Over the past few years, some major names have taken over directing superhero and comic related films. Now aware that both geeks AND general audiences are demanding bunches, Hollywood studios understand that big, talented names (and the movies connected with those names, more importantly) draw big box office numbers. No more would Joel Schumacher touch the Dark Knight!
Christopher Nolan. Sam Raimi. Jon Favreau. Darren Aronofsky. Shane Black. Martin Campbell. Zack Snyder. It seems like nowadays if you’re a director with big-time indie cred, general population recognition, and a few awards under your belt, you’re going to get a comic-book movie assigned to you.
It wasn’t always that way, though. About 15 years ago, self-proclaimed future King of the World couldn’t get his superhero movie made. The first director to take a stab at Bruce Wayne couldn’t get a movie about Kal-El together. It was topsy-turvy in the world of cinematic super-stuff not too long ago. Here’s a look at a few comic-book film projects that never saw the light of day, no matter how many big names got behind them.