If someone ever wrote a biography on us, most of the chapters would comprise iconic movies and TV series. After all, what is our life without the franchises that we grew up watching? Even today, the memes that we exchange and the references we make, circle back to these masterpieces. So, it’s impossible to imagine Hollywood without these works that define the industry. But their journey to our screens almost got nixed. Find out the 10 famous movies and series that nearly didn’t happen.
Blade Runner
The classic SciFi “Blade Runner” was on the verge of getting flushed out after the production company, Filmways backed out at the last moment. It also pulled out $2.5 Million that it had initially funded. The chaos left Michael Deeley with mere two weeks in hands to collect about $20 Million. Instead of giving in to defeat, Deeley managed to gather about $21. 5 million from Sir Run Run Shaw, Tandem Productions, and The Ladd Company.
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Even a frog looks attractive once a princess pays attention to it. “A Nightmare on Elm Street” went through a similar fate when every production house was closing its doors on Wes Craven. But after New Line Cinema nodded to the script, it suddenly tempted a queue of studios for investment.
The Lord of the Rings
This is another instance of New Line Cinemas emerging as the Fairy Godmother of rejected ideas. Peter Jackson was keen on turning the beloved novel of “The Lord Of The Rings” into a movie but couldn’t find any interested party. He had almost made up his mind to return to New Zealand facing back to back rejections when he got a call from New Line Cinema who loved what he had in mind.
Friends
Millions of fans prefer turning back to “Friends” for the 100th time after having a long day. It’s been over 16 years since the sitcom ended, but it’s still going strong across the globe. The TV series wouldn’t have seen the light of the day if directors went with the test audience’ words. According to sources, the test audience expressed disapproval after watching the pilot. They didn’t enjoy the humor and certainly didn’t relate to the characters.
The Godfather
This mafia classic is the greatest gift to the cinema fanatics. Unforgettable titans such as Al Pacino and Robert De Niro got their breakthrough roles from “The Godfather”. Believe it or not, but the legendary film went through a great deal of struggle before hitting the screen. The idea was turned down by at least ten directors before finally landing on Francis Ford Coppola. Needless to say that it turned out to be one of the greatest gems by Coppola.
Game of Thrones
This riveting historic drama became a sensation overnight for its killer plot, cinematography, and strong acting. It’s hard to imagine why HBO wanted to trash it out. According to reports, the studio saw a version of GOT that never reached the audience. They were completely turned off by the pilot and had no interest in going ahead with it. The series was given a second chance to reshoot and recast the actors. Even Tamzin Merchant was replaced by Emilia Clarke for Daenerys Targaryen.
Back to the Future
Nowadays, we find every second movie adopting time travel in its plot. It started with sci-fi but now extends to romantic dramas as well. But back in the ‘80s, filmmakers and producers held reservations about sci-fis, especially the ones that involved time travelling. A bold and challenging project like “Back to the Future” found it extremely hard to convince any director. It was rejected over 40 times.
Pulp Fiction
One studios’ trash turned out to be another studios’ treasure. Quentin Tarantino’s epic “Pulp Fiction” was rejected by Tristar productions that called its script “Worst screenplay”, “demented”, and “awful”. So, Tarantino added a few changes and took the proposal to Miramax. This goldsmith identified the treasure and signed a deal immediately.
RoboCop
The idea of “RoboCop” took birth on the sets of “Blade Runner” where Edward Neumeier was sticking trash on the wall. He was working when he got a vision of a cop who was also a cyborg. Neumeier was reportedly scoffed and humiliated when he showed the script to some directors, including Paul Verhoeven. It was Paul’s wife who picked up the discarded script and advised him to go ahead with the idea.
Carrie
Stephen King is the father of the horror and thriller genre. He has made a memorable contribution to the film industry with his stories. One of them is the classic “Carrie” from 1976. It’s been over 40 years since its release, but the chilling story, cinematography, and acting never gets old. Stephen King was in the middle of the novel when he decided to quit and threw away the pages. Fortunately, his wife discovered the papers and encouraged him to conclude the story.
