Sure enough, I found that Van Helsing info I was looking for. But then I kept digging, spiraling down that rabbit hole of “old scoops” that served as a fun reminder of projects that almost made it to the screen. I’ve compiled 20 of them (from the “Terror Teletype”) here. Mind you, this a list that does not include projects that ultimately made it to the screen with perhaps a different director attached or new direction. That’s fodder for perhaps another article.
- The Black Mariah: New Line was developing this adaptation of Jay Bonansinga’s novel with George A. Romero attached to direct. The story concerned two truckers who attempt to help a man only to become cursed. Romero, during this time (late-’80s/early-’90s) was attached to countless projects; this was one that was actually not a King adaptation. Bonansinga went on to become part of The Walking Dead universe by penning the novel “Rise of the Governor” with Robert Kirkman.
- The Van Helsing Chronicles: Anthony Hopkins was going to reprise his role as the eponymous vampire hunter for Bram Stoker’s Dracula helmer Francis Coppola and writer James V. Hart. Both were going to produce. David Wilson was brought in to write.
- Lyla: A Love Story: Midge Sanford and Sarah Pillsbury, producers of River’s Edge, aimed to make a werewolf tale in the early ’90s with Geena Davis playing a lycanthrope. Not much movement was made on this, apparently, but I like the idea of a “Geena wolf.”
- Red Sleep: Scripted by Richard Christian Matheson and Mick Garris, this film was being developed by Warner Bros. in the late-’80s and told of a Vegas lounge singer who gets caught up with a female vampire. John Landis was going to direct and Wayne Newton was rumored to star. Later, Eddie Murphy was attached until he moved on to Vampire in Brooklyn while Landis jumped over to Innocent Blood.
- Shocker 2: Wes Craven aimed to produce a sequel to the 1989 film with Bruce Wagner (A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors scribe) writing and directing. Promising? Okay…maybe, maybe not, depending on your take on the film, but I think this is a fun addition to the list seeing as Craven was thinking about remaking Shocker much later.
- Witch Hunt: Well before The Craft, Warner Bros. – back in 1988 – aimed to make a film about a group of teenage girls who practiced witchcraft in high school. Pumpkinhead‘s Mark Carducci penned the script.
- Weaveworld: Showtime and the BBC agreed to team up for this adaptation of the Clive Barker novel. Peter Bellwood and Dennis Shyack scripted.
- Abracadaver: A zombie-comedy at Universal from Tremors writers Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson. Apparently, they didn’t mind lifting the title from Tales from the Crypt. Still, the two writers of one of the best monster movies of all time taking on the undead? I would have loved to have read that script.
- 99 Days: Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender intended to produce this Russell Mulcahy-directed bloodsucker film about a man who had 99 days to prevent a vampiric transformation. Mulcahy later walked away from the project. Tarantino, of course, scripted/acted in another vampire effort From Dusk Till Dawn.
- Tor: In ’91, Stuart Gordon was reportedly going to direct a film about a giant snapping turtle. He co-scripted with Dennis Paoli.
- Stinger: Robert McCammon’s creature-filled novel almost made it to the screen with The Crow‘s Jeff Most producing. He enlisted Paul Boyington – visual effects supervisor on Ed Wood and A Nightmare on Elm Street 2 – to direct. This book still hasn’t been adapted, which is a damn shame.
- The Diary of Jack the Ripper: William Friedkin cast Anthony Hopkins as James Maybrick in this New Line production. Running Scared and Raw Deal‘s Gary DeVore scripted.
- Kicks: This story of a futuristic drug that turned its users into monsters was going to be director Ernest Dickerson’s directorial follow-up to Demon Knight. Oliver Stone was attached to executive produce and the script was penned by Freeway‘s Matthew Bright.
- Superstitious: When Guillermo del Toro and Dimension Films were still best buddies, they were going to collaborate on Superstitious. Miramax picked up the rights to the ’95 novel written by R.L. Stine which told of a young woman who marries a superstitious professor haunted by demons. Del Toro helmed Mimic and the rest is history…
- Quatermass and the Pit: During one of Hammer Films’ many attempts to resurrect the house of horror, a remake of this title was in the cards with Alex Proyas (Dark City) attached to direct.
- Vipex: This was apparently the title for a Lord of Illusions sequel that was going direct-to-video for MGM/United Artists. The title was a reference to the monster Harry D’Amour was going to confront. Adam Grossman was in line to direct and Clive Barker came up with the concept and was executive producing. It was going to be the first in a line of D’Amour direct-to-video titles.
- The Ten: Scott Rosenberg – who penned Beautiful Girls for Miramax – sold this script to Dimension Films which concerned a pair of FBI agents tracking a cult leader who aimed to unleash the biblical plagues on various cities across the U.S. He went on to pen Con Air and Disturbing Behavior.
- X – The Man With the X-Ray Eyes: When Tim Burton was dabbling in his Superman film, there were reports that he was going to partner with DreamWorks for a remake of this 1963 Roger Corman movie starring Ray Milland. This movie probably would have been appropriately bonkers.
- House of Secrets: Warner Bros. wanted to adapt this DC/Vertigo title of the same name around ’98. The story was to focus on a haunted house that would appear in different locations. The living, who carried a secret and entered the abode, would be put on trial by the resident ghosts.
- Stray Dawgz: Porn/music video director Gregory Dark originally chose this film to be his horror feature debut before moving on to See No Evil. Ice Cube was cast as a man who learns he comes from a line of werewolf hunters and battles hirsute beasts in San Francisco. Sounds hokey as hell. Probably would have been fun.
