Last Updated on August 3, 2021
#1 – TORSO
Ehren Kruger was set to adapt Brian Michael Bendis’ graphic novel about the Cleveland Torso Killer and the investigation headed up by none other than THE UNTOUCHABLES’ Elliot Ness. Matt Damon was tied to the project for a long while, but it would have represented a return to the same tone and style as Fincher’s trademark film, SEVEN. This one could still happen, but if not it will remain one of Fincher’s biggest missed projects.
#2 – RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA
Another potential SEVEN reunion, this time with Morgan Freeman, RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA would have been Fincher’s most ambitious film yet and definitely one scifi fans have been anticipating for decades. From 2008 to 2010, it looked like it may happen, but then Fincher declared the project dead. We may never see the version of the tale we deserve, but hopefully someone like Fincher makes it happen.
#3 – BLACK DAHLIA
L.A. CONFIDENTIAL author James Ellroy is looked at as a top voice in noir fiction, but just imagine what a collaboration between him and Fincher could have been like. While the Brian De Palma version of THE BLACK DAHLIA was awful, there is still hope that Fincher and Ellroy may work together on a proposed HBO series. I am holding out hope Fincher will direct, but something is better than nothing.
#4 – 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA
Another project we recently learned to be dead in the water, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA suffered from too much studio involvement. Fincher wanted to make a massive budgeted blockbuster on his own terms but the House of Mouse was not ready to gamble with that much money, especially in the wake of THE LONE RANGER and JOHN CARTER.
#5 – REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD
David Fincher has long stated his love for the original novel that inspired the 1975 movie starring Margot Kidder. While the original movie did not excite critics, Fincher was set to reteam with SEVEN writer Andrew Kevin Walker which would have guaranteed the dream-centric thriller would have at least been scary as hell. Since 2009, this has remained a passion project for Fincher but with not much progress. He was set to make it his next film after THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON, but still nothing.
#6 – BLACK HOLE
A phenomenally weird black and white comic series by Charles Burns, BLACK HOLE was collected in book form back in 2005. Fincher was connected to the movie for a few years beginning in 2008 but abandoned it when he began work on THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. The dark film about supernatural STDs would have made one hell of a wacky movie, especially with Fincher at the helm. Rupert Sanders was recently attached, but he is no Fincher.
#7 – THE GOON
Set to be David Fincher’s first animated film, THE GOON was set to star the voices of Clancy Brown as The Goon and Paul Giamatti as Franky. There was even a great animated test reel online. The Kickstarter campaign in 2012 raised over $400,000 for the movie which has yet to see the light of day. Fincher may step back as producer only, assuming the movie ever gets made.
#8 – CHEMICAL PINK
This sexually-tinged novel from Kate Arnoldi follows the underground world of female bodybuilders and came with the seal of approval from FIGHT CLUB author Chuck Palahniuk. Fincher optioned the novel and Arnoldi was set to write the screenplay, but it fizzled in the development stages. It would definitely have had a female FIGHT CLUB slant to it, so I recommend giving it a read.
#9 – Steve Jobs biopic
Another project that got through the scripting stages, the biopic would have reunited Aaron Sorkin and Fincher from their collaboration on THE SOCIAL NETWORK. Alas, Fincher wanted the studio to cast Christian Bale as Steve Jobs, but they butted heads with the director and he walked. As of now, there is still no word on whether the biopic will still be coming or not.
#10 – STAR WARS: EPISODE VII
We just recently learned from Fincher that he met with Disney regarding the directorial duties on the upcoming sequel. In his early career, Fincher worked for George Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic on movies like RETURN OF THE JEDI and INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM. Naturally, he would have slipped right back in to the galaxy far, far away, but Lucasfilm instead decided to play it a bit safer and went with the less edgy J.J. Abrams.
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