Ordinarily, great results are born out of great preparation and coordination. However, things tend to work differently in Hollywood. The visions of directors, actors, screenwriters, and studio heads don’t always align, so clashes happen at various points of the production process, resulting in hellish situations. Bad luck also pops up occasionally, complicating what would have been seamless shoots. For some movies, the issues are minor, while for some, the situation gets so bad that the entire project nearly gets canceled.
Interestingly, some movies with the most troubled development stages were extremely successful. How did such miracles happen? Each of these films had a few people who were unwilling to let the pressure get to them and willing to solve problems on the go while adapting to the various changes. For that, fans will be forever grateful. In other cases, luck is the sole reason why the movies made it to theaters. We enjoyed watching them, but we wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere near the sets.
10‘The Bourne Identity’ (2002)
The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Identityrevolutionizedthe spy genre, introducing us to a no-nonsense spy who wasn’t interested in tuxedos and martinis. The film, about a secret agent suffering from psychogenic amnesia and trying to unlock details about his former life, was a huge success, spawning three sequels and making a splash at the box office. But making it was no fun.
No One Could Write as Well as Ludlum
You’d think a movie based on a Robert Ludlum novel would be easy to script. After all, the book has a perfect plot, sitting at only 523 pages. However, director Doug Liman and screenwriter Tony Gilroy disagreed so much on the plot thatWilliam Blake Herron was hired to rewrite Gilroy’s script. Despite the change, things didn’t get better. Liman fought Universal execs over the tone and reportedlyhated the new Herron script so much that he threatened to quit.
Elsewhere,producer Richard Gladstein had to leave because of a personal matter. The new head, Frank Marshall, clashed with Liman too, and reportedly took over the shoot. Matt Damon would later credit Marshall withcalming the storm, admitting that “we never would have had a franchise," had the new figure not been present.
9‘Gone With the Wind’ (1939)
Gone with the Wind
Set against the backdrop of the American Civil War and, later, the Reconstruction era,Gone with the Windfollows Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh), the daughter of a Georgia plantation owner, as she pursues a romance with the man of her dreams. Upon its release,it became the highest-grossing film made up to that point, holding the record for over a quarter of a century.Additionally, it won 10 Oscars, including one for Hattie McDaniel, who became the first black actress to be recognized by the Academy.
The Long Wait
Work waits for no man, especially in Hollywood, but things were different here.Gone in the Wind’s principal photography stagewas delayed for two years because producer David O. Selznick was determined to hire Clark Gable (who was under contract at MGM) for the lead role of Rhett.The original screenplay also underwent many revisions because it was too long while theoriginal director, George Cukor, was fired and replaced by Victor Fleming.Well,Fleming was also briefly replaced by Sam Wood as he took some time off due to exhaustion.Ultimately, the project was completed.
8‘Titanic’ (1997)
InTitanic, James Cameron tookthe story of the British ocean liner that sank during its maiden voyage in 1912and inserted a fictional romance into it, about a lower-class man, Jack (portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio), and Rose (portrayed by Kate Winslet). So interesting was the story that the film becamethe first to reach the billion-dollar markin revenue. It also won 11 Oscars.
Tragedy, on Screen and the Set
James Cameron takes his work seriously, so he required most of the actors to spend long hours in tanks full of water to properly capture the flooding conditions inside the sinking ship. Consequently,many of them ended up with the flu.Cameron also fought the studio over budgets and timeframes. By the time the work was done,production had gone over schedule by 138 days.
The director’s attitude on set was described as a “300-decibel screamer, a modern-day Captain Bligh with a megaphone and walkie-talkie, swooping down into people’s faces on a 162-foot crane” (perDen of Geek). As if there wasn’t enough stress, a crew memberspiked soupwith the hallucinogenic drug PCP, causing 50 people to be hospitalized.
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7‘The Godfather’ (1972)
The Godfather
Based on Mario Puzo’s best-selling 1969 novel of the same name,The Godfatherfocuses on the transformation of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), the youngest member of the Corleone crime family, from a reluctant ex-military man to a ruthless mob boss. Considered one ofthe greatest films of all time, it topped the 1972 box office charts and won three Oscars out of 11 nominations.
Mafia-Like Feuds
Just the way a Don’s leadership skills often get questioned,several of director Francis Ford Coppola’s cast members doubted his ability to make a good film and even tried to sabotage him. Coppola clashed with Paramount too, especially when he insisted on casting Al Pacino as Michael Corleone. The studio wanted a popular actor.
Then there was the Marlon Brando fiasco. Paramount was reluctant to cast him due to his declining popularity and reputation as a difficult actor to work with. Beyond that, the real-life Cosa Nostra interfered with the production, even insisting that the word “Mafia” be removed.Despite the challenges, Coppola created something magical.
6‘The Shining’ (1980)
The Shining
The Shiningis arguably the greatest Stephen King adaptation, but the author hated it, mostly because ofthe changes Stanley Kubrick made to the original story. The film — about a novelist who becomes murderous after taking up a job as the winter caretaker for a haunted hotel — was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Trapped on Set
The set was scarier than the Overlook Hotel, according to actress Shelley Duvall. Kubrick, a meticulous perfectionist,allegedly made her do 127 takesfor the “Here’s Johnny!” scene, causing her emotional damage. Besides that, there were massive budget overruns, and as has been the case with most Kubrick films,the shooting schedule stretched for over a year, inconveniencing some of the actors who were eager to move on to other roles.
5‘Star Wars’ (1977)
Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Set in a fictional galaxy ruled by the tyrannical Galactic Empire,Star Warsfocuses on a group of freedom fighters named the Rebel Alliance, as they aim to destroy the Empire’s advanced weapon, the Death Star. The film became a global pop culture phenomenon, launching video games, novels, amusement park attractions, and merchandise such as toys and clothing. But no one in the production team believed it would be such a huge hit, given how chaotic the baking process had been.
George Lucas had to maneuver studio skepticism, deadline threats, and budgetary constraints in order to cross the finish line. Creating the groundbreaking special effects didn’t come easy either. The work was handled by the struggling Industrial Light & Magic andthe results were often unsatisfactory, causing repetition and extra costs.
Besides that,many of the cast members were frustrated because of the uncomfortable costumes.As if that wasn’t enough, extreme weather conditions constantly disrupted the filming process in Tunisia. Despite all these challenges, one of Hollywood’s biggest franchises was born.
4‘The Exorcist’ (1973)
The Exorcist
Based on William Peter Blatty’s novel of the same name,The Exorcistis the story of the demonic possession of the 12-year-old daughter of an actress, and the attempt by two Catholic priests to exorcise her. This is the first horror film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, and received a whopping 10 nominations overall.
The Film Also Needed to Be Exorcised
Numerous mishaps during the production stage led to the widespread belief that the film was cursed.Several crew members were injured, with a few losing their lives. On top of that, shooting was delayed six weeks aftera bird flew into a circuit breaker, causing a fire that destroyed all the sets.Later, a different set was damaged by the sprinkler system.
Even worse, director William Friedkin kept making life difficult for the actors. Linda Blair (only 12 years old during filming) was aggressively yanked around in a harness to mimic her character’s demonic possession, and so was her onscreen mother, whose screams were used in the film.
Mad Max: Fury Roadis set in an apocalyptic desert world where water is scarce and every drop of water is controlled by the warlord Immortan Joe (Keays-Byrne). Soon, two rebels, Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy), and Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) team up to solve things. Upon its release, it became the highest-grossingMad Maxmovie.
Actor Feuds
Theron and Hardy reportedly didn’t get along on set, and the hot temperatures in the Namibian desert didn’t help in cooling things up. Reports indicated thatHardy’s extreme method-acting was to blame. Theron saw it as necessary as she just wanted to wrap things up and go home, just like everyone else. Co-star Zoe Kravitzbacked this up, saying:
“We were also in the desert for so long. I think everyone was tired, and confused, and homesick. We saw nothing but sand for six months. You go crazy, you do. “
Thankfully, diamonds came out of this sand.
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2‘Jaws’ (1975)
Jawscovers the efforts of a police chief, a marine biologist, and a professional shark hunter as they hunt down a man-eating great white shark that has been attacking beachgoers at a New England beach town. It was the highest-grossing movie of all time untillStar Warspremiered two years later and is credited with establishing the “summer blockbuster” modern Hollywood business model.
Venturing out to Sea Wasn’t Such a Great Idea
Steven Spielberg’spreference for shooting in the open ocean resulted in crew members getting seasick, and plenty of damaged equipment, hence increased costs. Spielberg would admit his mistakes,tellingEntertainment Weekly:
“I was naive about the ocean, basically. I was pretty naive about mother nature and the hubris of a filmmaker who thinks he can conquer the elements was foolhardy, but I was too young to know I was being foolhardy when I demanded that we shoot the film in the Atlantic Ocean and not in a North Hollywood tank.”
Several mechanical sharks also malfunctioned. Thankfully, the director was granted carte blanche, and everything turned out just fine.
1‘Apocalypse Now' (1979)
Apocalypse Now
Apocalypse Nowwrapped up an incredible decade for Francis Ford Coppola, who was on top of the world, thanks to twoGodfatherinstallments. The film, about a captain sent to assassinate a rogue colonel in Vietnam, was a triumph, both visually and culturally. Some critics view it as Coppola’s true chef d’oeuvre, and like hisThe Godfather, it was a frustrating film to make.
Apocalypse Then
Most details about the hellish production ofApocalypse Nowcan be found in the documentaryHearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse. The film recounts howsevere weather in the Philippines (where the movie was being filmed) destroyed sets. On top of that,Coppola clashed with Marlon Brando, who didn’t bother to remember his lines and gained too much weight.Worse still, lead actor Martin Sheen nearly suffered a near-fatal heart attack.
