Wikipedia

Barry Levinson's unrealized projects

The following are lists of unproduced Barry Levinson projects in a roughly chronological order. During his long career, Barry Levinson has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell in development hell, were officially canceled, were in development limbo or would see life under a different production team.

1980s

edit

Dreamer

edit
Main article: Beyond the Sea (2004 film) § Development

1990s

edit

Super Mario Bros.

edit

In 1990, he planned to direct a Super Mario Bros. film starring Dustin Hoffman and Danny DeVito, but could not after Roland Joffé beat Hoffman to securing the rights and made Super Mario Bros. (1993) without their involvement.[1]

Home Fries

edit
Main article: Home Fries

On March 9, 1993, Levinson was set to direct and produce Vince Gilligan's script Home Fries, with Mark Johnson producing for Warner Bros., until Dean Parisot replaced Levinson as director.[2]

Assassins

edit

[3]

Path to War

edit
Main article: Path to War

[4]

2000s

edit

Outlaws

edit

[5]

In the Heart of the Sea

edit
Main article: In the Heart of the Sea (film) § Production

In Harm's Way remake

edit

[6][7]

A View from the Bridge

edit

In February 2005, Levinson was set to direct the film adaptation of the Arthur Miller play A View from the Bridge, with Andrew Bovell writing the screenplay and Anthony LaPaglia, Frances McDormand, and Scarlett Johansson cast as the leads.[8][9] On January 18, 2011, Levinson was replaced by Robert Connolly as the film's director, with Vera Farmiga and Mia Wasikowska alongside Sam Neill and Sebastian Stan.[10]

The Saint TV pilot

edit

On March 13, 2007, TNT said it was developing a one-hour series based on The Saint to be executive produced by William J. MacDonald and produced by Jorge Zamacona.[11][12] James Purefoy was announced as the new Simon Templar.[13][14] Production of the pilot, which was to have been directed by Levinson, did not go ahead.[15]

A Walk in the Woods

edit
Main article: A Walk in the Woods (film)

On January 29, 2008,[16]

Babi Yar

edit

On February 3, 2009, Levinson was set to direct the film adaptation of Anatoly Kuznetsov's nonfiction novel Babi Yar: A Document in the Form of a Novel with Anatoly Fradis' Aurora Entertainment producing the film.[17]

Sixty-Six

edit

On April 30, 2009,[18][19]

City of Angels

edit

On June 16, 2009, Levinson was set to direct the film adaptation of the detective musical dramedy City of Angels with Larry Gelbart writing the screenplay based his musical book, Marc Shaiman as music director, Robert Shaye and Michael Lynne's Unique Pictures producing and Warner Bros distributing.[20]

2010s

edit

Brother Jack

edit

On July 8, 2010, Levinson was set to direct Brother Jack, a biopic about activist Jack Healey, with Kelly Masterson rewriting the script and Columbia Pictures set to produce the film.[21]

Gotti

edit
Main article: Gotti_(2018 film) § Development_history

O.K.C.

edit

On March 2, 2011, Levinson was set to direct O.K.C., a biographical legal drama about the legal defense of Timothy McVeigh, with Clay Wood writing the script and Peter Safran set to produce the film.[22]

Black Mass

edit
Main article: Black Mass (film) § Development history

Musketeers 3.0 TV series

edit

On September 2, 2011, Levinson was set to produce Tom Fontana's police procedural series Musketeers 3.0 with Fontana attached as executive produce the series and distributed by The CW.[23]

The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron

edit

On April 3, 2012, Levinson was set to direct the baseball biopic The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron, with Adam Mazer writing the script, and Mike Tollin, Glenn Rigberg, & Peter Guber set to produce the biopic.[24]

Untitled love story

edit

On May 21, 2012, Levinson was set to direct Ronald Harwood's historical romance film loosely adapted from Bei La's novel The Cursed Piano, with Mike Medavoy, Edward McGurn, & Raffaella De Laurentiis set to produce the film and Shanghai Film Group financing the production.[25]

Last Men Out miniseries

edit

On July 29, 2015, Levinson was set to produce Tom Fontana's Vietnam War miniseries Last Men Out with National Geographic set to air, but there was no casting announcement for miniseries.[26]

Gypsy movie musical remake

edit
Main article: Gypsy (musical) § Remake talks

Revival

edit

On April 4, 2017, Levinson was set to direct and executive produce Phil Primason's comedy script Revival with Billy Crystal set to executive produce and star in the film.[27]

HBO's Wag the Dog TV series

edit

On April 27, 2017, Levinson was set to direct and executive produce the television series adaptation of Wag the Dog for HBO with Rajiv Joseph writing and executive producing the series, along with Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Barry Welsh producing through Tribeca Productions and Warner Bros. Television.[28]

The Jury Room interactive TV series

edit

On October 24, 2019, Levinson was set to direct and produce the interactive legal drama series The Jury Room with Fontana attached as executive produce the series with Eko.[29]

2020s

edit

Sheela

edit

On February 20, 2020, Levinson was set to direct Nick Yarborough's Sheela, a biopic about Ma Anand Sheela, with Priyanka Chopra set to star and produce with Levinson, Jason Sosnoff, David Permut and distributed by Prime Video.[30]

Francis and the Godfather

edit

On September 30, 2020, Levinson was set to direct Andrew Farotte's biographical script Francis and the Godfather about the development of The Godfather, with Oscar Isaac and Jake Gyllenhaal starring as Francis Ford Coppola and Robert Evans respectively, and Echo Lake Entertainment's Mike Marcus, Doug Mankoff and Andrew Spaulding are producing with Kevin Turen, Jon Levin and Baltimore Pictures' Jason Sosnoff,[31] In early 2021, Elizabeth Moss and Elle Fanning were set to star as Eleanor Coppola and Ali MacGraw respectively.[32][33]

One Giant Leap miniseries

edit

On September 1, 2021, it was announced that Levinson would direct the limited television series One Giant Leap about the Apollo 11 mission, to be written and showrun by Stephen Kronish, who would also executive produce the project alongside Thoroughbred Pictures' Jeremy Fox and Howard Stringer, Benjamin Anderson, Kevin Costner, and Phoenix Pictures' Mike Medavoy.[34]

The Missing miniseries

edit

[35]

Assassination

edit

David Mamet was initially announced as director of his script Assassination, but Levinson was then announced to take his place in October 2023.[36] Principal photography was initially expected to begin in Vancouver in September 2023.[37] However, the following month it was reported that Levinson was retooling the project.[38]

Offers

edit

Hernan Cortes historical epic

edit

In 1988, Levinson was offered to direct Cortes a historical epic about Hernan Cortes from a Nicholas Kazan screenplay and with Edward R. Pressman producing, but Kazan & Pressman couldn't get the movie funded.[39]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Super Mario Bros". AFI Catalog. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  2. ^ Ayscough, Suzan (March 9, 1993). "Levinson, Johnson in on WB 'Fries'". Variety. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  3. ^ Fleming, Michael (November 18, 1997). "Levinson tunes up". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  4. ^ Dempsey, John; Brodesser, Claude (October 18, 1999). "Levinson charges into 'War' for HBO". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  5. ^ Fleming, Michael (March 8, 2000). "Levinson wants Willis, Thornton on 'Outlaws'". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  6. ^ "Mel Gibson sought by two studios for same role". The Guardian. July 25, 2001. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  7. ^ Fleming, Michael (October 1, 2001). "Indie engine revs up". Variety. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  8. ^ Fleming, Micheal (February 15, 2005). "The bigscreen 'View'". Variety. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  9. ^ Staff and Agencies (February 16, 2005). "Miller's A View From the Bridge gets big-screen treatment". The Guardian. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  10. ^ Lodderhose, Diana (January 18, 2011). "Farmiga, Wasikowska join 'Bridge'". Variety. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
  11. ^ "TNT, Devil team for 'Leverage' – Entertainment News, TV News, Media – Variety". Variety. n.d.
  12. ^ "THE SAINT on TNT". Crime Expert BURL BARER. Edgar Award Winner and NYT Bestselling Author. n.d.
  13. ^ Lesliecharteris.com Archived 13 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "James Purefoy To Play Simon Templar in The Saint – The Saint News". saint.org. n.d.
  15. ^ The Hollywood Reporter: "James Purefoy circles NBC series, 21 July 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2008.
  16. ^ Kit, Borys (2008-01-29). "Redford, Levinson hit 'Walk' trail". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2023-02-23.
  17. ^ Swart, Sharon (February 3, 2009). "Levinson to helm 'Babi Yar'". Variety. Retrieved March 16, 2024.
  18. ^ Zeitchik, Steven (April 30, 2009). "Barry Levinson going back to 'Sixty-Six'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  19. ^ Evry, Max (April 27, 2022). "Barry Levinson On Why He Can't Get His Final Baltimore Movie Made [Exclusive]". /Film. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  20. ^ Fleming, Michael (June 16, 2009). "Lynne, Shaye plot 11 pics". Variety. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  21. ^ Fleming Jr., Michael (July 8, 2010). "Barry Levinson Directs On Big Screen Again, Nick Cassavetes Acts, Jeff Bridges Walks". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  22. ^ Fleming Jr., Michael (March 2, 2011). "Barry Levinson To Helm 'O.K.C.'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  23. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (September 2, 2011). "CW Teams With Tom Fontana And Barry Levinson For Rookie Cop Drama". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  24. ^ Kroll, Justin (April 3, 2012). "Producers call up Hank Aaron biopic". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  25. ^ Dave McNary (May 21, 2012). "Barry Levinson To Direct Shanghai Love Story (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  26. ^ Frielander, Whitney (July 29, 2015). "Nat Geo Developing Vietnam War Limited Series 'Last Men Out'". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  27. ^ Petski, Anita (April 4, 2017). "Barry Levinson & Billy Crystal Huddle On Comedy 'Revival'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  28. ^ Petski, Denise (April 27, 2017). "'Wag The Dog' Comedy Series In Works At HBO". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  29. ^ Petski, Denise (October 24, 2019). "Barry Levinson Teams With Eko On Live-Action Interactive Drama Series 'The Jury Room'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  30. ^ Fleming Jr., Michael (February 20, 2020). "Priyanka Chopra To Play '80s Guru & Convicted Bioterrorist Ma Anand Sheela In Barry Levinson-Directed Drama 'Sheela' For Amazon Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  31. ^ Fleming Jr., Michael (May 16, 2013). "'The Godfather' Making Of Movie: Barry Levinson Taps Oscar Isaac To Play Francis Coppola & Jake Gyllenhaal As Robert Evans". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  32. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 21, 2021). "Elisabeth Moss Boards Barry Levinson's Making Of 'The Godfather' Feature". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  33. ^ Rubin, Rebbecca (March 9, 2021). "Elle Fanning to Play Ali MacGraw in Movie About Making of 'The Godfather'". Variety. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  34. ^ White, Peter (September 1, 2021). "Barry Levinson To Direct Apollo 11 Limited Series From Kevin Costner, Stephen Kronish & Mike Medavoy". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
  35. ^ Petski, Denise (March 1, 2022). "'The Missing': Barry Levinson To Direct & Executive Produce David E. Kelley's Peacock Series". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  36. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 17, 2023). "Barry Levinson Set To Direct Al Pacino Starring, David Mamet-Scripted JFK Thriller 'Assassination'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 17, 2023.
  37. ^ Wiseman, Andreas (May 15, 2023). "Al Pacino, Viggo Mortensen, John Travolta, Shia LaBeouf, Rebecca Pidgeon & Courtney Love Set For David Mamet's JFK Thriller 'Assassination' — Cannes Market". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  38. ^ Cooper, Dan (October 18, 2023). "Al Pacino, Shia LaBeouf to star in new film about the JFK assassination". Film Stories. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
  39. ^ Koch, Neal (July 21, 1991). "Between Screenplay and Screen Stretches the Highway to Oblivion". The New York Times. Retrieved November 22, 2023.
edit
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barry_Levinson%27s_unrealized_projects&oldid=1239226008"