Jonathan Demme's unrealized projects
The following is a list of unproduced Jonathan Demme projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American filmmaker Jonathan Demme worked on a number projects that never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell into development hell, were officially cancelled, were in development limbo or would see life under a different production team.
1970s
[edit]Shivers
[edit]The Confidence Man
[edit]In 1974, it was announced that Demme was going direct a screenplay he wrote for Roger Corman based on The Confidence-Man, a novel by Herman Melville set on a Mississippi riverboat in the 1850s.[1][2]
Typee
[edit]In 1977, Demme planned to direct his own adaptation of Herman Melville's Typee, produced by his then-wife Evelyn Purcell.[3] In 1987, it was reported that Demme would direct the film with the producing assistance of Jeremy Thomas.[4]
Creator
[edit]In the late 1970s, Demme was enlisted by Hal Ashby to direct Jeremy Leven's Creator as a film production for his company Northstar International.[5] In 1980, the film rights were sold to Lorimar, with Demme attached to make the film, budgeted as roughly $8-10 million. Production was set to begin in Cambridge and Boston in March or April 1981 and last sixteen weeks, with a planned December release. However, by 1984, Kings Road Productions and Universal Pictures were now producing the film, with Demme no longer attached.[6]
1980s
[edit]Crimes of the Heart
[edit]In 1981, Demme was attached to direct the film adaptation of Beth Henley's play Crimes of the Heart, executive produced by Burt Sugarman. At that time, Diane Keaton was in talks to star,[7] but it fell through last minute[8] and was later realized five years later under director Bruce Beresford.
Birdy
[edit]In 1982, Demme was pursued by A&M Films to direct Birdy.[9]
Man Trouble
[edit]In 1983, Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson were cast to star in the romantic comedy Man Trouble, with Demme at that time attached to direct. The film was eventually made in 1992, albeit with Ellen Barkin in place of Keaton and Bob Rafelson in place of Demme.[10]
Stealing Home
[edit]In 1984, a two-year option on the screenplay for Stealing Home was acquired by Jaffe/Lansing Productions, with Demme involved to direct the project. By 1986, Warner Bros. acquired the property, with writers Steven Kampmann and Will Aldis set to co-direct.[11]
Handcarved Coffins
[edit]In April 1984, Demme spoke of his intention to make a film of Truman Capote's "Handcarved Coffins", a novella which he described as "a hard-edged mystery, a mystery with violence."[12]
Untitled John Milius collaboration
[edit]Also in April 1984, Demme revealed that he talked with John Milius about making a film from one of his scripts, "a semi-political fantasy thriller", about a futuristic account of a Green Beret action set within the United States.[12]
Peggy Sue Got Married
[edit]In September 1984, Demme was in preproduction on Peggy Sue Got Married for TriStar Pictures. Cast to play the lead at that time was Debra Winger, who disagreed with Demme's approach to the material and advocated for Penny Marshall to replace him as director. When Francis Ford Coppola took the helm, the part was recast for Kathleen Turner.[13]
Extreme Prejudice
[edit]Also in late 1984, Carolco Pictures acquired Extreme Prejudice, a modern day Western written by John Milius, and was negotiating with Demme to direct. Demme envisioned Robert Mitchum in the role of the aging lawman.[14] In December that year, Demme told Daily Variety he hoped to complete a rewrite of the screenplay by March and begin filming in Texas in summer 1985, with Milius aboard as a producer. However, neither Demme nor Milius stayed with the project and Walter Hill was brought aboard to direct the film with Nick Nolte in the Mitchum part.[15]
About Last Night
[edit]In the mid-1980s, Demme was attached to direct Nick Nolte and Bill Murray in About Last Night,[16] however, a "disastrous meeting" between them caused both to turn down the film.[17] Following their departure, the film faced extensive rewrites and was directed by Edward Zwick, with Rob Lowe and James Belushi in their roles.[16]
Continental Drift
[edit]In 1988, author Russell Banks was hired by Demme to help develop a screenplay based on Continental Drift, Banks' novel about anomie and Haitian refugees in Florida.[18] Demme intended to direct the film, but the adaptation never materialized.[19][20]
1990s
[edit]Parting the Waters
[edit]In the early 1990s, Demme sought to adapt Parting the Waters as a feature film, produced by Edward Saxon and Harry Belafonte.[21] Anna Hamilton Phelan wrote the adaptation of the book, which was about the civil rights movement in the 1960s.[22]
Rapid Pace of Battle
[edit]In 1993, it was reported that Demme and Edward Saxon would team with producer Eric Pleskow to develop Rapid Pace of Battle, a war drama based on the true story of Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Hayles. The film was under consideration to be Demme's next film, pending a screenplay.[23]
The Stopwatch Gang
[edit]After Philadelphia, Demme spent eighteen months developing The Stopwatch Gang, which he was set to direct and produce for TriStar in 1995.[24] Adapted from Greg Weston's book by playwright Beth Henley,[8] the project was to star Kenneth Branagh, Kate Winslet and Bono as the gang of real-life Canadian bank robbers.[22] "It's a wonderful, hard-to-characterize movie, not exactly a comedy, not exactly a thriller," Demme said. "And it proved to be the kind of movie no one wanted to finance. We had Bono; we had Kate Winslet pre-Titanic. We had all the locations. And the studios wouldn't make it without a giant star."[25]
Hannibal
[edit]K-PAX
[edit]After Beloved, Demme considered directing the sci-fi mystery K-PAX as his next film, as he was interested in working with Will Smith who was attached to star at that time. After Demme passed, Smith dropped out of the project and the resulting film starred Kevin Spacey and Jeff Bridges.[26]
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
[edit]In 1999, it was reported that Demme, Chris Columbus, Rob Reiner and Brad Silberling were each in the running to direct the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, after Steven Spielberg departed from the project.[27] The job ultimately went to Columbus, who also directed its sequel.
2000s
[edit]Eye in the Door
[edit]In March 2000, Demme was developing a screenplay adaptation of The Eye in the Door, the second in a trilogy of World War I-set novels, adapted by Ol Parker.[28] He was set to direct the film at USA Films.[29]
Asylum
[edit]In July 2000, it was reported that an adaptation of Patrick McGrath's novel Asylum was in development at Paramount, with Demme hoping to direct the film. Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson were attached to star as the leads.[29] In 2001, Stephen King signed on to rewrite the script for Asylum. It was expected to be Demme's next film following The Truth About Charlie.[30] Richardson went on to star in the 2005 film.
Insomnia
[edit]Intolerable Cruelty
[edit]In October 2000, Demme was in negotiations to direct the Coen brothers' screenplay Intolerable Cruelty at Universal and Imagine Entertainment. Demme courted Hugh Grant, Tea Leoni and Geoffrey Wright to play the leads, but later dropped out of the project, and the Coens took over directorial duties. The final film starred George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones instead of Grant and Leoni.[31]
Family Week
[edit]Throughout the 2000s, Demme pondered a film version of Beth Henley's play Family Week, before directing an Off-Broadway revival of the show in 2010. "Over the years I have spoken to some actresses about it," said Demme "They read it, and they loved it, but it was just one of these things that hasn't happened."[8]
Marley
[edit]In 2008, it was reported that Demme was replacing Martin Scorsese as director of the Bob Marley documentary, initially set to be released in 2010. Demme soon exited as well,[32] and the film was made instead by Kevin MacDonald, in 2012.
Zeitoun
[edit]In 2009, the film rights to Dave Eggers' book Zeitoun were acquired by Demme, who announced plans to direct an hand-animated adaptation. Daniel Pyne was to write the script, and Donald Harrison Jr. and Zafer Tawil were to compose the score.[33] In 2012, Demme updated that the film was "in active development [...] It's been so challenging to find the money for an animated film about a Muslim American family set against the backdrop of hurricanes and floods. We've really kind of channeled our energy into the script for the time being. It's something that's going to happen."[34] At this stage, artist Charlie Griak was hired to develop animated imagery based on the script.[35]
2010s
[edit]Honeymoon with Harry
[edit]In August 2010, Demme was set to direct the feature film adaptation of Bart Baker's novel Honeymoon with Harry, with Paul Haggis writing the screenplay, Robert De Niro and Bradley Cooper in talks to star, producing the movie with Dave Bartis, Elloit Abbott, & Avram Ludwig.[36] The following year, Demme left the film due to De Niro's non-committal to starring.[37] In 2017, Nick Cassavetes signed on to direct the film.[38]
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
[edit]In October 2010, it was reported that Demme had read the script for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and wanted to direct the film.[39]
11.22.63
[edit]Old Fires
[edit]In 2012, it was reported that Demme was attached to direct the family dramedy Old Fires from a script by Heather McGowan about a world-renowned architect who comes out of a coma wanting to reconnect with his children and win back his wife's love. Production was set to begin in summer the following year.[40][35] In 2013, it was revealed by Jennifer Ehle (who was cast to star in the film alongside Bryan Cranston and Jason Segel), that it had been postponed due to inability to secure financing.[41]
Come Sunday
[edit]The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
[edit]According to David Edelstein, prior to his death, Demme wanted to make a film of the 2010 book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which later was produced as a 2017 HBO film with Oprah Winfrey.[42]
References
[edit]- ^ "Books Into Films: Announced in the Trades". June 6, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "Roger Corman unrealized projects". Temple of Schlock. November 22, 2008. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
- ^ "At the Movie". The New York Times. November 4, 1977. p. 60.
- ^ Gelder, Lawrence Van (November 20, 1987). "At the Movies". The New York Times. p. 12. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Dawson, Nick (2009). Being Hal Ashby: The Life of a Hollywood Rebel. University Press of Kentucky. p. 226. ISBN 978-0813139197.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog - Creator". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog - Crimes of the Heart". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ a b c Jones, Kenneth (April 3, 2010). "Jonathan Demme Jumps Mediums To Direct a Beth Henley Yarn". Playbill. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog - Birdy". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog - Man Trouble". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog - Stealing Home". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ a b Hinson, Hal (April 21, 1984). "Master of The Chance Encounter". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog - Peggy Sue Got Married". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Zimmerman, Paul (May 9, 2017). "My Dinners with Demme". Film Threat. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "AFI|Catalog - Extreme Prejudice". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ a b "AFI|Catalog - About Last Night..." AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Yahr, Emily (September 16, 2015). "Bill Murray has missed out on a lot of big movies — here's every strange reason why". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 1, 2024.
- ^ Kaplan, James (March 27, 1988). "JONATHAN DEMME'S OFFBEAT AMERICA". The New York Times Magazine. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Pulver, Andrew (May 13, 2005). "Grim fairytale". The Guardian. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ "Unproduced and Unfinished Films A Through K: An Ongoing Film Comment Project". Film Comment. No. May-June 2012.
- ^ Hornaday, Ann (August 13, 2013). "Essay: 'The Butler' finally puts the civil rights movement on screen. Will other follow?". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ a b "Unproduced and Unfinished Films L Through Z: An Ongoing Film Comment Project". Film Comment. No. May-June 2012.
- ^ Frook, John Evan (March 31, 1993). "'Lambs' team is ready for 'Battle'". Variety. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ Cox, Dan (December 19, 1996). "DEMME HEADS FOR U". Variety. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Weintraub, Bernard (October 2, 1998). "AT THE MOVIES; 'Beloved' From Demme". The New York Times. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Fleming, Michael (October 26, 1999). "Demme eyes 'Charade'; Hauer, Harmon hitch up". Variety. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Moerk, Christian (September 22, 1999). "In H'w'd, nothing's hotter than 'Potter'". Variety. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Lyons, Charles (March 20, 2000). "Demme opens door at October for 'Eye'". Variety. Retrieved June 15, 2024.
- ^ a b Fleming, Michael (July 25, 2000). "Demme, Saxon to say adios". Variety. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Dunkley, Cathy (February 6, 2001). "Par running the 'Asylum'". Variety. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (October 22, 2000). "It's 'Cruelty' for Demme". Variety. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Connelly, Brendon (August 14, 2009). "Jonathan Demme Departs Bob Marley Film Part Way Through Production?". Slashfilm. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Itzkoff, Dave (October 28, 2009). "'Zeitoun' as Cartoon: Demme Plans Animated Film of Eggers Book". The New York Times. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Otto, Jeff (June 20, 2012). "Jonathan Demme Says 'Zeitoun' Still Need Financing, Talks Adapting Stephen King's '11/22/63'". IndieWire. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ a b Kiang, Jessica (December 29, 2012). "Jonathan Demme On Future Projects 'Old Fires,' 'Zeitoun' And 'This House We Live In'". IndieWire. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Fleming Jr., Mike (August 2, 2010). "Will Jonathan Demme 'Honeymoon' With Robert De Niro And Bradley Cooper?". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Finke, Nikki (May 21, 2008). "De Niro Balks, Demme Walks, Movie Chalks (And Bradley Cooper Is Caught In Middle)". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Dave McNary (January 18, 2017). "Nick Cassavetes Going on 'Honeymoon With Harry'". Variety. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Sneider, Jeff (October 19, 2010). "Exclusive: Demme, Reeves Enter Mix for 'Pride & Prejudice & Zombies'". TheWrap. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
- ^ Sneider, Jeff (April 15, 2015). "Jonathan Demme set for indie 'Old Fires'". Variety. Retrieved June 10, 2024.
- ^ Cunningham, Joe (May 13, 2013). "Jonathan Demme's 'Old Fires' With Bryan Cranston, Jason Segel & Jennifer Ehle Put On Hold". IndieWire. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
- ^ Edelstein, David (April 28, 2017). "Remembering Jonathan Demme, One of Cinema's Most Contagious Enthusiasts". Vulture. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
