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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===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 an April 1999 profile for ''[[The New York Times]]'', Nichols revealed that his next project was likely to be a remake of the 1949 black comedy ''[[Kind Hearts and Coronets]]'' which was being written by [[Elaine May]] and set to star [[Robin 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=[[The New York Times]]|date=April 25, 1999|access-date=January 27, 2025}}</ref> The following year, it was officially reported that [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] was moving toward a fall start for production on the Nichols-directed ''Kind Hearts and Coronets''. Nichols had developed the script with May before 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''===

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===''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=https://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==

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

In 2000, it was reported that [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] was moving toward a fall start for production on a Nichols-directed remake of the 1949 black comedy ''[[Kind Hearts and Coronets]]''. Nichols had been developing the script with [[Elaine May]] before they were officially given the [[greenlight]]. [[Robin Williams]], who had starred in Nichols' ''[[The Birdcage]]'', reportedly expressed interest in the project and in working with him again.<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>

===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>