Mike Nichols' unrealized projects: Difference between revisions

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The following is a '''list of unproduced Mike Nichols projects''' in roughly chronological order. During his long career, American filmmaker [[Mike Nichols]] 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.

==1960s==

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===''A Chorus Line''===

In 1978, Nichols spent several months working on the [[A Chorus Line (film)|film adaptation]] of ''[[A Chorus Line]]'' for [[Universal Pictures]] with screenwriter [[Bo Goldman]], who were both concerned about how to widen its plot and make it more visual without destroying what made the original stage production so affective. Goldman's finished screenplay did not satisfy Universal head [[Ned Tanen]] and their version was ultimately scrapped after Nichols could not receive a larger projected budget than $16 million, which he deemed "impractical". The project eventually landed at [[Columbia Pictures]], and [[Richard Attenborough]] was selected to direct the film, in 1985.<ref>{{cite newspapernews|last=Freedman|first=Samuel G.|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1984/11/11/movies/chorus-line-vs-hollywood-a-saga.html|title='CHORUS LINE' VS. HOLLYWOOD-A SAGA|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=November 11, 1984|access-date=September 2, 2023}}</ref>

===''The Jerk''===

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==1990s==

===''The Remains of the Day''===

{{main|The Remains of the Day (film)#Production}}

===''All the Pretty Horses''===

In 1992,<ref>{{cite magazine|author=Variety Staff|url=https://variety.com/1998/voices/columns/dicaprio-horse-trading-monty-goes-legit-1117469657/|title=DiCaprio horse-trading; 'Monty' goes legit|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=April 9, 1998|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Busch|first=Anita M.|url=https://variety.com/1995/scene/markets-festivals/horses-rides-with-col-and-ua-99126919/|title='HORSES' RIDES WITH COL AND UA|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 12, 1995|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|author=Variety Staff|url=https://variety.com/1997/scene/vpage/col-corrals-ua-s-horses-1117434857/|title='Col corrals UA's 'Horses'|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=April 8, 1997|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref><ref name="NY Times">{{cite news|last=Weinraub|first=Bernard|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/15/movies/mike-nichols-plans-a-career-finale.html|title=Mike Nichols Plans A Career Finale|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 15, 1993|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref><ref name="Variety">{{cite magazine|last=Archerd|first=Army|url=https://variety.com/1993/voices/columns/mancuso-nicholson-renew-ties-1117862224/|title=Mancuso, Nicholson renew ties|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 27, 1993|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref>

===''A Simple Plan''===

{{main|A Simple Plan (film)#Development}}

===''The Impersonator''===

==2000s==

In March 1993,<ref name="NY Times"/><ref name="Variety"/>

===''Titanic'' stage production===

In July 1993,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fleming|first=Michael|url=https://variety.com/1993/voices/columns/dish-she-said-he-said-warner-bros-said-adios-108753/|title=Dish; She said, he said — Warner Bros. said adios|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=July 15, 1993|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref>

===Untitled Oscar Wilde biopic===

In 1994, [[United Artists]] was developing a film about the life of controversial British playwright [[Oscar Wilde]] that was to be produced and presumably directed by Nichols, with [[Alice Arlen]] as executive producer. [[David Hare (playwright)|David Hare]] wrote the script, and [[Liam Neeson]] was allegedly in discussions to play Wilde.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fleming|first=Michael|url=https://variety.com/1994/voices/columns/dish-dolgen-s-first-greenlight-is-the-shade-of-jade-120183/|title=Dish: Dolgen's first greenlight is the shade of 'Jade'|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=April 14, 1994|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref>

===''Kind Hearts and Coronets'' remake===

In 2000,an itApril was1999 reportedprofile thatfor ''[[UniversalThe Pictures|UniversalNew York Times]]'', wasNichols movingrevealed towardthat ahis fallnext startproject forwas productionlikely onto be a Nichols-directed remake of the 1949 black comedy ''[[Kind Hearts and Coronets]]''. Nicholswhich hadwas beenbeing developingwritten the script withby [[Elaine May]] beforeand theyset wereto officially given thestar [[greenlightRobin Williams]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Applebome|first=Peter|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/04/25/movies/film-always-asking-what-is-this-really-about.html|title=FILM; Always Asking, What Is This Really About?|newspaper=[[RobinThe WilliamsNew York Times]]|date=April 25, who1999|access-date=January had27, starred2025}}</ref> inThe Nichols'following year, it was officially reported that ''[[TheUniversal BirdcagePictures|Universal]]'', reportedlywas expressedmoving interesttoward ina fall start for production on the projectNichols-directed ''Kind Hearts and inCoronets''. workingNichols had developed the script with himMay againbefore they were officially given the [[greenlight]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fleming|first=Michael|url=https://variety.com/2000/film/news/u-nichols-take-kindly-to-hearts-redo-for-fall-1117775616/|title=U, Nichols take kindly to 'Hearts' redo for fall|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=January 26, 2000|access-date=March 18, 2024}}</ref> [[Will Smith]], [[Connie Nielsen]] and [[Jada Pinkett Smith]] were also cast in the film.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://corona.bc.ca/films/details/kindheartsandcoronets.html|title=Coming Attractions - Kind Hearts and Coronets|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=August 8, 2000|access-date=April 13, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030210143613/http://corona.bc.ca/films/details/kindheartsandcoronets.html|archive-date=February 10, 2003|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===''Dumbstruck''===

In May 1999, it was reported in ''Variety'' that Nichols had been attached to direct ''Dumbstruck'' with [[John Leguizamo]] set to star in and produce the film for [[Universal Pictures]]. John Weidner and [[Stephen Susco]] wrote the script, which follows a mute performance artist.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Carver|first=Benedict|url=https://variety.com/1999/more/news/leguizamo-bows-first-slate-1117502372/|title=Leguizamo bows first slate|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=May 21, 1999|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Carver|first=Benedict|url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/scribe-duo-gets-airtime-1117502630/|title=Scribe duo gets 'Airtime'|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 1, 1999|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref>

===''Diva''===

In September 1999,<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Moerk|first=Christian|url=https://variety.com/1999/film/news/goldwyn-to-renovate-warners-handyman-1117756006/|title=Goldwyn to renovate Warners' 'Handyman'|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=September 27, 1999|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Gould, Howard Michael|author-link=Howard Michael Gould|url=https://howardmichaelgould.com/diva/|title=DIVA|website=howardmichaelgould.com|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amherst.edu/alumni/learn/amherstreads/pastfeatures/2019-features/january-2019-last-looks-by-howard-michael-gould/bio|title=Last Looks by Howard Michael Gould '84|website=[[Amherst College]]|date=January 2019|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref>

==2000s==

===Untitled Edie Sedgwick biopic===

Nichols and actress [[Natalie Portman]] considered doing a film about [[Warhol superstar]] [[Edie Sedgwick]], but decided to collaborate on a [[Closer (film)|film version]] of [[Patrick Marber]]'s play ''[[Closer (play)|Closer]]'' instead, which was released in 2004.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Stein|first=Joel|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,995787,00.html|title=A Fantasy You Can Bring Home to Mother|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|date=November 29, 2004|access-date=March 27, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306104923/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,995787,00.html|archive-date=March 6, 2008}}</ref>

===''Skinny Dip''===