Neil Marshall's unrealized projects

Last updated

The following is a list of unproduced Neil Marshall projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, British filmmaker Neil Marshall 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.

Contents

2000s

Outpost

Outpost was a planned film that Marshall announced before starting The Descent . He described the premise to be zombies terrorising an oil rig, [1] but he placed the film on hold for the time being. [2]

The Eagle's Nest

The Eagle's Nest was a planned film that Marshall described as a World War II action-adventure that would be a hybrid of Die Hard (1988) and The Remains of the Day (1993). [3] He said the film was an action adventure tribute to films like Where Eagles Dare (1968) and The Eagle Has Landed (1976). The premise would be about a rescue attempt for a parachutist, Rudolf Hess, who lands in Scotland during World War II. The rescue is botched, and Hess is taken by a German unit to a country castle. [2] He also said "It's a little bit of Where Eagles Dare, Indiana Jones , James Bond and its kind of an espionage story set during WWII but it is not really a war movie as such it's a full on action-adventure." [4]

The Sword and the Fury

The Sword and the Fury was a planned film about a heist that takes place in medieval times. The story takes place 30 years after the death of King Arthur when his sword Excalibur is stolen. Arthur's queen Guinevere hires a band of thieves to steal it back. [2]

Sherlock Holmes

On March 15, 2007, Marshall was set to direct Michael Johnson’s action-adventure Sherlock Holmes screenplay with Lionel Wigram producing the film, and Warner Bros. set to distribute the movie, but Guy Ritchie ended up directing instead. [5]

Sacrilege

Sacrilege was a planned film that takes place in the Old West. Marshall described the film, "It is set during the Gold Rush, a time remembered for incidents like the Donner Party. It is meant to be a pitch-black, gritty, period horror movie." The film will be themed on paranoia and isolation, and the director will draw inspiration from the 1982 film The Thing . "This is Unforgiven by way of H.P. Lovecraft, with that grim, gritty setting and a horror element nobody has seen before," Marshall said. [6]

Drive

On March 19, 2008, Marshall was set to direct the feature film adaptation of James Sallis’ novel Drive, with Hossein Amini set to write the screenplay and Hugh Jackman attached to star and produce the film with John Palermo & Marc Platt and Universal Pictures distributing the movie, which Nicolas Winding Refn ended up directing instead. [7]

Predators

Marshall was Robert Rodriguez's second choice to direct the Predator sequel Predators in the late 2000s. Rodriguez chose Nimród Antal instead, and the film was released in 2010. Marshall later reflected, "I'd love to make a Predator movie sometime, the same way I'd like to do an Alien movie too. There's a bunch of things I'd have done differently if I was directing Predators. All things considered, I'd rather start from scratch and do a fresh take on the Predator concept, rather than do anything that's come before me." [8] [9]

Burst 3D

Burst 3D was a horror thriller film, first announced in October 2009, that Marshall planned to direct. [10] The film, based on a screenplay by Gary Dauberman, would follow travellers stranded in a blizzard and being attacked by an entity that makes them spontaneously combust. Sam Raimi produced with his company Ghost House Pictures. [11]

2010s

The Professionals

In April 2010, at the time of the release of his film Centurion , Marshall signed on to direct a feature adaptation of the 1970s British series The Professionals . An undisclosed writer was also attached and then in the process of working on the script. "We want to contemporize it but keep everything that made the original great," said Marshall. "Just turn it into a real wham-bam rip-roaring adventure movie. And a really great buddy movie: these guys are like Butch and Sundance or Riggs and Murtaugh. But this is a British buddy movie, which I don't think I've seen before..." [12] However, by March the following year, he was off the project. [13]

Underground

In August 2010, it was reported by Deadline Hollywood that Marshall was set to direct David Cohen's script Underground, about "an ambitious young chef who ventures into the terrifying underbelly of extreme cuisine." [14]

Untitled WWII-set alien invasion film

In March 2011, Marshall revealed that he was in the process of writing the script for an alien invasion film set during World War II. [13] By 2024, Marshall stated in an interview that he had returned to writing the project, expressing his frustration over to how pitch it; "When you pitch that, everyone thinks it's Independence Day meets Saving Private Ryan . It's not that at all — it's more quirky and set in a small fishing village." [8]

Hell Fest

In December 2011, it was reported by Deadline Hollywood that Marshall would next be directing the horror project Hell Fest for CBS Films and producer Gale Ann Hurd. Production was expected to begin in summer 2012, with plans for a franchise of future films. [15] Marshall departed from the film by 2016 as result of many delays, and it was instead directed by Gregory Plotkin.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter

On May 11, 2012, Marshall was set to direct Bragi Schut Jr.'s screenplay The Last Voyage of the Demeter with Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Bradley Fischer, Chris Bender, Brian Spink, Jake Weiner and J.C. Spink producing for Millenium Films, which André Øvredal would direct instead. [16]

Trollhunter remake

Black Widow

In 2014, Marshall had expressed interest in doing a solo Black Widow movie for Marvel Studios. [17]

Britannia TV series

On April 9, 2015, Marshall was set to direct his historical drama series “Britannia,” with Jean-Baptiste Babin, Joel Thibout and David Atlan-Jackson producing the series through their company Backup Films. [18] The project isn’t related to Jez Butterworth’s series of the same name.

Nightrise TV series

Nightrise was a planned television drama series from Marshall and Marc Helwig, developed through their Applebox Entertainment banner. It was written by David Arata and was said to be set amidst a global pandemic. In October 2015, Spike TV acquired the series. Marshall was to executive produce alongside Helwig, and direct. [19]

2020s

Nightshade TV series

In November 2022, 108 Media signed on to finance, co-develop and produce a supernatural action series Nightshade with Marshall and Simon Uttley serving as writers/co-creators. The project was set in an 18th-century English port city visited by international traders, rogues and vagabonds. Six hour-long episodes were planned for the show, with Marshall set to direct the pilot. [20] [21]

Shrine

In December 2023, horror author Janine Pipe revealed via Twitter that in 2024 she would be developing a supernatural-themed script called Shrine, co-written with Marshall. [22]

Dog Soldiers sequel

In 2024, Marshall confirmed that he had been trying to get a planned sequel to his film Dog Soldiers off the ground for the past six years, and that it was likely "dead in the water". "I've got a story hammered out, but I've not written the script yet because I want to know if we're actually making it or not first," Marshall said. "It's a good idea, and I know Kevin McKidd is on board, but everything has gone very quiet and we don't know why. We'll see." [8]

Offers

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies

On October 17, 2010, Marshall was offered to direct the feature film adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel Pride and Prejudice and Zombies before Burr Steers was hired. [23]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi</span> American filmmaker (born 1959)

Samuel M. Raimi is an American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the first three films in the Evil Dead franchise (1981–present) and the Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007). He also directed the superhero movie Darkman (1990), the revisionist western The Quick and the Dead (1995), the neo-noir crime thriller A Simple Plan (1998), the supernatural thriller The Gift (2000), the supernatural horror Drag Me to Hell (2009), the Disney fantasy Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and the Marvel Studios film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe Dante</span> American filmmaker (born 1946)

Joseph James Dante Jr. is an American film director. His films—notably Gremlins (1984) alongside its sequel, Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)—often mix the 1950s-style B movie genre with 1960s radicalism and cartoon comedy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rob Thomas (writer)</span> Young adult novel author, television program writer

Robert James Thomas is an American author, producer, director and screenwriter. He created the television series Veronica Mars, co-developed 90210 (2008–2013), and co-created Party Down and iZombie (2015–2019).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Davis Entertainment</span> American film production company

Davis Entertainment is an American independent film and television production company, founded by John Davis in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Black</span> American actor and filmmaker

Shane Black is an American filmmaker and actor who has written such films as Lethal Weapon, The Monster Squad, The Last Boy Scout, Last Action Hero, and The Long Kiss Goodnight. He is also known as the original creator of the Lethal Weapon franchise. As an actor, Black is best known for his role as Rick Hawkins in Predator (1987).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McG</span> American film director and producer (born 1968)

Joseph McGinty Nichol, known professionally as McG, is an American director, producer, and former record producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neil Marshall</span> English filmmaker

Neil Marshall is an English film and television director, editor, producer, and screenwriter. He directed the horror films Dog Soldiers (2002) and The Descent (2005), the science fiction action film Doomsday (2008), the historical war film Centurion (2010), the superhero action film Hellboy (2019), and the adventure horror film The Reckoning (2020).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shawn Levy</span> Canadian filmmaker (born 1968)

Shawn Adam Levy is a Canadian filmmaker and actor. He is the founder of 21 Laps Entertainment. His work has spanned numerous genres, and his films as a director have grossed a collective $3.5 billion worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seth Grahame-Smith</span> American writer

Seth Grahame-Smith is an American writer and film producer, best known as the author of The New York Times best-selling novels Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter, both of which have been adapted as feature films. Grahame-Smith is also the co-creator, head writer and executive producer of The Hard Times of RJ Berger, a scripted television comedy appearing on MTV. In collaboration with David Katzenberg, his partner in Katzsmith Productions, Grahame-Smith is currently developing a number of projects for television and film.

<i>Pride and Prejudice and Zombies</i> (film) 2016 film by Burr Steers

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a 2016 action comedy horror film based on Seth Grahame-Smith's 2009 novel of the same name, which parodies the 1813 novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. The film is directed by Burr Steers, who wrote the adapted screenplay, and stars Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Charles Dance, and Lena Headey. The film follows the general plot of Austen's original novel, with elements of zombie, horror, and post-apocalyptic fiction incorporated.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ridley Scott's unrealised projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Ridley Scott projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, English film director Ridley Scott has worked on a number of projects that never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell into development hell or were officially canceled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Raimi's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Sam Raimi projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American film director and producer Sam Raimi has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects, are officially cancelled and scrapped or fell in development hell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Columbus's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Chris Columbus projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American film director Chris Columbus has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects, are officially scrapped or linger in "development hell."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. J. Abrams's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced J. J. Abrams projects in roughly chronological order. During a career that has spanned over 30 years, J. J. Abrams has worked on projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michael Bay's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Michael Bay projects in roughly chronological order. During his career, American film director and producer Michael Bay has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell in "development hell" or are officially canceled.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Rodriguez's unrealized projects</span>

The following is a list of unproduced Robert Rodriguez projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, film director Robert Rodriguez has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects are officially cancelled or fell apart in development.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George A. Romero's unrealized projects</span>

During a career that spanned several decades, the American film director George A. Romero worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond pre-production under him. Some fell into development hell or were produced after he left production.

References

  1. ↑ "Exclusive: Marshall on Zombie Sex, Descent 2 and More!!". Bloody Disgusting. 23 July 2006. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 8 June 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 Chris Tilly (14 July 2005). "Neil Marshall to enter 'Eagle's Nest'". Time Out . Archived from the original on 9 May 2006. Retrieved 8 June 2007.
  3. ↑ Tilly, Chris (13 June 2005). "Neil Marshall returns to horror". Time Out . Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2024.
  4. ↑ Philbrick, Jami (June 29, 2010). "Director Neil Marshall Talks Burst 3D, The Sword and the Fury and More! [Exclusive]". MovieWeb . Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  5. ↑ McClintock, Pamela (March 15, 2007). "Warner Bros. gets a clue". Variety . Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  6. ↑ Michael Fleming (10 March 2008). "Marshall to direct Rogue's 'Sacrilege'". Variety . Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  7. ↑ Fleming Jr., Michael (March 19, 2008). "Marshall shifting gears for Universal". Variety. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  8. 1 2 3 Moore, Paul (June 7, 2024). "Who Watches the Watchers? (On the Wall)". Inverse . Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  9. ↑ Hamman, Cody (June 12, 2024). "Neil Marshall missed out on the Predators directing job, but still wants to make a Predator movie someday". JoBlo.com . Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Neil Marshall to Direct Burst 3D". ComingSoon.net. 9 October 2009. Retrieved 25 March 2010.
  11. ↑ "Neil Marshall Offers Update on Burst 3D". Dread Central. 29 June 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  12. ↑ Pierce, Nev (April 23, 2010). "Neil Marshall Turns Professional". Empire . Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  13. 1 2 Fischer, Russell (March 29, 2011). "Neil Marshall Writing WWII Alien Invasion Film, Not Directing 'The Professionals'". Slashfilm . Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  14. ↑ Jagernauth, Kevin (August 27, 2010). "Neil Marshall To Direct Foodie Horror Film 'Underground'". The Playlist. Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  15. ↑ Wright, Benjamin (December 9, 2011). "Neil Marshall To Direct Horror Flick 'Hellfest'". IndieWire . Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  16. ↑ Kit, Borys (May 11, 2012). "'The Descent' Director Boards Horror Thriller 'Last Voyage of the Demeter' (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Neil Marshall Would Like to Direct a Black Widow Movie". Collider . 26 August 2014.
  18. ↑ Jaafar, Ali (April 9, 2015). "Backup Films Unveils Neil Marshall TV Series 'Britannia'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved August 8, 2024.
  19. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (October 2, 2015). "'Nightrise' Pandemic Drama From Applebox & Legendary Set at Spike TV". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  20. ↑ Squires, John (November 14, 2022). ""Nightshade" – Neil Marshall on Board as Showrunner/Director for New Horror Series". Bloody Disgusting . Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  21. ↑ Hamman, Cody (November 14, 2022). "Nightshade: Neil Marshall serves as showrunner on supernatural action series". JoBlo.com . Retrieved November 26, 2024.
  22. ↑ @JaninePipe28 (30 December 2023). "I'll be developing 2 features in 2024 - supernatural themed Shrine (co-writing with Neil Marshall) & a police action horror - Indigo. I'll be directing both too although I'm unsure when we'll go into production. Indigo in particular will be a mix of Last Shift & @gangsoflondon 🎬" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  23. ↑ Fleming Jr., Mike (February 10, 2022). "HOT HELMING: With 'Wolverine 2' Job Filled At Fox, Next Big Directing Gig Is Lionsgate's 'Pride, Prejudice, Zombies' With Scarlett". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 8, 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.