The following is a list of unproduced Paul Greengrass projects in roughly chronological order. During his long career, British filmmaker Paul Greengrass has worked on several projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction. Some of these projects fell in development hell, were officially canceled, were in development limbo or would see life under a different production team.
Greengrass was set to direct a biopic about Jimi Hendrix for Legendary Pictures, with Max Borenstein writing the screenplay, and Anthony Mackie set to star, but on December 15, 2010, it was announced the project had been stalled over objections from the Hendrix estate.[4] On May 7, 2015, it was announced that the project was back in development, with Experience Hendrix now on board with the project, Scott Silver set to write the screenplay, and no actor attached to play Hendrix.[5][6]
Memphis
On January 12, 2011, Greengrass was set to direct and write Memphis, about the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., with Scott Rudin producing and Focus Features distributing.[7] In April of that same year, Universal canceled the project.[8] On November 23, it was reported that Access Industries' Icon UK outfit were in talks to back the project.[9] On November 16, 2012, it was reported that Greengrass and Rudin had revived the project, with Wild Bunch and Veritas Films in talks to finance the project.[10]
The Fear Index film
On August 25, 2011, Greengrass was set to direct a film adaptation of Robert Harris’ novel The Fear Index with Peter Chernin, Dylan Clark and Jenno Topping producing, and 20th Century Fox distributing. The novel was eventually adapted into a television miniseries without Greengrass’ involvement.[11][12]
Joe Weisberg’s CIA TV series
On November 17, 2011, Greengrass was set to executive produce Joe Weisberg’s CIA drama series with Brian Grazer producing through Imagine Entertainment and Fox set to air the series.[13]
Barca documentary
On May 17, 2012, Greengrass was going to direct “Barca,” a documentary about FC Barcelona, with Richard Brown & John Carlin producing through Anonymous Content.[14]
On July 24, 2013, Greengrass was set to direct a movie about the Chicago 7, with Aaron Sorkin writing the screenplay, Scott Rudin producing with Thomas Augsberger and DreamWorks Pictures set to distribute,[16] but in September of that same year, Greengrass dropped out as the director; Sorkin would ultimately direct the film himself.[17][18]
The Director film
On January 15, 2014, Greengrass was set to direct and write the feature film adaptation of David Ignatius’s novel The Director for Columbia Pictures, with Michael De Luca, Scott Rudin, and Hannah Minghella set to produce.[19]
Agent Storm film
On July 28, 2014, Greengrass was set to direct and potentially write the film adaptation of Morten Storm, Paul Cruickshank and Tim Lister’s novel Agent Storm about Storm’s troubled youth to Islamic Radical and CIA double-agent in Yemen with Scott Rudin producing the movie.[20]
On October 24, 2014, Greengrass was hired to direct the feature film adaptation of Greg Mitchell’s non-fiction book The Tunnels, with Mark Gordon producing the film with FilmNation.[23] On September 22, 2015, Tobias Lindholm was hired to write the screenplay for the project.[24]
1984 film
On November 19, 2014, Greengrass was set to direct and produce a new feature film adaptation of George Orwell’s novel 1984, with James Graham writing the screenplay, Scott Rudin and Gina Rosenblum set to produce and Columbia Pictures distributing.[25] In April 2017, it was reported that Graham and Greengrass were rewriting the screenplay in the wake of the 2016 United States presidential election and presidency of Donald Trump.[26] In February 2020, Graham revealed the project had been shelved after he and Greengrass found it difficult to write the screenplay.[27]
Ness/Torso film
On March 27, 2017, Greengrass was set to direct Ness, a film adaptation of Brian Michael Bendis and Marc Andreyko’s graphic novel Torso, and adapted by Brian Helgeland about Eliot Ness' investigation into the Cleveland Torso Murderer; Greengrass would also produce the film alongside Bendis, Andreyko, John Davis, Greg Goodman, John Fox, and David Engel, with Paramount Pictures was set to distribute.[28] On May 8, 2018, it was announced that Paramount had abandoned the film, and would let the rights revert back to Bendis and Andreyko.[29]
On May 20, 2022, Greengrass was set to direct the historical action drama script The Hood about the 1381 Peasants' Revolt, with Benedict Cumberbatch set to star, Cross Creek Pictures financing and Tyler Thompson producing with Gregory Goodman.[31]
Fairy Tale film
On September 15, 2022, Greengrass was set to direct and write the feature film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Fairy Tale, with Greg Goodman producing with Greengrass.[32] On October 6, it was announced that Universal Pictures had acquired the distribution rights.[33]
On October 16, 2024, it was announced that the book would instead be developed as a ten-episode television series by A24, with Greengrass serving as executive producer alongside King, Peter Rice, and J. H. Wyman, who was also expected to serve as showrunner; Greengrass was also in negotiations to direct.[34]
On April 25, 2011, it was reported that Greengrass was offered to direct the film Travis McGee, based on the novel The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald. The project, set up at 20th Century Fox, was being written by Dana Stevens and Kario Salem, with Peter Chernin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amy Robinson, and Jennifer Davisson-Killoran set to produce.[37] Ultimately, Greengrass did not come aboard the project, with James Mangold instead signing on to direct in March 2014; the project would ultimately be shelved by Fox in August 2015 due to star Christian Bale's knee injury.[38][39]
Here There Be Monsters
Also on April 25, 2011, Greengrass was reported to be one of several directors being considered to direct Here There Be Monsters, a fictionalized story centred on Scottish-American naval officer John Paul Jones being written by Brian Helgeland for Legendary Pictures,[37] but on July 26, 2011, Robert Zemeckis got the offer instead of Greengrass.[40]
On April 7, 2016, Greengrass was reportedly offered in a bidding war to direct the film adaptation of T. J. English's historical novel The Corporation, a fictionalized story centered on Cuban exile Jose Miguel Battle Sr., aka El Padrino, with Scott Rudin & Amy Pascal producing for Columbia Pictures, but gave up over the price of the adaptation rights.[44]