Several, long-awaited science fiction films have been the subject of considerable craze even before their release. However, despite enthusiasm and promotion, some of these projects have never seen the light of day.
TL; Dr
- Many major SF cancelled SF projects are still fascinating.
- Directors renowned as Jodorowsky, Blomkamp, Jenkins concerned.
- The collective imagination nourishes the legend of these lost films.
Science fiction promises that have never seen the light of day
In the world of cinema, few things arouse as much speculation as unfinished projects. Especially in the field of science-fictionwhere the expectation of a canceled film sometimes turns into a persistent cultural phenomenon. Difficult to ignore the quasi-mystic aura surrounding these feature films that have remained in the state of fantasy, carried by creators such as Neill Blomkamp, Patty Jenkinsor the legendary Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Jodorowsky’s essential “dune” and other chimeras
If it was necessary to cite only one aborted project, it would undoubtedly be the monumental ” Dune » d’Alexandro Jodorowsky. With a dream cast – Mick Jagger, Orson Wellesor even Salvador Dalí -, special effects unpublished for the time and an unequaled scriptwriting ambition, this film promised to upset the genre. Finally abandoned, he left behind an indelible trace, relayed by a cult documentary and an abundant visual imagination. This type of cancellation is not isolated: there are situations comparable with ” Bioshock »Under the leadership of Mountains Verbinskior even the singular vision that Quentin Tarantino wanted to breathe in ” Star Trek ».
The eternal return of cult sagas … without a future
In the radius of contemporary great regrets, it is difficult to miss the highly anticipated ” Rogue Squadron »Signed Patty Jenkins. Despite a thunderous announcement by Disneythen many twists and turns, the project is today in limbo-like so many other spin-offs linked to galaxy Star Wars. Same observation for ” District 10 “, Potential suite of the hardship” District 9 “, regularly teased but never concretized by its author, Neill Blomkamp. The latter had also caressed the idea of a new opus ofAlienwho would have revisited Ripley mythology … before the franchise took another direction under the leadership of Ridley Scott.
Several elements explain this black series:
- Financial difficulties and battles around rights.
- Major artistic differences between studios and directors.
- Fear of a mixed welcome in the face of growing waiting.
The persistent hope among fans… and the creators themselves?
Some projects seem to refuse to die completely. The case of the film ” Halo », Brought in turn by prestigious names – Peter Jacksonhas Nell Blomkampup to a series on Paramount+ -, is a striking example: impossible for lovers to forget this inbound dream. Likewise, the recurring return in the interviews of the directors evoking these ghost works fuels a kind of collective nostalgia. If the chances remain tenuous for these films to finally see the light of day, their only evocation is still enough to vibrate the imagination.
Thus goes the golden legend of the great science fiction films never made: they remain, paradoxically, more alive than many concrete works.
