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Joe Cianciotto Lists Successful Movies that Changed Directors
When the first Superman movie was released in 1978, it became a huge hit and cultural phenomenon. Its sequel, Superman II, is worthy in its own right, and some pundits even consider the sequel a better film than the first. Regardless, fans, moviegoers, and film buffs like Joe Cianciotto are thankful that Superman II even made it to the theaters.
Near the end of the production, Richard Donner, the original director who also helmed the first Superman, was fired via telegram due to repeated clashes with the producers. Richard Lester was given the task of completing the movie. The film was largely re-shot, which explains the many continuity errors in the film.
Some say that it takes a village to make a movie. The process is notoriously difficult and can be prone to various setbacks. One such challenge is losing a director, notes movie buff Joe Cianciotto. In some productions, directors are fired. Others quit for differing reasons. Even so, several films managed to overcome the loss and still ended up as a success. Some examples are listed below.
Spartacus (1960)
Shooting a high-budget ancient Roman war epic can understandably be intimidating, especially during the late 1950s when technology was not as advanced as it is now. Original director Anthony Mann took the helm of the extensive production. But three weeks in, the production was over budget and running late.
A 30-year-old Stanley Kubrick was brought in to salvage the film; the rest is history. Spartacus was critically acclaimed that it won four Academy Awards.
Jaws (1975)
Jaws is no doubt one of the most iconic films in history. It helped launch Steven Spielberg's legendary career when he was only 26 years old. But did you know he wasn't the movie's initial director? According to Joe Cianciotto, the first director was Dick Richards, but he was dropped for a hilarious reason; he kept referring to the shark as a whale.
Fortunately, Spielberg was more than capable of leading the production. A commercial and critical hit, Jaws is considered the first-ever summer blockbuster.
Superman II (1980)
Shooting a high-budget ancient Roman war epic can understandably be intimidating, especially during the late 1950s when technology was not as advanced as it is now. Original director Anthony Mann took the helm of the extensive production. But three weeks in, the production was over budget and running late.
A 30-year-old Stanley Kubrick was brought in to salvage the film; the rest is history. Spartacus was critically acclaimed that it won four Academy Awards.
Jaws (1975)
Jaws is no doubt one of the most iconic films in history. It helped launch Steven Spielberg's legendary career when he was only 26 years old. But did you know he wasn't the movie's initial director? According to Joe Cianciotto, the first director was Dick Richards, but he was dropped for a hilarious reason; he kept referring to the shark as a whale.
Superman II (1980)
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Near the end of the production, Richard Donner, the original director who also helmed the first Superman, was fired via telegram due to repeated clashes with the producers. Richard Lester was given the task of completing the movie. The film was largely re-shot, which explains the many continuity errors in the film.
