The following is a list of unproduced projects from The Wachowskis in roughly chronological order. During their long careers, The Wachowskis have worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under their direction. Some of these projects fell in development hell and are presumably or officially canceled.
In 1995, The Wachowskis wrote a script for a film adaptation of the Plastic Man comic book series. [1] [2] The film was planned to be developed by Warner Bros. However, due to unknown reasons, the film was never made, although the script was finally leaked online by Yahoo! Movies columnist and reader Greg Dean Schmitz in June 2003, one month after the release of The Matrix Reloaded . [3]
Around 1996, The Wachowskis wrote a script for a film adaptation of Joseph R. Garber's thriller Vertical Run. [4] However, the film wasn't made, and after Garber's subsequent death in 2005. [5]
This was the first film script written by The Wachowskis. [6] It has been described as "a Corman-style, low-budget horror movie that dealt with cannibalism or, more specifically, millionaires being eaten by cannibals". [7] The writing was well-received and the script made the duo minded, although interest in making the film was low as executives told them "This is a bad idea. I can't make this. I'm rich." On April 6, 1999, a week after The Matrix opened in theaters, Variety reported that Trimark was considering purchase of the script and that they were in talks with George Romero to direct it with production slated to begin in August. [8] In April 2001, it was reported that The Wachowskis were producing it for Lionsgate and looking for a director surfaced again (meaning Romero's departure from the project), [9] and in August 2003 a second time, with their go-to cinematographer Bill Pope supposed to be making his directorial debut with it. [10]
On August 22, 1999, five months after the release of The Matrix , it was reported that The Wachowskis were considering an animated film adaptation of the Hard Boiled comic book series, in which Geof Darrow, the conceptional designer of The Matrix trilogy, participated as cartoonist. [11] However, Bleeding Cool later reported that the project was cancelled due to the fact that the Hard Boiled creator Frank Miller didn't want to see his creation as an animated film. [12]
On November 6, 2000, Variety reported that The Wachowskis were working with Warner Bros. to make a film reboot of Conan the Barbarian , due to the unsuccessful reception of Conan the Destroyer . The Wachowskis originally attempted to film The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions and work on this film at the same time, [13] On January 20, 2004, however, via IGN, Lilly Wachowski reported that the film entitled King Conan: Crown of Iron was stalled for years due to her and her sister Lana's lack of interest after finishing the filming of The Matrix sequels, [14] although Lana and Lilly stated that Conan the Barbarian was their favorite movie based on comics. [11]
Around 2000, while Darren Aronofsky and Frank Miller worked on their own film adaptation of Miller's Batman: Year One , Warner Bros. lured the Wachowskis to the project after the success of The Matrix , leading them to write their own take of Year One. In contrast to the screenplay written by Aronosfky and Miller, the Wachowskis' proposal was more faithful to the original comic and Warner was pleased with it. [15] Their ideas for the film would have been making a live-action adaptation of the comic books greatly influenced by the Neal Adams Batman era with an isolated and maniacal Bruce Wayne, an emphasis on the "detective aspect" of the Batman persona and a fluid and violent plot with loads of action, confrontations and the usual Batman stories three-act plot. Reportedly, the Wachowskis loved the concept, but they had felt so appalled with Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin that they were afraid of following up that adaptation. In the end, the Wachowskis preferred to continue their work with The Matrix trilogy after The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions were greenlighted, figuring that their own "comic book franchise" was better and original than the deal Warner was offering, and politely declined the offer. [16]
In 2008, The Wachowskis were reported of being working with Madhouse to make an animated film adaptation of the Shaolin Cowboy comic book series. [17] [18] [19] The film's title was eventually revealed as Shaolin Cowboy and the Tomb of Doom. [12] Darrow and Japanese director Seiji Mizushima were attached to direct the film. [17] However, according to Darrow, the film's production was finally left unfinished after the lack of money. [20]
Before the release of Speed Racer , Variety stated that a sequel to the film could happen if the film had a good box office performance. [21] In 2008, a possible sequel was contemplated by The Wachowskis when Rain asked them why his character was so happy that Speed won; they replied it could be explained in the next film. Rain said he was hired for three years, while noting that did not guarantee a sequel would be released. [22] Christina Ricci also considered it a possibility; she stated "When we [the cast] were all leaving, we were like 'write the sequel!' 'We want to come back'. And they [the Wachowskis] were like, 'I know. I know. We're going to. Don't worry'", adding she would like more action scenes for her character. [23] The producer Joel Silver said that the Wachowskis "have a great story idea for a sequel" but that it is "a great idea for a sequel if it makes sense to make it." [24]
In December 2009, Arianna Huffington tweeted pictures of herself on the set of "a The Wachowskis movie on Iraq from the perspective of the future". [25] CHUD.com reported what the Wachowskis were doing was camera tests and shooting of test footage on the Red digital camera for a future movie, but not shooting the movie itself. [26] In March 2010, Jesse Ventura said he had also shot for the project right before Huffington. Both of them were dressed as people from roughly 100 years in the future and they were asked to improvise without a script about the Iraq War. [27] In May 2010, Deadline reported the movie was going to be a hard-R story that would begin in the future but move back to the then-current war in Iraq and center on the homosexual relationship between an American soldier and an Iraqi. The Wachowskis completed the script and were searching for funding to direct it. [28] In July 2010, the movie was reported to have begun casting under the codename CN9 (or CN-9), [29] and in August 2010 the full name was revealed as Cobalt Neural 9. [30] In September 2010, Vulture posted additional details about the script and revealed the movie would be told in found footage-style from the perspective of digital archaeologists from the future. An estimated $20 million budget was reported although they were told a studio would "never, ever" finance it but perhaps the Wachowskis could do it themselves. [31] In December 2010, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Salman Rushdie and Cornel West had also shot talking head sequences along with the previously reported involvement of Huffington and Ventura but the Wachowskis were currently looking into other movies because of troubles financing it. [32] Later, in September 2012, Aleksandar Hemon wrote about the making of Cloud Atlas and recalled he too was one of the people the Wachowskis had invited to interview in December 2009, to help inspire the script of Cobalt Neural 9. [33] The last update on the film was in October 2012, when the Wachowskis were asked about it and they responded they were still keen to make it, because they had invested both financially ($5 million) and emotionally into it, even if that ends up being in a different form than film. [34]
In December 2010, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that The Wachowskis were planning to direct for Warner Bros. a script of theirs called Hood, which was a modern adaptation of the Robin Hood legend. The Wachowskis were said to be reaching out to actors, including Will Smith. [35]
Batman is a 1989 superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Directed by Tim Burton, it is the first installment of Warner Bros.' initial Batman film series. The film was produced by Jon Peters and Peter Guber and stars Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, Kim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, and Jack Palance. The film takes place early in the title character's war on crime and depicts his conflict with his archenemy The Joker.
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction action film written and directed by the Wachowskis. It is the first installment in the Matrix film series, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and Joe Pantoliano, and depicts a dystopian future in which humanity is unknowingly trapped inside the Matrix, a simulated reality that intelligent machines have created to distract humans while using their bodies as an energy source. When computer programmer Thomas Anderson, under the hacker alias "Neo", uncovers the truth, he joins a rebellion against the machines along with other people who have been freed from the Matrix.
Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski are American film and television directors, writers and producers. The sisters are both trans women.
The Matrix is an American cyberpunk media franchise consisting of four feature films, beginning with The Matrix (1999) and continuing with three sequels, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and The Matrix Resurrections (2021). The first three films were written and directed by the Wachowskis and produced by Joel Silver. The screenplay for the fourth film was written by Lana Wachowski, David Mitchell and Aleksandar Hemon, was directed by Lana Wachowski, and was produced by Grant Hill, James McTeigue, and Lana Wachowski. The franchise is owned by Warner Bros., which distributed the films along with Village Roadshow Pictures. The latter, along with Silver Pictures, are the two production companies that worked on the first three films.
Geofrey "Geof" Darrow is an American comic book artist, best known for his work on comic series Shaolin Cowboy, Hard Boiled and The Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, which was adapted into an animated television series of the same name. He worked as a concept artist and storyboarder for The Matrix series of films. Darrow's approach to comics and art has been cited as an influence by a multitude of artists including Peter Chung, Frank Quitely, Seth Fisher, Eric Powell, Frank Cho, Juan José Ryp, James Stokoe, Chris Burnham, Aaron Kuder, Nick Pitarra,
Doc Frankenstein is an American comic book series created by Geof Darrow and Steve Skroce, written by the Wachowskis, drawn by Skroce, and published by Burlyman Entertainment. Doc Frankenstein combines elements of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. The first issue was published in November 2004 and after six issues, the last of which was released in December 2007, the comic entered a long hiatus. An oversized deluxe hardcover trade paperback was released in November 2019, that completed the story.
Steve Skroce is a Canadian comic book and film storyboard artist. He is of Croatian descent.
Burlyman Entertainment is a comic book company created by The Wachowskis, best known as the writer/director duo behind the Matrix Trilogy.
The Matrix Comics is a set of comics and short stories based on The Matrix film series and written and illustrated by figures from the comics industry. One of the comics was written by the Wachowskis and illustrated by the films' concept artist Geof Darrow. The comics and stories were originally presented for free on the Matrix series' website between 1999 and 2003. One of them was printed in 1999 to be given away at theaters as a promotional item for The Matrix, but Warner Bros. recalled it due to its mature content. Most of them were later republished by the Wachowskis' Burlyman Entertainment, along with some new stories and updates with color to some of the existing ones, in two printed trade paperback volumes in 2003 and 2004 and a deluxe hardcover twentieth anniversary edition in 2019.
Speed Racer is a 2008 sports action comedy film written and directed by the Wachowskis, based on the manga series of the same name created by Tatsuo Yoshida. The film stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox, Roger Allam, Benno Fürmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rain, and Richard Roundtree. The plot revolves around Speed Racer, an 18-year-old automobile racer who follows his apparently deceased brother's career, choosing to remain loyal to his family and their company Racer Motors, which causes difficulties after he refuses a contract that E.P. Arnold Royalton, owner of Royalton Industries, offers him.
The Batman franchise, based on the fictional superhero Batman who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics, has seen the release of various films. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, the character first starred in two serial films in the 1940s: Batman and Batman and Robin. The character also appeared in the 1966 film Batman, which was a feature film adaptation of the 1960s Batman TV series starring Adam West and Burt Ward, who also starred in the film. Toward the end of the 1980s, the Warner Bros. studio began producing a series of feature films starring Batman, beginning with the 1989 film Batman, directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton. Burton and Keaton returned for the 1992 sequel Batman Returns, and in 1995, Joel Schumacher directed Batman Forever with Val Kilmer as Batman. Schumacher also directed the 1997 sequel Batman & Robin, which starred George Clooney. Batman & Robin was poorly received by both critics and fans, leading to the cancellation of Batman Unchained.
DC Comics's Superman franchise, based on the character of the same name created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in June 1938, has seen the release of various films since its inception. He debuted in cinemas in a series of animated shorts beginning in 1941, subsequently starring in two movie serials in 1948 and 1950. An independent studio, Lippert Pictures, released the first Superman feature film, Superman and the Mole Men, starring George Reeves, in 1951. In 1973, the film rights to the Superman character were purchased by Ilya Salkind, Alexander Salkind, and Pierre Spengler. After numerous scripts and years in development, Richard Donner was hired as their director, filming Superman (1978) and Superman II (1980) simultaneously. Donner had already shot eighty percent of Superman II with Christopher Reeve before it was decided to finish shooting the first film. The Salkinds fired Donner after Superman's release and commissioned Richard Lester as the director to finish Superman II. Lester also returned for Superman III (1983), and the Salkinds further produced the related 1984 spin-off Supergirl before selling the rights to Cannon Films, resulting in the poorly reviewed Superman IV: The Quest for Peace (1987). Ilya Salkind commissioned a fifth Superman script before Warner Bros. acquired the rights entirely in 1993.
Watchmen is a 2009 film based on the twelve-issue graphic novel series of the same name created by writer Alan Moore, artist Dave Gibbons, and colorist John Higgins, published by DC Comics between 1986 and 1987. The graphic novel's film rights were acquired by producer Lawrence Gordon in 1986. Many problems halted the adaptation's development, with four different studios and various directors and screenwriters being attached to the project through twenty years. In 2006, Zack Snyder, who at the time was filming another comic book adaptation, was hired by Warner Bros. to helm Watchmen. Filming started in 2007, and following deals with two of the previous companies involved in the development—Paramount Pictures was responsible for international distribution rights after budgetary issues in 2004, resulting in a lawsuit by 20th Century Fox. Fox, which was already contacted by Gordon in 1987, received $1 million of the gross—the Watchmen adaptation was finally released in March 2009.
The Flash is a 2023 American superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, DC Studios, Double Dream, and the Disco Factory, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the 13th installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film was directed by Andy Muschietti from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and a story by Joby Harold and the writing team of John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. It stars Ezra Miller as Barry Allen / The Flash alongside Sasha Calle in her film debut, Michael Shannon, Ron Livingston, Maribel Verdú, Kiersey Clemons, Antje Traue, and Michael Keaton. In the film, Barry travels back in time to prevent his mother's death, which unintentionally results in his being stranded in an alternate past.
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by DC Studios and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. It is based on characters that appear in American comic books published by DC Comics. The DCEU also includes comic books, short films, novels, and video games. Like the original DC Universe in comic books, the DCEU is established by crossing over common plot elements, settings, cast, and characters.
The following is a list of unproduced Joss Whedon projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American filmmaker Joss Whedon 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 into development hell.
The Matrix Resurrections is a 2021 American science fiction action film produced, co-written, and directed by Lana Wachowski, and the first in the Matrix franchise to be directed solely by Lana, without her sister. It is the sequel to The Matrix Revolutions (2003) and the fourth installment in The Matrix film franchise. The film stars Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jessica Henwick, Jonathan Groff, Neil Patrick Harris, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Jada Pinkett Smith. The film is set sixty years after Revolutions and follows Neo, who lives a seemingly ordinary life as a video game developer having trouble with distinguishing fantasy from reality. A group of rebels, with the help of a programmed version of Morpheus, free Neo from a new version of the Matrix and fight a new enemy that holds Trinity captive.