Steven Spielberg's unrealized projects

The following is a list of unproduced Steven Spielberg projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American film director Steven Spielberg 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, were officially canceled or were in development limbo.

1970s

Flushed with Pride: The Story of Thomas Crapper

At the beginning of the 1970s, Spielberg tried to greenlight the production of Flushed with Pride: The Story of Thomas Crapper, the semi-satirical biography of Thomas Crapper, who, as the book suggested, invented the flushing toilet. Speilberg approached screenwriters Gloria Katz and Willard Huyck to write the script.^[1] However, the film was never made due to various problems, so Spielberg left the project to direct The Sugarland Express.

Superman: The Movie

Around 1975, after the success of Jaws, Alexander Salkind and his son Ilya wanted to hire Spielberg to direct Superman: The Movie, the first theatrical movie based on the Superman comic book series. However, due to Spielberg's commitment to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, the Salkinds finally hired Richard Donner to direct the film.^[2]

The Adventures of Indiana Smith

In May 1977, Spielberg met his colleague George Lucas in Hawaii. During that vacation, Lucas convinced Spielberg to make a film based on the film serials of the 1930s and 1940s. Lucas previously wrote a script for the planned film, entitled The Adventures of Indiana Smith; in which the main character, Indiana Smith, was based on James Bond.^[3] However, at the final moment, both Lucas and Spielberg made many changes to the script, whose concept was used to create Raiders of the Lost Ark, and subsequently, the Indiana Jones film franchise.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind 2

In late 1977, after the successful reception of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg expressed interest in filming a sequel or a prequel. However, he later refused the idea, because he felt that "The army's knowledge and ensuing cover-up is so subterranean that it would take a creative screen story, perhaps someone else making the picture and giving it the equal time it deserves". He also didn't want developer Columbia Pictures to make a sequel without him, which had happened with Universal Pictures' Jaws.^[4]

Night Skies

After his decision not to make a sequel to Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Spielberg started the development of his next project, a science fiction horror film entitled Night Skies, whose concept was pitched by him during the development of Close Encounters. The film was intended to be a spiritual follow-up to Close Encounters.^[5] Lawrence Kasdan was attached to write the screenplay. However, the film wasn't made, although the main concept was the inspiration of two Spielberg's films: Poltergeist and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (although the first wasn't directed by Spielberg).^[6]

1980s

Blackhawk

In the early 1980s, Spielberg announced that he had plans to direct a film adaptation of the Blackhawk comic book series. Dan Aykroyd was attached to play Blackhawk.^[7] However, the project never materialized and Spielberg chose to direct Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Reel to Reel

Around 1980, during the filming of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Spielberg contacted Gary David Goldberg to make a semiautobiographical musical film entitled Reel to Reel. The film's plot would have been surrounding a filmmaker named Stuart Moss, and his direction of a musical remake of Invaders From Mars.^[8] The film was officially announced in production in 1983, but Spielberg finally abandoned the project and chose to direct Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.^[9]

E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears

In July 1982, Spielberg hired E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial writer Melissa Mathison to write a script for a sequel film, entitled E.T. II: Nocturnal Fears.^[10] The film's plot would have shown Elliott and his friends getting kidnapped by evil aliens and follow their attempts to contact E.T. for help. However, Spielberg finally decided to cancel the sequel's production, feeling it "would do nothing but rob the original of its virginity".^[11][12]

Indiana Jones and the Monkey King

In September 1984, after the critical and mixed reception of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, George Lucas wrote a script entitled Indiana Jones and the Monkey King for the third installment of the film series.^[13] The film had the Fountain of Youth as the MacGuffin. Spielberg was attached to direct, but at the final moment, Spielberg decided to hire Chris Columbus to rewrite the script, and the third film ended up being Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.^[14]

Who Discovered Roger Rabbit

In 1989, Spielberg discussed with J.J. Abrams the possibilites of making a sequel to the successful Who Framed Roger Rabbit feature film.^[15] The sequel's plot would have been Roger Rabbit, Baby Herman, and Richie Davenport traveling west to seek Roger's mother, in the process meeting Jessica Krupnick (Roger's future wife), a struggling Hollywood actress. While Roger and Ritchie are enlisting in the Army, Jessica is kidnapped and forced to make pro-Nazi Germany broadcasts.^[16] However, after directing Schindler's List, Spielberg refused to direct any films satirizing the Nazis.^[17]

1990s

Indiana Jones and the Saucermen from Mars

In 1995, a time after the cancellation of The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, Jeb Stuart wrote an script for the fourth film in the Indiana Jones film series, entitled Indiana Jones and the Saucermen from Mars.^[18] Spielberg was supposed to direct it, while George Lucas was supposed to serve as producer. However, the script was rejected after the release of Independence Day, which was released one year later. A fourth film, entitled Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was released in 2008.

I'll Be Home

In 1999, Spielberg announced that he was working on an autobiographical film, entitled I'll Be Home, but nothing came of this project.^[19]

2000s

Indiana Jones and the City of Gods

On May 17, 2002, IGN reported that The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles writer Frank Darabont will write the fourth film of the film franchise of Indiana Jones,^[20] entitled Indiana Jones and the City of Gods,^[21] in which ex-Nazis would chase Indiana Jones. The script is very similar to the final script, including Indy's and Marion's wedding and an scene with army ants, but it didn't include an Indiana Jones' son. Spielberg liked the script very much, but George Lucas disliked it, and for that reason, he hired David Koepp to write the film. The film ended being Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull which was released in 2008, with Spielberg returning as director.

The Goonies 2

On June 6, 2005, Richard Donner stated that he and Speilberg had written a story for a film sequel of Donner's acclaimed The Goonies, despite the fact that the main cast did not have any interest in reprising their roles for a sequel.^[22] However, in 2008, Corey Feldman stated on his personal blog that a sequel was unlikely to happen.^[23] Although in April 4, 2014, Donner confirmed that a sequel was in the works,^[24] it's likely that Spielberg had abandoned the project.

Chocky

In September 2008, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Spielberg had acquired the rights of John Wyndham's novelette Chocky to make a film adaptation of it.^[25] However, no updates were made after this announcement.

Harvey

On August 2, 2009, Spielberg stated that he would direct a film adaptation of the play Harvey. Will Smith, Robert Downey, Jr. and Tom Hanks were considered to play the lead role, while Jonathan Tropper was hired to write the screenplay. DreamWorks and 20th Century Fox would have developed the film.^[26] However, Collider.com confirmed on December 4, 2009, that the project was cancelled due to problems with the lead role selection.^[27]

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