Francis Lawrence's Unrealized Projects

During his long career, American filmmaker Francis Lawrence 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.

2000s

''Awful End'' film

In March 2005, Lawrence was announced to direct a film adaptation of the children's novel ''Awful End''.

''Snow and the Seven''

On August 1, 2007, Lawrence was announced to direct ''Snow and the Seven'' for Walt Disney Pictures. The film was intended to be a Chinese-inspired take on Snow White, in which a British girl is trained by seven Shaolin monks in 19th-century Hong Kong. The film was written by Josh Harmon and Scott Elder, with rewrites by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. Yuen Woo-ping would serve as fight choreographer. In February 2011, Michael Arndt was reported to be providing a new rewrite while John Myhre would be production designer. A few months later, Lawrence left the film, now titled ''Order of the Seven'', and was replaced by Michael Gracey.

''Survivor'' film

''I Am Legend'' prequel

Delta Force prison film

On November 13, 2008, Lawrence was announced to direct an untitled film about the Atlanta prison riots for Warner Bros. Michael De Luca and Mark Bowden were producers.

''Samson''

On January 26, 2009, Warner Bros. Pictures won the bidding rights to a futuristic retelling of the Samson and Delilah story that was written by Scott Silver. The film was entitled ''Samson'' and would see Lawrence in charge of directing.

''The World Without Us''

On April 2, 2009, Lawrence was announced to direct a film adaptation of the non-fiction book ''The World Without Us'' for 20th Century Fox. The film would be written by Mark Protosevich.

''The City That Sailed''

On July 8, 2009, Lawrence was announced to direct a fantasy drama entitled ''The City That Sailed'' about a father who lives on the other side of the ocean from his daughter. Will Smith was signed on to star and produce through his Overbrook Entertainment company. The original script was written by Andrew Niccol, with rewrites by Brian Koppelman and David Levien. Lawrence would later be replaced by Shawn Levy in 2013.

''Sgt. Rock'' film

''In the Small''

On November 23, 2009, Lawrence was reported to direct a film adaptation of the graphic novel ''In the Small'' by Michael Hague. The script was written by Laura Harrington.

2010s

''Marco Polo'' film

On March 3, 2010, Lawrence was announced to direct and produce a film about Marco Polo for Warner Bros. Pictures. The film was seen not as a biopic but as a fantasy adventure.

''Harry Houdini'' biopic

On March 23, 2011, Lawrence was set to direct a biopic of Harry Houdini with Jimmy Miller producing and Columbia Pictures was set to distribute. Scott Frank was later reported to be writing the script. As Max Landis was announced to provide rewrites, Lawrence was reported to have left the film to pursue ''The Hunger Games'' franchise.

''Constantine'' sequel

Untitled ghost film

On September 9, 2011, Lawrence was announced to direct a script written by Misha Green for Paramount Pictures. The film's premise was "a young man who, following a near-death experience, sees into a ghostly afterlife reality that helps him solve a haunting community mystery."

''The Dive''

On January 2015, Lawrence was reported to direct '' The Dive'', based on the autobiography written by Francisco Ferreras. Jennifer Lawrence was set to play his wife, Audrey Mestre. James Cameron, who had once been attached to direct, would produce.

''The Odyssey'' film and sequel

On April 8, 2015, Lawrence was reported hired to direct a feature film adaptation of Homer’s poem ''The Odyssey'' with Hugh Jackman set to portray Odysseus, Peter Craig writing the screenplay, and Nina Jacobson producing through Color Force for Lionsgate Films, with the possibility of at least one sequel. The project was ultimately canceled because of the critical and commercial failure of '' Gods of Egypt'' and Lawrence's other commitments. Christopher Nolan would later reveal his adaptation to be released in 2026.

''The Last Duel''

On July 10, 2015, it was announced that Lawrence was set to direct a film adaptation of Eric Jager's 2004 book '' The Last Duel: A True Story of Crime, Scandal, and Trial by Combat in Medieval France'' for Studio 8, with Shaun Grant writing the screenplay. The book was eventually adapted as '' The Last Duel'' by director Ridley Scott and screenwriters Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Nicole Holofcener, and released in theatres on October 15, 2021.

''Q: A Love Story'' film

On August 20, 2015, Lawrence was set to produce the feature film adaptation of Evan Mandery’s novel ''Q: A Love Story'' with Matt Tolmach producing with Erwin Stoff through 3 Arts Entertainment and Pouya Shahbazian through New Leaf Literary and Media possibly for Lionsgate Films.

''Neverwhere'' TV series

On September 18, 2015, Lawrence was announced to direct and produce a television series adaptation of ''Neverwhere'' by Neil Gaiman, which had previously been a miniseries and a novel. Mark Gordon and Erwin Stoff would both produce.

''House of Thieves'' TV series

On September 18, 2015, Lawrence was announced to direct and produce a television series adaptation of ''House of Thieves'' by Charles Belfoure. Mark Gordon and Erwin Stoff would both produce.

''Battlestar Galactica'' film

On June 9, 2016, Lawrence was considered to direct the feature film adaptation of ''Battlestar Galactica'' with Lisa Joy writing the script. In 2018, Lawrence stated that he was still working on it with Joy, and that he wanted to show visual nods to the previous series.

''Basilisk''

On September 7, 2016, Lawrence and Curtis Gwinn were to develop a horror television series for FX entitled ''Basilisk''. The show's premise was described as "a gritty horror series that follows an atheistic college therapist and her computer-genius patient as they find themselves pulled into a plot to awaken a malevolent, god-like artificial intelligence."

''Five Faces Of Maria''

On November 14, 2017, it was announced that Lawrence would direct the World War I film ''Five Faces of Maria'', about the life of soldier Maria Bochkareva and written by Gina Welch, for MakeReady, to be released by Entertainment One and Universal Pictures; Lawrence would also produce the film alongside Erwin Stoff.

''Conspiracy''

On June 11, 2018, Lawrence was set to direct and produce ''Conspiracy: Peter Thiel, Hulk Hogan, Gawker, and the Anatomy of Intrigue'', with Charles Randolph writing the screenplay and David A. Neuman producing the film. It was later announced that Gus Van Sant would direct the film, now titled ''Killing Gawker''.

2020s

''Steel'' TV series

On August 23, 2021, it was reported that ''Steel'', a thriller drama set in 1970s London, was being developed with Lawrence directing, Cynthia Erivo starring and Matt Charman executive producing. It was written by Adam Gyngell and Fred Fernandez Armesto, and was planned to be pitched by MRC Television and Civic Center Media.

''Vulcan's Hammer'' film

On November 8, 2021, Lawrence was set to direct the feature film adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel ''Vulcan's Hammer'' with Brian Oliver and Bradley Fischer producing through New Republic Pictures, Cameron MacConomy through Lawrence's About:Blank and Isa Dick Hackett through Electric Shepherd Productions.

''Stalag-X'' film

On March 17, 2022, Lawrence was set to direct the feature film adaptation of Kevin J. Anderson & Steven L. Sears’ novel ''Stalag-X'' with Joy Wilkinson writing the script and Brian Oliver and Bradley Fischer producing through New Republic Pictures and Cameron MacConomy through Lawrence's About:Blank.

''BioShock'' film

On August 25, 2022, Netflix tapped Lawrence to direct and Michael Green to write a feature adaptation of the video game ''BioShock''. By 2023, a long treatment had been completed for the film. After Dan Lin replaced Scott Stuber as the head of the Netflix films division, its strategy shifted to producing films with smaller budgets. This led to a reconfiguration of ''BioShock'' to be a more personal film that was smaller in scope.

Untitled Sublime biopic

On September 15, 2022, it was announced that Lawrence had signed on to direct a biographical film about the ska punk band Sublime for 3000 Pictures from a screenplay by Chris Mundy, with Lawrence's about:blank co-producing alongside Chernin Entertainment, Surfdog/DKM, and KHPS, with surviving band members Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh, and Bradley Nowell's widow Troy Nowell and son Jakob Nowell, among the executive producers. On September 19, 2024, Justin Chon was announced as the new director, with Lawrence still involved as executive producer.

Offers

''Logan's Run''

Lawrence was rumored to have been offered to direct a remake of ''Logan's Run''.

''Gangster Squad''

In October 2010, Lawrence was on the shortlist to direct '' Gangster Squad'', which Ruben Fleischer would eventually direct.

''Unbroken''

On January 4, 2011, Lawrence was offered to direct the film adaptation of the biographical novel ''Unbroken'', which Angelina Jolie would eventually direct.

References

External links

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{{Francis Lawrence

Lawrence, Francis