10 Planned Movies That Were Cancelled in 2024

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2024 marked a significant milestone in movie announcements, with major sequels like “Toy Story 5” and “Jurassic World: Rebirth” generating much excitement. Furthermore, fresh glimpses into the upcoming live-action adaptations of “Superman” and “Lilo & Stitch” were unveiled to eager audiences.

From my perspective as a passionate film enthusiast, it’s quite disheartening to share that several eagerly awaited movies, some of which we had all been looking forward to for years, were unfortunately shelved in the year 2024. A variety of factors such as market uncertainties, licensing complications, production challenges, and creative disagreements may have contributed to this unfortunate outcome. Here’s a list of 10 movie projects that sadly didn’t see the light of day in 2024.

10
‘Wolfs 2’

2021’s film “Wolfs” pairs Hollywood heavyweights Brad Pitt and George Clooney as they take on roles as professional troubleshooters, tasked with resolving the same messy situation. Typically, they prefer to work alone as “lone wolves,” but circumstances force them into a partnership as events escalate, leading them unwittingly into the midst of gang conflicts and drug intrigues.

Apple’s Decision to Focus on Streaming Sealed the Fate of ‘Wolfs 2’

As a follower of Jon Watts’ updates, I can share that he’s been open about Apple’s plans for a sequel to the movie he directed. At first, he mentioned that Apple had always intended to make a sequel, but he didn’t write it with a sequel in mind, instead choosing to let the audience decide if they wanted more. However, his feelings have shifted considerably since Apple chose to release the movie directly on their streaming service following a limited theatrical run. Despite being their most-watched movie on the platform, Watts has recently declared that he’s no longer interested in creating a sequel.

9
‘Planet of the Dead’

In 2021, Zack Snyder’s “Army of the Dead” was released on Netflix and achieved massive popularity with over 75 million households tuning in during its first month. Before its premiere, Netflix had already planned to expand the movie’s cinematic universe, and they had approved two prequels: a standalone prequel film and an animated prequel series. Later, Netflix unveiled “Planet of the Dead,” which was slated as a sequel to “Army of the Dead.

Did the Negative Response to ‘Red Moon’ Impact Planet of the Dead’s Future?

The film titled “Army of Thieves” came out not long after “Army of the Dead“. However, following this release, there was a period of silence as director Zack Snyder shifted his attention towards the Red Moon series.

It’s been revealed that the production of “Planet of the Dead” has been halted, and while no specific explanation has been provided so far, it’s plausible to assume that the poor reception of Zack Snyder’s “Red Moon” films might have influenced this choice.

8
‘Coyote vs. Acme’

In this film, the underdog character, reminiscent of Wile E. Coyote from Looney Tunes, decides to sue the Acme Corporation because all their items have been found to be faulty, causing them to malfunction disastrously in his hands.

The Future Looks Bleak Despite Highly Positive Feedback From Those Who Have Seen the Movie

Originally scheduled to premiere in July 2023, the movie was unexpectedly taken off the release calendar. Later, Warner Bros. disclosed their intention to put the film on hold as a potential tax deduction. Subsequent reports in 2024 indicated that streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon, and Paramount expressed interest, but Warner Bros. demanded $75–$80 million for the film and declined any offers falling below this range. Inside sources have since confirmed that the movie will never be shown publicly.

As a passionate admirer, I’ve heard many voices expressing disappointment over Warner Bros’ management of this project, describing it as a truly remarkable film that demands to be experienced by all.

7
‘The Mothership’

In 2021, it was revealed that the film titled “The Mothership” would feature Halle Berry playing a mother living on a rural farm. She unearths an enigmatic alien artifact beneath her house, which seems connected to her spouse’s mysterious disappearance. This discovery propels her and her children on a dangerous journey to uncover the truth about his whereabouts.

‘The Mothership’ Has Been In Production Hell

In January 2024, Netflix regretfully announced that a project, which had previously consumed a significant amount of resources in terms of time and money, was terminated. Reports suggest that the production of this movie took longer than anticipated and exceeded its budget. Although it has been completed, it necessitated “extensive re-shoots” before being fit for public viewing. Additionally, some child actors had outgrown their initial roles during the process, which ultimately led Netflix to scrap the movie entirely.

6
‘Ben 10’ Live Action Movie

The popular sci-fi action show “Ben 10” debuted on Cartoon Network in 2005 and has grown its reach with numerous films, spin-offs, video games, and more. Although two TV movies featuring live action versions of Ben 10 have been produced, a high-budget theatrical release of a live-action Ben 10 movie is yet to happen.

The Rights to the Movie Have Expired

Back in 2011, Joel Silver began collaborating with Warner Bros. and Dark Castle Entertainment on a live-action film for theaters. Updates about its development were occasionally shared until everything stopped in 2013. Sadly, after ten years, it’s been disclosed that Warner Bros.’ rights to this movie have expired, implying that this specific version will never see the light of day.

5
Jon Hamm’s ‘Fletch 2’

In 1985, the comedy film “Fletch” featuring the iconic comedian Chevy Chase was both critically and financially successful. However, its 1989 sequel, titled “Fletch Lives,” failed to impress. Leaping ahead to 2021, a reimagined version of the original titled “Confess, Fletch” featuring John Hamm was warmly received by critics.

The Next Movie Was to Be Based on the Novel ‘Fletch’s Fortune’

Initially, there were whispers about John Hamm potentially appearing in a sequel. Regrettably, despite receiving positive reviews from critics, the reboot didn’t do well financially. This, coupled with leadership changes at Miramax, have reportedly led to the cancellation of the sequel in 2024.

4
‘Ant-Man 4’

Ever since Robert Downey Jr. put on the famous Iron Man armor in 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a dominant powerhouse in the entertainment world. Over the years, many beloved characters have been brought to life on the big screen, one of them being Ant-Man, portrayed by Paul Rudd. Across several solo adventures and joining forces as an Avenger in Avengers: Endgame, the size-altering superhero has shone brightly in this expansive cinematic universe.

Marvel Has Been Forced to Make Some Difficult Decisions

Due to Disney’s revised business approach and choice to cut back on struggling intellectual properties, Marvel found it necessary to reconsider their congested release plan. Although the first two Ant-Man films were successful both critically and financially, the third installment faced production issues and ultimately underperformed, which appears to have put a hold on any plans for Ant-Man 4.

3
‘Splinter Cell’

Collaborating with renowned thriller writer Tom Clancy, Ubisoft created the stealth-centric adventure video game series “Splinter Cell,” which debuted on store shelves in 2002. Since then, this series has been counted among the most successful video games ever made. Given its immense popularity, it’s no wonder that Ubisoft considered turning “Splinter Cell” into a movie.

‘Splinter Cell’ Had Been in Development Since 2012

The plan for a movie featuring Tom Hardy as Sam Fisher was first unveiled in 2012. After that, not much news came out about it until 2024 when it was revealed that the project had been abandoned. Producer Basil Iwanyk stated, “What a shame… It would have been fantastic, but we couldn’t quite nail it in terms of script and budget.”

2
Todd Haynes’ Joaquin Phoenix Untitled Project

At the start of the year 2023, news surfaced that director Todd Haynes and Joaquin Phoenix were teaming up for an innovative, unnamed drama. This project revolves around a gay love story, taking place in the 1930s LA landscape, and is expected to challenge boundaries. Joaquin Phoenix will be playing the main character and is also involved in the scriptwriting process.

Joaquin Phoenix Was Heavily Involved in the Film’s Development

In the throes of preparation for our upcoming film, mere days before we were set to start shooting, Phoenix astonishingly decided to step away from the project. Given his extensive role in every facet of the movie’s production, his departure has unfortunately halted our progress. When queried about his choice, Phoenix has opted to keep quiet about the matter.

1
‘Eternals 2’

As a fervent fan of Marvel Comics, I eagerly watched “Eternals” when it hit the big screen last year, marking its place as the 26th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Star-studded with talents like Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, and Kit Harrington, I had high hopes for this film. However, the movie’s complex narrative and grandiose concept, while ambitious, did not quite live up to the lofty expectations many of us had set.

Another of Marvel’s 2024 Scrapped Projects

Due to Disney urging Marvel to concentrate on surefire successes, the mediocre reception and moderate earnings of the first Eternals movie led Marvel to abandon their plans for a sequel. Consequently, Eternals 2 shared the fate of other abandoned planned Marvel projects such as Ant-Man 4 in 2024.

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2025-01-07 05:32