During his long career, American film directorWes Craven has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell in development hell, were officially canceled, were in development limbo or would see life under a different production team.
In the mid-1980s, Craven wanted to direct and already wrote a screenplay for thefilm adaptation ofFlowers in the Attic, but his screenplay was rejected andJeffrey Bloom was hired as the director and screenwriter.[1]
In the 1980s, Craven was at one point attached to directBeetlejuice, butTim Burton was hired as the director.[2]
Craven wanted to direct and write a sequel toShocker, but the box office performance of the first movie hampered Craven's plan.[1]
In the early-1990s, Craven wanted to direct the film adaptation ofPeter Benchley’s novelBeast, which became theTV movieThe Beast.[1]
On December 8, 1992, Craven was attached to direct a film based on theMarvel Comics’ characterDoctor Strange forSavoy Pictures, but madeNew Nightmare instead.[3]
In 1995, Craven attempted to remakeThe Haunting, but ended up taking overScream because of long, drawn out negotiations withDimension Films over the remake, which led toJan de Bontremaking the film in 1999.[4]
On January 20, 1998, Craven and Shaun Cassidy were attached to executive produce the horror TV seriesHollyweird throughUniversal Television forFox for the 1998–1999 season, but it did not materialize.[5]
On April 15, 1999, Craven was attached to direct and produce the film adaptation of his novelThe Fountain Society forImageMovers andDreamWorks Pictures, but it didn't materialize.[6]
On June 18, 1999, Craven was attached to direct and produce the film adaptation of Christina Schwartz's novelDrowning Ruth forMiramax.[7]
On August 8, 2000, Craven was attached to produce the film adaptation ofChris Bohjalian’s novelTrans-Sister Radio for Miramax, but it did not materialize.[8]
On October 23, 2000, Craven was attached to produce and direct Karl Schaefer's pilot focused on artificial intelligence forUPN.[9]
On November 1, 2000, Craven confirmed that he would produce the film adaptation of Jennifer Miller's true story novelThe Day I Went Missing with Donald Martin writing the script for Miramax.[10]
On June 27, 2002, Craven was attached to produce and direct Juliet Snowden and Stiles White's suspense thriller spec scriptThe Waiting, which is about a mother haunted by her dead child,[11] but on November 2, 2005,Alexandre Aja was attached to direct the movie instead of Craven.[12]
On January 30, 2003, Craven was attached to produceKamelot, a sci-fi retelling of theKing Arthur legend with Ron Milbauer and Terri Hughes writing and producing forUPN.[13]
On May 6, 2003, Craven was attached to produce a TV series about an actual cop who investigates paranormal cases through Dimension Television, but it was not picked up by a TV network.[14]
On May 13, 2004, Craven was confirmed to produce Jeremy Drysdale's scriptWhole New You, but it did not materialize.[15]
On October 18, 2004, Craven was confirmed to write the full screenplay of Marshall Moseley's spec scriptWild Card forDimension Films with the possibility of Craven directing, but it did not materialize.[16]
On August 16, 2006, Craven confirmed that he would produce a feature film remake ofShocker withRogue Pictures.[17]
On April 21, 2007, Craven confirmed that he would produce a feature film remake ofThe People Under the Stairs withRogue Pictures.[18] But on October 30, 2020,Jordan Peele was confirmed to produce a feature film remake.[19]
On February 19, 2010, Craven was in talks to directMisha Green’s scriptSunflower about two women who were abducted in a college professor’s prison-like farmhouse.[20] But on August 3, 2012, Adam Blaiklock took over directing the movie from Craven, withBen Stiller’sRed Hour Productions producing the film and20th Century Fox set to distribute,[21] however, the film fell intodevelopment hell and its fate is unknown afterDisney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox was completed,[22] and Green would eventually make the film her feature film directorial debut.[23][24]
On July 31, 2012, Craven andSteve Niles were set to develop a film adaptation of theirLiquid Comics’ collaborationComing of Rage with Arnold Rifken and Sharad Devarajan producing the film.[25] On October 29, 2014, the comic book was reportedly getting a TV adaptation instead.[26]
On April 20, 2015, Craven would produce the television adaptation of his movieThe People Under the Stairs throughUniversal Cable Productions forSyfy, with Michael Reisz writing the series that was described as a contemporaryDownton Abbey meetsThe Amityville Horror.[27] On August 30, 2015, Universal Cable Productions intended to make the series after Craven died earlier that day, but the series did not materialize.[28]
On April 20, 2015, Craven would produce the television adaptation ofDaryl Gregory’s novelWe Are All Completely Fine throughUniversal Cable Productions forSyfy, with the possibility to direct the pilot episode.[27] On August 30, 2015, Universal Cable Productions intended to make the series after Craven died earlier that day, but the series did not materialize.[28]
On October 9, 2015, Craven would produce the television adaptation of Steve Nile's comic bookDisciples throughUniversal Cable Productions forSyfy.[27] On August 30, 2015, Universal Cable Productions intended to make the series after Craven died earlier that day, but the series did not materialize.[28]
In the 1990s, Craven was offered to remake ofThe Mummy, but turned it down andStephen Sommersremade the film in 1999.[29]
After lengthy contract negotiations, Craven ceased work on his remake of the Robert Wise classic The Haunting (1963) and took the reins of the $14 million production.
