Adam McKay's unrealized projects: Difference between revisions

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The following is '''a list of unproduced [[Adam McKay]] projects''' in roughly chronological order. American filmmaker [[Adam McKay]] has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects never went beyond development, were officially canceled, or progressed under a different production team.

The following is '''a list of unproduced [[Adam McKay]] projects''' in roughly chronological order. American filmmaker [[Adam McKay]] has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects never went beyond development, were officially canceled, or progressed under a different production team.

==1990s==

===''August Blowout''===

In 1999, McKay and [[Will Ferrell]] wrote the business comedy ''August Blowout''. The premise reportedly was to have seen Ferrell starring as a car salesman desperate to make his sales quotequota during his dealership's annual August clearance sale.<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Variety Staff|url=https://variety.com/1999/voices/columns/ferrell-sets-2-snl-pics-curry-in-favor-at-fox-1117493191/|title=Ferrell sets 2 SNL pics; Curry in favor at Fox|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=April 13, 1999|access-date=March 25, 2025}}</ref> While the script impressed both [[Ben Stiller]] and [[Paul Thomas Anderson]], McKay and Ferrell opted to make ''[[Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy]]'' instead, but would later produce a similar-plotted comedy, ''[[The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard]]''.<ref name="TrustedSource">{{cite news|first=Bradford|last=Evans|title=The Lost Projects of Adam McKay|url=https://www.vulture.com/2013/03/the-lost-projects-of-adam-mckay.html|date=March 7, 2013|website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref>

==2000s==

===''Utopia Road''===

In 2001, McKay co-wrote the screenplay ''Utopia Road'' with [[Jay Roach]] attached to direct, but it fell through the cracks, and [[Etan Cohen]] later rewrote McKay’s script.<ref name="TrustedSource" /> According to ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', the project was a comedy inspired by Roach's nearby idyllic neighborhood and "pits the neighborhood's most relentless socializer against a privacy-craving newcomer."<ref>{{cite magazine|author1=Fleming, Michael|author2=Lyons, Charles|url=https://variety.com/2001/film/news/fox-catches-roach-in-overall-pix-deal-1117795429/|title= lFox catches Roach in overall pix deal|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=March 15, 2001|access-date=March 25, 2025}}</ref>

===''Land of the Lost'' film===

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===Untitled Lee Atwater biopic===

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On August 5, 2010,<ref>{{cite web|last=Lyttelton|first=Oliver|url=https://theplaylist.net/adam-mckay-developing-biopic-of-20100805/|title=Adam McKay Developing Biopic Of Political Consultant Lee Atwater With ‘In'In The Loop’Loop' Writer Jesse Armstrong, May Direct It|website=The Playlist|date=August 5, 2010|access-date=March 24, 2025}}</ref>

===''3 Mississippi''===

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On April 26, 2012, McKay was set to direct the remake of ''[[Uptown Saturday Night]]'' with [[Will Smith]] and [[Denzel Washington]] possibly attached to star.<ref>{{cite news|first=Andrew|last=Wallenstein|title=Adam McKay Signing On To Direct 'Uptown Saturday Night' Remake, Will Smith, Denzel Washington Eyed To Star|url=https://deadline.com/2012/04/adam-mckay-signing-on-to-direct-uptown-saturday-night-remake-will-smith-denzel-washington-eyed-to-star-262748/|date=January 4, 2012|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref> On November 25, 2013, [[Nicholas Stoller]] was hired to write the screenplay for McKay’s remake, and Smith and Washington were set to star when their schedules line up.<ref>{{cite news|first=Justin|last=Kroll|title=Nicholas Stoller to Rewrite 'Uptown Saturday Night' for Warners (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/nicholas-stoller-uptown-saturday-night-warners-1200883904/|date=November 25, 2013|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref>

===HBOUntitled ''Wall Street'' comedy TV series===

On May 14, 2012, McKay''[[Deadline wasHollywood]]'' setannounced tothat co[[HBO]] was developing single-writecamera withcomedy series written by McKay and [[Chris Henchy]], and planned to star [[Rob Riggle]]’s. Set in the world proposedof [[bond trader]]s in 1980s [[Wall Street]], comedy TVthe series forwas to have reportedly followed "a successful, hard-living boss who lives a dark, self-centered, unhealthy life." The project was to have been executive produced by McKay and Henchy alongside [[HBOWill Ferrell]] through [[Gary Sanchez Productions]], as well as [[Mark Wahlberg]], [[Stephen Levinson]], Peter Principato and [[Paul Young]].<ref>{{cite news|first=Nellie|last=Andreeva|title=HBO To Develop 1980s Wall Street Comedy Starring Rob Riggle With Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg And Chris Henchy|url=https://deadline.com/2012/05/hbo-to-develop-1980s-wall-street-comedy-starring-rob-riggle-with-adam-mckay-will-ferrell-mark-wahlberg-and-chris-henchy-271621/ |date=May 14, 2012|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|access-date=December 30, 2023}}</ref>

===''Border Guards''===

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===''Wheels''===

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On December 7, 2010,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thewrap.com/will-ferrell-adam-mckay-produce-columbias-wheels-23073/|title=Will Ferrell & Adam McKay to Produce Columbia’sColumbia's ‘Wheels’'Wheels'}}</ref>

===''The Social Life''===

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===''Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters'' sequel===

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On March 18, 2013,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2013/03/hansel-and-gretel-witch-hunters-sequel-456043/|title=Paramount, MGM Confirm ‘Hansel'Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’Hunters' Sequel In Works}}</ref>

===''Devil's Night''===

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On October 11, 2013,<ref>{{cite web|last=Sneider|first=Jeff|url=https://www.thewrap.com/step-brothers-will-ferrell-john-c-reilly-reteam-comedy-devils-night/|title=‘Step'Step Brothers’Brothers' Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly to Reteam on Comedy ‘Devil’s'Devil's Night’Night'|website=[[TheWrap]]|date=October 11, 2013|access-date=March 24, 2025}}</ref>

===Untitled June Diane Raphael and Casey Wilson film===

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===''The Yank''===

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On April 28, 2014,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2014/04/tristar-wins-will-ferrell-comic-pitch-the-yank-720895/|title=TriStar Wins Will Ferrell Comic Pitch ‘The'The Yank’Yank'}}</ref>

===''Manimal'' animated film===

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===''Plus One''===

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On October 23, 2014,<ref>{{cite webmagazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2014/10/23/the-weinstein-company-will-ferrell-adam-mckay-plus-one/|title=The Weinstein Company teams up with Will Ferrell on 'Plus One'|magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] }}</ref>

===Untitled escape convict film===

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On April 14, 2016,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/will-ferrell-pitch-lands-at-884148/|title=Will Ferrell Pitch Lands at Universal in 7-Figure Deal (Exclusive)|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] }}</ref>

===''Operation Prince of Freedom''===

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On September 29, 2016,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2016/09/operation-prince-of-freedom-jake-szymanski-director-fox-michael-kvamme-jordan-dunne-1201827883/|title=Fox Lands ‘Operation'Operation Prince Of Freedom’Freedom' Spec; Jake Szymanski To Direct}}</ref>

===Untitled wrestling comedy film===

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===''The 100 Year-Old Man''===

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On August 21, 2017,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2017/film/news/will-ferrell-the-100-year-old-man-1202537313/|title=Will Ferrell to Star in ‘The'The 100 Year-Old Man’Man'}}</ref>

===''Things You Should Already Know'' TV series===

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===''First Ladies''===

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On May 18, 2018,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/05/jennifer-aniston-tig-notaro-president-first-lady-first-ladies-netflix-comedy-1202394029/|title=Jennifer Aniston, Tig Notaro First Same Sex White House Couple In Netflix Film Comedy ‘First'First Ladies’Ladies'}}</ref>

===''Intruders''===

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On May 24, 2018,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2018/05/tommy-wirkola-intruders-blumhouse-thriller-1202397352/|title=Blumhouse Acquiring ‘Intruders’'Intruders', Tommy Wirkola’sWirkola's Next Thriller}}</ref>

===''American Huckster''===

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On February 22, 2019,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/leslye-headland-will-ferrell-fifa-scandal-soccer-chuck-blazer-american-huckster-hbo-1202562999/|title=Leslye Headland, Will Ferrell And Red Wagon Team At HBO Films For FIFA Hustler Story ‘American'American Huckster’Huckster'}}</ref>

===''Nice White Parents'' TV series===

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On December 4, 2020,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/issa-rae-adam-mckay-nice-white-parents-series-hbo-1234845810/|title=Issa Rae, Adam McKay Team on Series Adaptation of Podcast ‘Nice'Nice White Parents’Parents' at HBO}}</ref>

===''Cutblock'' TV series===

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===Untitled COVID vaccine drama series===

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On December 16, 2021,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2021/12/charles-randolph-adam-mckay-vaccine-drama-series-hbo-1234892567/|title=Charles Randolph To Write & Exec Produce Adam McKay’sMcKay's Covid Vaccine Drama Series For HBO}}</ref>

===''J6''===

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On January 20, 2022,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/01/january-6-insurrection-movie-billy-ray-adam-mckay-1234916344/|title=Hot Package: Billy Ray, Adam McKay Team For ‘J6'J6,’' Film About January 6 Assault On Capitol}}</ref>

===''Big Swiss'' TV series===

{{Expand section|date=March 2025}}

On March 16, 2022,<ref>{{cite web|title=Jodie Comer to Star in Adam McKay Drama ‘Big'Big Swiss’Swiss' at HBO|url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/jodie-comer-adam-mckay-hbo-drama-big-swiss-1235206955/}}</ref>

===''Breeders''===

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On June 22, 2022,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/06/olivia-cooke-to-star-in-lionsgate-film-breeders-produced-by-adam-mckay-1235050326/|title=Olivia Cooke To Star In Kelsey Bollig’sBollig's Feature Directorial Debut ‘Breeders’'Breeders' For Lionsgate; Adam McKay Producing Horror Pic}}</ref>

===''Disorientation''===

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On September 27, 2022,<ref>{{cite web|first=Manori|last=Ravindran|title=Malala Teams With ‘Don’t'Don't Look Up’Up' Director Adam McKay for ‘Disorientation’'Disorientation' Adaptation, Unveils First Slate (EXCLUSIVE)|url=https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/malala-apple-slate-film-tv-extracurricular-1235384724/|date=September 27, 2022|website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|access-date=February 25, 2024}}</ref>

===''The Freshening''===

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On March 7, 2023,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/john-boyega-new-movie-freshening-birds-prey-cathy-yan-ali-wong-filmnation-adam-mckay-1235281390/|title=John Boyega To Star In Sci-Fi ‘The'The Freshening’Freshening' For ‘Birds'Birds Of Prey’Prey' Director Cathy Yan; FilmNation, Ali Wong & Adam McKay Producing}}</ref>

===''Flesh of the Gods''===

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On May 2, 2024,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/kristen-stewart-oscar-isaac-married-couple-80s-la-movie-flesh-gods-1235902077/|title=Kristen Stewart & Oscar Isaac To Star As Married Couple Led Astray In ’80s'80s L.A. Thriller ‘Flesh'Flesh Of The Gods’Gods'; Adam McKay Produces – Cannes Market Hot Project}}</ref>

===''Monsanto''===

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On May 8, 2024,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/glen-powell-anthony-mackie-monsanto-1235893806/|title=Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, Laura Dern to Star in Legal Drama ‘Monsanto’'Monsanto'|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] }}</ref>

===''The Chair Company''===

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On September 14, 2024,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/tim-robinson-comedy-chair-company-series-hbo-1236142343/|title=Tim Robinson Comedy ‘Chair'Chair Company’Company' Picked Up to Series at HBO}}</ref>

===''Five''===

{{Expand section|date=March 2025}}

On October 1, 2024,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/we-live-in-time-john-crowley-1236018338/|title=‘We'We Live in Time’Time' Filmmaker John Crowley to Direct Psychological Thriller ‘Five’'Five' for TriStar (Exclusive)|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] }}</ref>

==References==