Unreleased Movies: Behind the Scenes of Filmed but Never Released Films

Behind the curtains of Hollywood, there are countless stories of films that have been filmed but never released. Some of these movies were shelved due to financial reasons, changes in the market, or creative disputes. In this article, we uncover the stories of such movies, focusing on a few notable cases.

Industry Stories from Inside Fox

During my tenure at Fox, I worked on a film that never saw the light of day. The studio attempted to make 16mm prints for distribution to South America but couldn't even find a work print. The film wasn't completed with negative cutting, answers, or final prints. In an industry practice, when a director refuses to have their name on a finished movie, the credit reads 'Directed by Alan Smithe,' a fictitious name. If you ever see a film with this name, it likely means the director was so upset with the final results that they removed their name from the project.

The actual name and title of the film were protected to avoid legal issues.

The Batgirl Movie: A Notorious Case

Another incident that gained notoriety is the motion picture 'Batgirl.' This was a superhero film intended for release on the HBO Max streaming service. Prior to the cancellation, the movie was almost completed with some reshoots remaining. However, the parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, decided against its release due to cost-cutting measures and a refocus on theatrical releases.

On the internet, rumors circulate that the real reason behind the cancellation was the film's blatant WOKE ideals. Some claim that the movie was shelved because Warner Bros. was unwilling to deal with a multi-million dollar loss over its "Irredeemably WOKE" content. Test audiences reportedly despised the film, leading to its shelving.

Warner Bros.' 'Batgirl' : Cancelled and Shunned

A recent example is the Warner Bros/DC film 'Batgirl.' This 90 million dollar production was set for a late 2022 release but was abandoned with just 4 or 5 days of reshoots. The film tested poorly, and Warner Bros. decided it was beyond salvage. As a result, the studio chose to cancel the project, making it a tax write-off.

The movie had a solid cast, including Leslie Grace as Barbara Gordon, J.K. Simmons, Brendan Fraser, and Michael Keaton reprising his role as Bruce Wayne. Despite the promising talent and budget, Warner Bros. decided to halt production, deleting the film from their servers.

Warner Bros. has stated that the film will never be shown publicly. Under the terms of their lawsuit, the only copy they are legally allowed to possess has been consigned to their film vaults, ensuring the movie will never see the light of day.

In the world of film, many stories of unreleased movies continue to intrigue and puzzle movie fans. It's a reminder that sometimes, the strongest films are the ones that never see the screen. These stories offer a fascinating glimpse into the complex and often misunderstood process of film production.