Over the years, writers and directors have proposed some amazing concepts for horror movies. Sadly, not all of these movies have seen the light of day. Sometimes, budget issues were to blame, while other times, the issue was creative differences. In all cases, the end result was the lingering question of "what could have been."
From potentially terrifying remakes to crossover specials, these canceled horror movies all have one thing in common: we would have loved to see them. We might not be able to make them a reality, but we can certainly speculate on what we missed out on.
7 George A. Romero's Resident Evil
George A. Romero is known as the king of zombie movies. His works include such iconic films as Night of the Living Dead, Dawn of the Dead, and Day of the Dead. Fittingly, the video game Resident Evil is a survival horror shooter in which players battle zombies. Combined, the game and director sounded like the perfect combination for a movie adaptation.
Not in the Script
Unfortunately, others involved in the project weren't big fans of Romero's proposed script, allegedly because it was too violent and focused too much on action and too little on the characters. Romero was dropped from the project, and Paul W.S. Anderson was brought in as his replacement to direct, leading to the 2002 movie.
Although we didn't get Romero's adaptation, at least audiences can look forward to a documentary detailing more about what happened.
6 Little Shop of Horrors Reboot
The horror comedy musical Little Shop of Horrors tells the story of florist Seymour Krelborn and his man-eating plant Audrey II. Seymour wants to escape Skid Row with his co-worker, Audrey, and when Audrey II begins attracting attention and sales to the store, he thinks he's found his way out. But as the plant becomes more murderous, Seymour's plans become far more complicated.
Pandemic Hurdles
Rick Moranis did a spectacular job as Seymour in the original, as did Steve Martin, Bill Murray, and various other big-name celebrities. The movie's cult status meant an eventual remake was almost certain, and when Warner Bros announced that one was in progress starring Taron Egerton, Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson, fans were thrilled.
Unfortunately, the pandemic greatly interfered with the movie's production, and by 2022, it was officially canceled. In potentially good news, a different remake is now in the works with Roger Corman returning to direct. Whether this one will take off or join a future list of canceled movies like this, we'll have to wait and see.
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5 Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash
Freddy Krueger and Jason Vorhees brought a new dimension to monster movies in Freddy vs. Jason. The cinematic crossover began on Elm Street where, to Freddy's nightmare, the town had stopped remembering him and were no longer afraid. In order to scare them and regain his power, he brings Friday the 13th's Jason back to life and tries to trick him into killing on his behalf. However, Jason only kills for Jason, which means fewer victims and less power for Freddy, leading to a brutal confrontation.
Evil Dead Crossover Dies
The success of Freddy vs. Jason led to several other movies being pitched in hopes of gaining similar success. One such idea that garnered a lot of attention was to bring in Ash from the Evil Dead. The movie was potentially going to be Freddy's last, with rumors circulating that Ash was going to kill him permanently. Whether or not this would have actually happened, we'll never know — the movie was canceled, largely due to issues concerning rights and financial compensation.
Fortunately, readers can get a glimpse of what could have been through the comic series.
4 Helloween
At first glance, the sadomasochistic Cenobites of Hellraiser and Michael Myers from Halloween have little in common, minus the violence. However, after the success of Freddy vs. Jason, Dimension Films wanted a crossover of their own. Many actors and other professionals involved with the franchises backed the idea, but unfortunately, fans were less excited. After putting out a poll to gauge interest, Dimension Films ultimately canceled the film, much to the disappointment of fans who did want it.
Rife with Potential
On paper, Freddy and Jason is a strange pairing. However, Freddy vs. Jason was a cult hit, and even though fans voted down the idea, there's plenty of reason to think that Myers vs. Pinheadcould have been, too, especially with John Carpenter directing. From exploring more about the Curse of Thorn or the Cenobites's puzzle boxes to simply seeing the two entities battle, it's a shame this movie was never produced. Even sadder, it's not the only canceled John Carpenter film on this list.
3 John Carpenter's Shadow Company
John Carpenter is famous for multiple movies, including Halloween. He's also somewhat (in)famous for the amount of projects he's been unable to create. Among these is Shadow Company, a horror-action movie that's been described as a cross between The Exorcist and Platoon. Focusing on the Vietnam war vet Jake Pollard, the story concerned the reanimation of murderous American soldiers and Pollard's attempts to stop them.
The Script Lives on
The reasons behind this project's cancelation remain vague, though it apparently suffered from pre-production issues. Still, the movie has gained a cult following due to the release of the script, which fans can read online.
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2 Ridley Scott's The Train
The story behind this canceled Ridley Scott movie is a bit complex. It began life as Dead Reckoning, a horror/sci-fi film that can be loosely summarized as a cyborg version of "Alien on a train." Carolco Pictures purchased the script and brought on Ridley Scott to direct, at which point the title transitioned to The Train. Soon after, Scott chose to work on Thelma and Louise instead, and the movie's title was yet again changed to Isobar while the script was heavily rewritten. At this point, the planned film was nothing like it had been originally envisioned, and between that and Carolco declaring bankruptcy, it's little wonder the film never was.
What Could Have Been
Movies like Train to Busan have shown that a train is a worthwhile setting for horror, and with Scott at the helm, the Alien version would have been a true sight to behold. With so much interest in the film, it's unfortunate that plans fell through, especially because the Alien franchise remains a fan favorite, and a related premise would only create more fans.
1 Alfred Hitchcock's Kaleidoscope
Alfred Hitchcock was known as the "Master of Suspense," directing dozens of thriller and horror movies over his illustrious career. However, much like Carpenter, many of his planned movies never saw the light of day. One of these was Kaleidoscope (aka Frenzy, though not the 1972 version), which was slated as a prequel to Shadow of a Doubt and would tell the tale of a murderous necrophiliac. An experimental film, Hitchcock based the killer on actual murderers, and his attempt to make the movie as unsettling as possible was ultimately its undoing.
Too Dark and Disturbing
Ultimately, Kaleidoscope was canceled for being too dark and disturbing. Unfortunately, these are exactly the traits that have modern viewers interested in the film today. Although we'll never get to watch Hitchcock's film in full, viewers can get a better idea of what was planned thanks to the (very not safe for work) test footage.
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