a friend thinking they were in some sort of short, rather than a longer, almost documentary improv movie.
3. Cocksucker Blues
Another documentary, another injunction. Filmed in 1972, the documentary followed The Rolling Stones on their first tour of the United States since a fan was attacked and killed some three prior. Again, fearing the documentary would paint them in a negative light, they got their lawyers involved. Supposedly featuring drugs, debauchery, and more than arguably The Rolling Stones are well known for, the film is only allowed to be seen in an archival nature, no more than four times a year, and only when the creator is present. So whilst it’s more likely you’ll see this than the other projects, it’s not that likely.
2. Roger Corman’s Fantastic Four
Perhaps one of the most infamous films made and never released; Way back in 1993, Roger Corman at that point owned the rights to Marvel‘s First Family. In what some consider a move to keep the rights, more so than actually intending to release the film, Corman filmed and marketed the film, with the cast appearing at Comic-Con among other places to discuss and promote the film. Even trailers were released and the hype was supposedly there, but nothing came of it.
Many years later it came out that rather than gaming the system to keep the rights for longer, Corman was paid off by former Marvel Studios Head, and at the time Chief Creative Officer Avi Arad to destroy all prints of the film, the reason being he thought the film would hurt the franchise.
1. Batgirl
The most recent entry on this list and perhaps the most surprising entry of films made and never released. News broke that the all-but-completed latest entry into the DCEU has been completely axed and removed from its release slate by Warner Bros. Costing the better part of $90 million, plagued with production issues due to COVID, and having less than favorable screenings back in June, it seems we won’t be seeing the first solo outing for Batgirl, be it in theatres, or the originally intended HBO Max.
Any other films made and never released that you can think of?
Follow us for more entertainment coverage on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
