Comments on: 15 Directors Unceremoniously Fired Or Replaced On A Movie

By: TC

TC — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

I remember reading that Kevin Jarre was fired from Tombstone and George P Cosmatos was then hired on as a sort of "puppet director" for actual-director Kurt Russell. There's a whole story there I bet.

By: Robert Hunt

Robert Hunt — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

Depending on what stage you want to place their involvement (how far along did Cimino get on "The Dogs of War" or "Footloose" before being dropped?) , you can add Nick Ray on a handful of films, most famously "55 Days at Peking", Nicolas Roeg on "Hammett", John Ford on "Young Cassidy", Martin Scorsese on "the Honeymoon Killers", Robert Altman on "Ragtime" .

By: Noah

Noah — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

Vincent Ward was booted off River Queen but was brought back later in the middle of post-production. Like all of his films, it has the makings of a masterpiece but the problems that went into making it show.

By: Jezzer

Jezzer — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

"Piranha" wasn't set in a water park.

By: Pedro Tavares

Pedro Tavares — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

Repo Chick rules. So Searchers 2.0 and Revenger's Tragedy.

By: yer

yer — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

How can you not include Arthur Miller/John Frankenheimer and The Train??

By: yer

yer — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

How can you not include Arthur Miller/John Frankenheimer and The Train??

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

John Ford left Mister Roberts mid-shoot after punching Henry Fonda.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

John Ford left Mister Roberts mid-shoot after punching Henry Fonda.

By: John C

John C — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

Interesting article but the writer should learn the difference between 'it's' (it is) and 'its' (possessive).

By: Jax

Jax — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

Peckinpah was fired from The Cincinnati Kid after three or four days of shooting, replaced by Norman Jewison. Scorsese was fired from The Honeymoon Killers after a few days of shooting. Kubrick was fired from One-Eyed Jacks, replaced by Brando. Dennis Hopper took over from some other director on Out of the Blue while it was already shooting. Dustin Hoffman started directing Straight Time but then replaced himself with Ulu Grosbard after watching the dailies.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

What about David O. Russell replacing Darren Aronofsky on The Fighter?

By: Stephen B

Stephen B — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

The only other incident I could think of that was missing was the rumored Spielberg takeover of Poltergeist. Tobe Hooper wasn't fired but rumors persist that Spielberg at the very least co-directed the film and has been called the "de facto director" by some of the cast.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

Matt Damon was going to make Promised Land his directing debut. However, another film he was acting in ran over schedule, and he wanted to spend more time with his family. So he decided not to direct, and got Gus Van Sant to direct, while Damon still starred and produced.

By: Tom Sutpen

Tom Sutpen — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

Several I can think of:

Erich von Stroheim is perhaps the first notorious example of a director being fired from a film ('Merry Go Round'; 1923) and replaced (by Rupert Julian).

Josef von Sternberg was fired from 'The Exquisite Sinner' (replaced by Phil Rosen)

Frank Capra was fired from several films in the twilight of his career; most notably 'Circus World' (replaced by Nicholas Ray who, after a heart attack, was replaced by Henry Hathaway). 'The Best Man' (replaced by Franklin Schaffner), and 'Marooned' (replaced by John Sturges)

John Ford was bounced off the set of 'Pinky' (replaced by Elia Kazan)

Akira Kurosawa was dismissed from 'Tora! Tora! Tora!' (replaced by Kinji Fukasaku)

Billy Wilder was fired from 'The Bad Seed' (replaced by Mervyn LeRoy)

Bruce Beresford was fired (by Clint Eastwood) from 'The Bridges of Madison County' (replaced by Guess Who)

John Huston got handed his pink slip on 'Quo Vadis?' (replaced by Mervyn LeRoy), 'A Farewell to Arms' (Charles Vidor took over), and 'The Last Run' (replaced by Richard Fleischer).

Robert Aldrich directed virtually all of 'The Garment Jungle' before Harry Cohn fired him and appointed Vincent Sherman to shoot the few days left on the schedule.

Tony Richardson was fired from 'Mahogany' by aspiring Mogul Berry Gordy, then replaced by aspiring film director Berry Gordy.

That's all I can think of offhand.

By: MFD

MFD — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

Other examples:

Dick Richards didn't exactly get fired from the Burt Reynolds-Las Vegas vehicle "Heat" (not to be confused with Michael Mann's "Heat") but ended up leaving the project and being unable to return after being severely injured when Reynolds sucker-punched him as part of an ongoing series of disputes while Richards was shooting the picture. Reynolds' "autobiography" contains his version of the incident.

Philip Kaufman began directing "The Outlaw Josey Wales" but clashed with star Clint Eastwood, who fired him and took over the direction, for which he is solely credited. Kaufman, who had re-written an earlier script by Sonia Chernus, retained received co-writing credit as "Phil Kaufman."

By: The Seeker

The Seeker — Fri, 13 May 2016 10:23:23 +0000

What about the Romanek/Wolfman fiasco? Many people though Romanek's career was over after dropping the movie (although in the end it was more of a bless to Romanek)