Spike Lee's unrealized projects: Difference between revisions

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[[File:Spike Lee Cannes 2018.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Lee attending the [[2018 Cannes Film Festival]]]]

The following is '''a list of unproducedDuring [[Spike Lee projects''' in roughly chronological order. During filmography|his long career]], American film director and producerfilmmaker [[Spike Lee]] has worked on a number of projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects, fell in [[development hell]] or are officially canceled.<ref name="Unrealized">{{cite web|last=Kiang|first=Jessica|url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/10-lost-unmade-possible-future-projects-of-spike-lee-91191/|title=10 Lost, Unmade & Possible Future Projects Of Spike Lee|website=[[IndieWire]]|date=November 27, 2013|access-date=November 27, 2024}}</ref>

==1980s==

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==2000s==

===''Ali''===

{{main|Ali (2001 film)#Production}}

===''Save MeUs, Joe Louis''===

In July 2000, Lee acquired the rights to make a film about [[Joe Louis]] from a script he wrote with boxing expert [[Bert Randolph Sugar]] and scriptwriting legend [[Budd Schulberg]] under the title ''Save MeUs, Joe Louis''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Spike Lee takes on Joe Louis boxing film|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2000/jul/28/news.spikelee|date=28 July 2000|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> The movie was focused on Louis' fights with [[Max Schmeling]] with [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] interested in playing Schmeling.<ref>{{cite web|last=Toro|first=Gabe|title=Arnold Schwarzenegger Could Have Played Max Schmeling In Spike Lee's Unproduced Joe Louis Biopic|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2011/09/arnold-schwarzenegger-could-have-played-max-schmeling-in-spike-lees-unproduced-joe-louis-biopic-116371/|date=13 September 2013|website=[[Indiewire]]|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> In July 2006, Schulberg mentioned that Lee talked with [[Terrence Howard]] to play Louis.<ref>{{cite web|last=Ecksel|first=Robert|title=ARTICLES OF 2006Save Us Spike Lee, Budd Schulberg and Joe Louis|url=http://tss.ib.tv/boxing/articles-of-2006/4685-save-us-spike-lee-budd-schulberg-and-joe-louis|date=26 November 2006|publisher=The Sweet Science|access-date=19 May 2019}}</ref> The film fell into [[development hell]] because Lee didn't get half of the budget he needed. Following the death of Schulberg, Lee continuously reaffirmed his intention to make the film both in 2018, 2021, and 20212025. "I made a promise to Budd that one day, soon, that we'd get the money, and I'm gonna keep that promise and get that film made."<ref>{{cite video|url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=NfRMe-gnP6s&si=Wj2dXMC9s9BteXG0|title=Spike Lee Breaks Down His Film Heroes &#124; GQ|website=[[YouTube]]|publisher=[[GQ]]|date=August 17, 2018|access-date=November 18, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Perez|first=Rodrigo|url=https://theplaylist.net/spike-lee-vows-save-us-joe-louis-20210101/|title=Spike Lee Vows To Make 'Save Us, Joe Louis' Boxing Drama & Promised Screenwriter Budd Schulberg To Make It Before His Death|website=The Playlist|date=January 1, 2021|access-date=November 24, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |author=[[First Take (talk show)|@firsttake]] |title=#SpikeLee talks about a promise he made to his friend, writer Budd Schulberg, to make a #movie they wrote together about boxer #JoeLouis. #boxing #boxer |url=https://www.tiktok.com/@firsttake/video/7505126252651564319 |format=video |via=[[TikTok]] |date=May 16, 2025 |access-date=May 25, 2025}}</ref>

===''Rent''===

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===''Frederick Douglass Now''===

In November 2018, Lee was set up to direct a film version of the stage show by [[Roger Guenveur Smith]], ''[[Frederick Douglass]] Now''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Hopewell|first=John|url=https://variety.com/2018/film/news/spike-lee-direct-roger-guenveur-smith-frederick-douglass-now-1203022020/amp/|title=Spike Lee to Direct Roger Guenveur Smith's 'Frederick Douglass Now' (EXCLUSIVE)|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=November 7, 2018|access-date=September 22, 2023}}</ref>

===''Prince of Cats''===

In 2019, Lee closed a deal to direct the long-gestated ''Prince of Cats'' film, based on the [[Prince of Cats (graphic novel)|graphic novel]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Kit|first=Borys|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/spike-lee-direct-romeo-juliet-tale-prince-cats-1254584/amp/|title=Spike Lee to Direct 1980s-Set Hip-Hop 'Romeo & Juliet' Tale 'Prince of Cats' (Exclusive)|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=November 13, 2019|access-date=September 22, 2023}}</ref>

==2020s==

===''Boner''===

In 2020, studio [[Lionsgate Canada|Entertainment One|eOne]] and Lee were prepping a then-untitled film about the breakthrough of the [[erectile dysfunction]] drug [[Viagra]]. Lee was to have directed from a screenplay co-written with [[Kwame Kwei-Armah]], based on the 2015 ''[[Esquire (magazine)|Esquire]]'' article "All Rise: The Untold Story of The Guys Who Launched Viagra". Lee described the project as a "dancin', all singin' [[Musical film|musical]]", featuring original songs and music written by [[Stew (musician)|Stew Stewart]] and Heidi Rodewald.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fleming|first=Mike Jr.|url=https://deadline.com/2020/11/spike-lee-viagra-musical-film-pfizer-eone-pre-covid-miracle-drug-kwame-kwei-armah-1234616563/|title=Spike Lee Sets eOne Film Musical On Pfizer's Pre-COVID Miracle Drug: Viagra|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=November 17, 2020|access-date=November 16, 2023}}</ref> Production was set to begin in early 2023 under the title ''Rise'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Ruimy|first=Jordan|url=https://www.worldofreel.com/blog/2022/10/va7tl3fpe5hjd3e6ficqeu5fseshn1|title=Spike Lee's Upcoming Viagra Musical is Called 'Rise,' Early 2023 Production Start Being Eyed|website=World of Reel|date=October 28, 2022|access-date=November 16, 2023}}</ref> though Lee later reportedrevealed that it had been retitled ''Boner''.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Zuckerman|first=Esther|url=https://www.wmagazine.com/culture/spike-lee-interview-2023|title=Originality Is In Spike Lee's DNA|magazine=[[W (magazine)|W]]|date=March 20, 2023|access-date=November 16, 2023}}</ref> In 2025, he reaffirmed his intentions to make the film, saying "that's something I've got to get made. Got to get made."<ref>{{cite web|last=Keegan|first=Rebecca|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/spike-lee-interview-highest-2-lowest-denzel-cannes-1236207579/|title=Do The Spike Thing: The Defiant Director on Reuniting With Denzel, Bad Money and Resisting Trump|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=May 6, 2025|access-date=May 7, 2025}}</ref>

===''Da Saga of Colin Kaepernick'' documentary===

In February 2022, it had been reported that Lee was to film a multipart documentary for [[ESPN]] on former [[San Francisco 49ers]] quarterback [[Colin Kaepernick]], featuring extensive interviews and access to his personal archive.<ref>{{cite web|author=Associated Press|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/33204564/spike-lee-direct-colin-kaepernick-docuseries-espn|title=Spike Lee to direct Colin Kaepernick docuseries for ESPN|website=[[ESPN]]|date=February 2, 2022|access-date=November 16, 2023}}</ref> In December of that year, the documentary was given the title of ''Da Saga of Colin Kaepernick'', and Lee revealed he had been working on the series for over a year.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dalton|first=Ben|url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/spike-lee-espn-series-titled-da-saga-of-colin-kaepernick/5177137.article|title=Spike Lee ESPN series titled 'Da Saga Of Colin Kaepernick'|website=Screen Daily|date=December 4, 2022|access-date=November 17, 2023}}</ref> By 2025, it was reported that the project will never be released and has been canceled due to "creative differences" among Lee, Kaepernick, and ESPN.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Carroll |first1=Rory |last2=Richwine |first2=Lisa |date=August 16, 2025 |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/espn-will-not-air-spike-lees-docuseries-colin-kaepernick-citing-creative-2025-08-16/ |title=Exclusive: ESPN will not air Spike Lee's docuseries on Colin Kaepernick, citing 'creative differences' |website=[[Reuters]] |access-date=August 16, 2025}}</ref>

===Untitled ROTC drama series===