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The Marrakech Film Festival was held this past weekend and one topic that came up in various interviews was projects that directors turned down.
First up was Oscar-winner Alfonso Cuarón. We knew he was close to directing a Bond movie, but it seems he was even closer than the rumors suggested before he ultimately declined. During an interview with Moroccan directors Alaa Eddine Aljem and Talal Selhami, he gave more details. It seems he was deep into the process before a dinner with Joel Coen changed his mind.
A report from the festival in Variety tells the story:
“Ages ago I was offered a Bond film, and I said, ‘Yeah, cool. Maybe Bond. I am going to do one.’ And then when the process started and I was going to shoot all the dialogue and stuff, there was a [separate] team doing all the action scenes. It kind of felt very weird.
I was troubled about the idea of doing it. I had dinner with Joel Coen, and I said, ‘Joel, what do you think of Bond?’ And he said, ‘Oh cool, I enjoy Bond.’ I said, ‘Would you do a Bond film?’. [He said], ‘it probably falls into the category of a film I want to watch but not do.’ There I learned the lesson that some films I prefer to watch and not do.”
This would have been Quantum Of Solace. His name was definitely in the frame for that movie and he eventually provided a voiceover on the radio of the Bolivian helicopter pilot in the movie, with Guillermo del Toro doing other voice work for the movie.
Another who talked of declined projects was David Cronenberg. In his interview, he revealed a completely unexpected opportunity had come his way – 1983 dance drama Flashdance. Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer offered it to him: Also told to Variety:
“You might be amazed [Simpson and Bruckheimer] were totally convinced that I was the right one to direct. Really, I don’t know why [they] thought I should do it, and finally I had to say no – I said to them, ‘I will destroy your movie if I direct it!’”
A Cronenberg Flashdance? The mind truly boggles. Exactly how much cocaine was going around Hollywood at this point?
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