These 5 blockbuster movies almost did not get made
Making movies is a humongous task. Getting the story right, on boarding a financier, signing relevant actors, and crew members are just some of the crucial things filmmakers need to ensure. Hence, in this long-drawn process, some lose track and some remain adamant and get the movie made, which may become a blockbuster. Here are five successful Hollywood films that almost didn't get made.
Titanic made epic business, but major glitches could have stopped it from happening. Director James Cameron's alleged excessive controlling behavior irked many and one such disgruntled soul reportedly poured a dissociative drug into a soup that was eaten by Cameron and his crew. Over 50 people were hospitalized. Several people left the production reportedly due to Cameron and after three stuntmen suffered serious injuries.
The very first sequence of George Lucas's Star Wars was derailed due to a rainstorm in Tunisia. It caused many malfunctions in the props and electronic equipment. Many effects were reshot as they were not up to Lucas's expectations. The editors were changed multiple times, which created a ruckus for the post-production crew. Irrespective of all the chaos, the movie made hundreds of millions.
George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road had some of the most challenging terrains on and off the set. Miller was against using CGI and wanted every vehicle and prop to be made from scratch. The scenes were changed in the middle of shooting, which angered the cast members. They even suffered from wind, sand, and extreme temperatures. But, eventually, the movie earned $378M worldwide.
The script for John G. Avildsen's Rocky, written by Sylvester Stallone, was not well-received and some producers even wanted to tweak it. Many didn't even want Stallone as the lead. Finally, United Artists agreed to produce the movie, but Stallone's casting happened due to an ultimatum. Yes, the movie lacked finesse, fine locations, and technical proficiency, but we know the history it created.
Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now is considered "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant." But, its journey was rocky. Like, a typhoon caused heavy damage to the sets in Philippines and Sam Bottoms suffered from a horrible hookworm infection. Also, Marlon Brando arriving on sets overweight and Michael Sheen having a stress-induced heart attack were some of the other roadblocks the film's production faced.
