During his long career, American film directorRon Howard has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell indevelopment hell, were officially cancelled, were in development limbo or would see life under a different production team.
In the early 1980s, Howard planned to make a film surrounding the events ofGreenpeace and their ship theRainbow Warrior.[1] "That ship had been impounded and captured bySpain, and I wanted to do a movie about that, and their escape," Howard later said. "I couldn't get it off the ground." He later fulfilled his ambitions to make a movie set in the ocean with 2015'sIn the Heart of the Sea.[2]
Howard was offered the opportunity to directSuperman IV: The Quest for Peace byChristopher Reeve, butThe Cannon Group, Inc. hiredSidney J. Furie to direct instead.[3][4]
In the early 1990s, producerWendy Finerman was developingThe Postman for Howard to direct, withEric Roth writing the script andTom Hanks set to star.[5][6] However, they were all booted off the project whenKevin Costner took over.
In January 1993, among the projectsImagine Entertainment were developing wasHep, a "stylish, 1960s detective piece" conceived by Howard about a "slick"L.A.private eye who must solve his partner's murder.Rockne O'Bannon was writing the screenplay based on Howard's idea.,[7][8]John Byrum was hired to rewrite O'Bannon's script. The project was later retitledJohnny Diamond, andScott Rosenberg was brought on to pen a full rewrite of the script, withWilliam Goldman overseeing the rewrite.[9] The film was never made, with Howard nor with another director attached.
In July 1993, it was reported that Howard was developing a pitch calledClipped for hisImagine Entertainment production banner, which was being eyed as a vehicle forSteve Martin. Howard described it as "a contemporary comedy which explores the human psyche in an entertaining and exciting way. A guy gets a paper clip stuck in his brain, and as it moves around, it stimulates different lobes of his brain, whether it's his willpower, or his ability to censor."Charlie Peters was to write the script.[10]
In 1995, afterApollo 13, Howard was said to be interested in directing twothrillers as his next films;Ransom, and an unrealized project calledInto Thin Air, scripted byHenry Bean.[11]
In the 1990s, Howard was one of three directors, includingRobert Zemeckis andSteven Spielberg, in talks withGeorge Lucas to directStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, which Howard revealed on a 2015 episode of theHappy, Sad Confused podcast, stating that he found the offer too daunting. Lucas eventually ended up directing the film.[12]
In 1996, Howard was attached to directJohn Travolta in a film calledDark Horse which allegedly follows a politician running for President who'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. The project languished indevelopment hell.[13]
In July 1997, it was reported thatNew Line Cinema was in talks with Howard to direct a new adaptation ofJames Thurber's short story "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", withJim Carrey attached to star in the lead role.[14]
In October 1997, it was reported that Howard had shown interest in directingThe Pretenders, aWesternepic with a contemporary edge, that told a story of greed and corruption among the powerful robber barons of 1873San Francisco.Eric Warren Singer wrote the screenplay, withMatthew McConaughey andBrad Pitt in talks to play cousins who make a trek west to San Francisco from theirKentucky home, in a pairing said to be reminiscent ofButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.[15]
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In March 1998,[16][17][18][19]
In June 1998, Howard was attached to direct a film version ofJack London'sThe Sea Wolf forColumbia Pictures, withNicolas Cage in the starring role.[20] The project was abandoned as Howard felt it was "too expensive and the cast didn't come together in a way that I felt was right for the movie."[21] The following year,John Boorman signed on to direct the adaptation.[20]
In July 1998,Imagine Entertainment was developing the romantic dramaGolden Gate with Howard directing, and set to starBill Paxton. The script was written by Will Richter andAudrey Wells.[22]
Howard was one of several directors approached to doHarry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone in the late 1990s, but he rejected the offer as he had just completed production onHow the Grinch Stole Christmas and did not want to do another fantasy film.[23]
In the early 2000s, Howard had been set to direct a remake ofBilly Wilder's classic comedySome Like It Hot withScarlett Johansson,Ashton Kutcher, andShia LaBeouf inMarilyn Monroe,Tony Curtis, andJack Lemmon's roles, respectively.[24]
In October 2000, screenwriterShane Salerno was reportedly writing the historical dramaBay of Pigs for Howard to direct, and produce alongsideBrian Grazer andTodd Hallowell forImagine Entertainment andUniversal Pictures.[25][26]
In 2002, Howard was set to produce and possibly direct Hans Beimler and Robert Wolfe's historical dramaThe Serpent and the Eagle about the relationship betweenHernán Cortés and El Malinchi, forUniversal Pictures.[27]
In March 2006, Howard was set to direct Jamie Moss' firstGulf Warspec scriptLast Man Home, about a soldier on a covert mission to find hisAWOL brother, withBrian Grazer set to produce andUniversal Pictures set to distribute the film.[28]
In April 2006, Howard became attached to directThe Look of Real, anensemble film written byWinnie Holzman about a group of young women in thegarment industry. He reportedly wanted to cast his daughterBryce in an unspecified role.Brian Grazer was set to produce the film throughImagine Entertainment, withUniversal Pictures distributing.[29]
In February 2007, Howard was set to direct and produce the American remake ofMichael Haneke's psychological thrillerCaché with Plum Pictures attached to produce andUniversal Pictures to distribute.[30]
In July 2007, Howard was set to direct and produce the film adaptation ofClaire Messud's novelThe Emperor's Children withNoah Baumbach writing the script andUniversal Pictures set to distribute the film.[31] But in 2010, with Howard opting instead to directThe Dilemma, Baumbach replaced him as director, withEric Bana,Keira Knightley andRichard Gere attached to star. This production failed to materialize, and in 2014,Lake Bell became attached to direct, replacing Baumbach.[32][33]
In March 2009, Howard was set to produce and possibly direct the film adaptation of Mac Carter and Jeff Blitz's graphic novelThe Strange Adventures ofH.P. Lovecraft with Carter writing the script andUniversal Pictures set to distribute.[34]
In October 2010, Howard was set to direct and produce the film adaptation ofneuroanatomistJill Bolte Taylor's memoirMy Stroke of Insight forSony Pictures, with Semi Chellas writing the script. Howard was reported as wantingJodie Foster to star in the film.[35]
In April 2011, it was reported that Howard was set to produce and directMax Landis' fantasy spy pitchAmnesty forUniversal Pictures.[36]
In June 2011, Howard was set to direct the film adaptation of the comic stripSpy vs. Spy withDavid Koepp writing the script.[37] By 2020,Rawson Marshall Thurber took over as both director and writer, with Howard attached as a producer only.[38]
In July 2011, it was reported that Howard was set to direct a film adaptation ofJon Krakauer's 2003 novelUnder the Banner of Heaven forWarner Bros., which eventually became theHuluminiseries of the same name, for which Howard served as an executive producer.[39][40]
In September 2011, it was reported that Howard was set to produce and directDavid Guggenheim's superhero drama script364 about a guy with superpowers one day every year forUniversal Pictures.[41]
In October 2011, it was reported that Howard was interested in directingGraham Moore's scriptThe Imitation Game, withLeonardo DiCaprio in talks to star asAlan Turing.Morten Tyldum would end up directing the film withBenedict Cumberbatch portraying Turing instead.[42]
In November 2011, it was reported that Howard was set to direct the pilot episode ofAkiva Goldsman's biographicalWestern series based on Mary Doria Russell's novelDoc, written by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage forHBO.[43]
In July 2012, it was reported that Howard was set to direct and produce through Imagine EntertainmentJosé Rivera's historicalAztec seriesConquest forShowtime.[44]
On January 17, 2013, Howard was set to direct the filmAll I've Got, afterJ. J. Abrams left to write and directStar Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.[45] In 2016, the film was retitledKolma, withMarielle Heller taking over directing duties from Howard andDaisy Ridley attached to star.[46]
On January 22, 2013, Howard was set to direct the film adaptation ofNeil Gaiman's novelThe Graveyard Book forWalt Disney Pictures.[47] In 2022,Marc Forster signed on to direct the adaptation.[48]
On February 8, 2014, it was reported that Howard was set to direct Gary Spinelli's scriptMena aboutdrug traffickerBarry Seal forUniversal Pictures, which eventually became theDoug Liman filmAmerican Made, starringTom Cruise.[49][50]
On February 14, 2014, it was reported that Howard was set to direct an adaptation ofRudyard Kipling's 1894 classicThe Jungle Book forWarner Bros., which eventually became theAndy Serkis filmMowgli: Legend of the Jungle.[51]
In April 2014, it was reported that Howard was set to direct a film adaptation ofJoël Dicker's 2014 novelThe Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair forWarner Bros. The novel was instead adapted into aminiseries throughEpix.[52]
In 2015, it was reported that Howard was attached to direct the film adaptation of J. P. Delaney's novelThe Girl Before and produce throughImagine Entertainment. The novel was insteadadapted for television, without the involvement of Howard.[53]
In February 2016, it was reported that Howard was possibly going to direct an adaptation ofPinocchio withRobert Downey Jr. set to produce and portrayGeppetto.[54]
In October 2016, it was reported that Howard was possibly going to direct Emma Frost's scriptZelda about the socialiteZelda Fitzgerald withJennifer Lawrence set to produce and portray Zelda.[55]
In April 2018, it was reported thatImagine Entertainment had won the film rights to theRob Hart novelThe Warehouse, with plans to develop the project for Howard to direct.[56]
In June 2018, it was announced thatImagine Entertainment had acquired the rights to produce screenwriterZach Dean's pitchCanary, a female-ledscience fiction story, with the intention of developing the project as a directing vehicle for Howard.[57]
In 2019, Howard was announced as director of his first animated filmThe Shrinking of Treehorn, based on thechildren's book byFlorence Parry Heide.Paramount Pictures was to release the film, planned to be the first in a series oflive action/animated productions throughImagine Entertainment.[58]
In January 2020, Howard was set to direct and produceThe Fixer, a political thriller about a failed assassination attempt onFidel Castro forParamount Pictures.[59]
In September 2020, Howard was announced to direct a filmbiopic of Chinese pianistLang Lang, written by Michele Mulroney andKieran Mulroney based on his memoirJourney of a Thousand Miles. Howard planned for it to be his next film afterThirteen Lives.[60]
In January 2023, Howard, who made the originalWillow, expressed interest in directing episodes of theDisney+revival series if renewed for a second season. Though a follow-up never ultimately occurred, he did serve as an executive producer on the first season and was highly involved in the show's development alongside creatorJonathan Kasdan.[61]
In 1998, Howard andBrian Grazer were reportedly attached to produce a film adaptation of theDr. Seuss children's bookOh, the Places You'll Go!, but were focused onadaptingHow the Grinch Stole Christmas! at the time.[62] The film is now set be released on March 17, 2028, and will be directed byJon M. Chu.
In 2007, Howard was set to produce Chuck Tatham's religious comedyThe Church of Reggie withBrian Grazer and David Nevins throughImagine Entertainment forFox.[63]
In 2015, Howard andBrian Grazer signed on to co-produce alive action film adaptation of theanimeTiger & Bunny throughImagine Entertainment, as a co-production with All Nippon Entertainment Works andBandai Namco Pictures.[64] In 2022, Bandai Namco announced that a TV series would be made without the participation of Imagine Entertainment.[65]
In 2018, it was reported that Howard'sImagine Entertainment was in the running to acquire the film rights toJoe Iconis'musical adaptation of the novelBe More Chill, butShawn Levy andGreg Berlanti acquired the project instead.[66]
I'd read the books and they were fantastic but, in all honesty, I had just finished the Grinch. That was fun and fascinating, but an unbelievably challenging and difficult production so I didn't want to be in the fantasy world for another few years.
