Coyote vs. ACME
The completed film nearly vanished following the decision not to release it. Protest and a new distributor changed its path. For me, the irony lies in the story itself: a powerless coyote fights a corporation while his film suffers from corporate decisions.
The Interview
Following the attack on Sony and threats against cinemas, the planned wide opening collapsed. The film reached audiences digitally and through limited theatrical distribution at the end of 2014. The example shows how quickly a familiar distribution route had to be replaced.
The Hunt
Political controversy and circumstances following violent attacks delayed the planned 2019 release. Its 2020 theatrical arrival then encountered the pandemic. The case interests me because successive external events can endanger a project regardless of whether it is finished.
Snowpiercer
Bong Joon-ho’s film encountered a dispute over cuts in English-language distribution. The uncut version eventually reached audiences through a more limited route. The struggle concerns not only release but which version can be shown at all.
The Cabin in the Woods
MGM’s financial problems left the completed horror film waiting for release. A new distributor eventually brought it to cinemas in 2012. The case shows how an inventive film can become a stranded asset through no fault of its own.
The New Mutants
Repeated delays and changing corporate circumstances marked the long journey from filming to release. Its 2020 arrival also encountered the pandemic. For me, this case particularly shows how scheduling can make a new film feel old before release.
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
Terry Gilliam’s film survived decades of failed attempts. Even completion did not end the conflicts threatening its route to audiences. For me, it is an exceptional story of persistence: finishing production was far from finishing the struggle.
The Other Side of the Wind
Orson Welles began filming in 1970 but did not live to see release. Netflix later acquired rights and financed completion; the film appeared in 2018. Decades later, stranded material finally became a work audiences could see.
The Current War
After its 2017 festival version, the collapse of its original release environment derailed the planned launch. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon later released a reworked version. Rescue also created another opportunity to realise his own conception of the film.
Margaret
Kenneth Lonergan’s drama waited years after filming for release. Disputes over editing and control ultimately led to an extremely small opening. Its later recognition makes the distance between its value and original visibility particularly striking for me.