the best movies never made

[Graf von Dürn]

Guy Ritchie's Waterloo (2013)
Waterloo is a british comedy, about the english poet Sir John Harrington and his invention of the first working watercloset at the behest of Queen Elisabeth in 1596. Kit Harrington's performance in the role of his excentric ancestor is lauded as "hillariously brilliant" and Lena Headey's performance as the Virgin Queen Elisabeth I. is simply unbelievable. The movie gives a suprisingly realistic and well researched account of intrigue and rivalries at court in the 16th century. The rather dark political plots in the background get broken up with dry british humor and slapstick.

Director: Guy Ritchie
Kit Harrington as Sir John Harrington
Lena Headey as Elisabeth I.
Benedict Cumberbatch as William Shakespear
Iain Glen as Sir Francis Drake

 

[Sekhmet_D]

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954)
Same movie as OTL but the Vulcania subplot is removed entirely.

The Nautilus instead sails to Atlantis (and really, damn shame that wasn't in the movie), where a warship from Nemo's enemy nation attacks. The Nautilus is then forced to flee to the North Pole, where Nemo plants his flag below the icy depths (again, another scene from the book that sadly didn't make it into the movie).

After leaving the North Pole, the giant squid attack goes as it was OTL.

After this, the fleet of warships that tried to invade Vulcania from the OTL movie ambush Nemo after the squid attack and instead pursue Nemo into the maelstrom from the end of the book. Professor Arronax, Ned Land, and Conseil still manage to escape with Esmerelda the sea lion.

You know, it never bummed me too much that the original film deviated from the book with the Vulcania subplot, in that Vulcania allowed for a spectacular incorporation of Nemo's knowledge of nuclear power. I also suspected, but of course could not prove, that they did away with the Maelstrom because they didn't think they could convincingly depict its ferocity with the available special effects of the time.

I love your retention of Atlantis, though. Does your version reveal Nemo's actual nation of origin and that of his persecutors?

 

[AHFan]

Succession: limited series about George W Bush and Jeb Bush as they attempt to win the white house

The Firm: suspense. Movie about a ball boy who notices problem with the football before the big game.

A Bridge too Far: comedy series about the Pennsylvania department of transportation

 

[Peg Leg Pom]

A Summer Place 1959 (Banned until 1972)

Step Siblings Sandra Dee and Troy Donahue are left to manage the family rental cottages while their parents enjoy their month long honeymoon cruise. At first distant from each other an unwanted attraction grows between them. They struggle to resist this attraction until a sudden storm strands them alone in one of the cottages without power and soaked to the skin. Huddling together in front of a fire to get warm and dry off, one thing leads to another and they make love. Having broken the incest taboo they continue their affair even after their parents return. Eventually the inevitable happens and Sandra falls pregnant. Knowing they'd never be accepted the two lovers disappear one stormy night and are never seen again.

 

[kaijudirector]

You know, it never bummed me too much that the original film deviated from the book with the Vulcania subplot, in that Vulcania allowed for a spectacular incorporation of Nemo's knowledge of nuclear power. I also suspected, but of course could not prove, that they did away with the Maelstrom because they didn't think they could convincingly depict its ferocity with the available special effects of the time.

I love your retention of Atlantis, though. Does your version reveal Nemo's actual nation of origin and that of his persecutors?

Nope. Still fairly vague as per the book.

 

[Duke Andrew of Dank]

Santa Fe's Memphis Division

When most railfans think "Santa Fe", they imagine fast running through the farmlands of Kansas and Oklahoma or the deserts of New Mexico and Arizona. However, there plenty of other Santa Fe lines that deserve more attention - including the Memphis Division from its namesake city northwest to Winfield, Kansas via Joplin, Missouri. The terrain covered by this line is a wonderful contrast between the Mississippi Delta, the Ozarks, and the Great Plains. Pentrex has captured the entire division as it was in 1987, with sed, silver, and yellow Warbonnet diesels at the head of fast manifest trains, and older Bluebonnet diesels serving as helpers or on local trains.

Our coverage of the Memphis division begins in Castalia Heights Yard, Santa Fe's main yard in the Memphis area. Here we see a fair detail of yard and switching action, as well as a tour of the locomotive shops and transfer runs from the Southern and MoRock yards nearby. Running across the Mississippi River into Arkansas, we enjoy fast running as trains dash west to Searcy, then turn northwest to Heber Springs. At Heber Springs the line's topography changes from flat running to treachorous climbs through the Ozark Mountains. This part of the route features one of the Santa Fe's main helper districts, and we see these diesels pushing the trains up the tortorous grades of the line until finally reaching flatter ground again at Neosho, Missouri. From there it's a quick run to Joplin, before continuing in the final miles to Winfield. The Santa Fe is a favorite railroad for enthusiasts no matter the territory, but if you want to see the Santa Fe manifests, locals, and work trains in a less familiar territory, the answer lies in Santa Fe's Memphis Division.

An Adventure in the Pearl State: The Railways of Cuba

In 1988, Pentrex traveled further south than ever before to sample the rail action in the state of Cuba. On top of a vibrant, storied culture and tropical fun for those present, the Pearl State is also quite well-known for its network of both state-owned and private industrial railroads which at the time felt like a time portal to what railroading was like on the American mainland just a few decades earlier.

Incredible scenes from this tape show the state-owned mainline from the state capital of Havana south to Santiago, which at the time was mainly powered by four-axle diesels in a paint scheme remniscent of the state flag. Similarly aged diesels like the EMD FP7 were also present on the noticably less fequent passenger trains. Included is the busy docks at Havana, where the Cuba State Railway loads cars full of sugar on to train ferries for a trip to the Southern Railway docks at Key West, Florida and then return empty to Cuba. We will also take a brief ride on board the Hershey Electric Railway, which the famous chocolate company still operates as a tourist draw.

Leaving the busy and vibrant Havana area, we get to see action at the various sugar mills throughout the state's rural southeast. The majority of these lines use diesel switchers that are often purchased second-hand from railroads on the mainland. However, some of the shorter line instead use the small but sturdy six-wheel John Deere 8850DS locomotives. These smaller diesels handle large carloads of sugar beet to junctions with the mainline, where they are coupled to the bigger freight trains for transport to all parts of both Cuba and the mainland. In addition the usual cane trains, some of these lines have also maintained and restored some of the steam engines from the old days, and often use the locomotives on weekend excursions or special charter events for interested tourists. Pentex was invited on board the cab of a 1906 Baldwin Mogul that was taking part in these events, and recorded the sights and sounds of this husky hauler!

Pentrex's Steam Classics Collection: Slightly different versions of the OTL Southern Pacific Cab Forward Collection, Union Pacific Big Boy Collection, and Southern Pacific Daylight Collection programs are part of this same series.

New York Central Hudson Collection

For four decades, the New York Central Railroad looked to its 4-6-4 Hudson class steam engines to provide the speed and power necessary for its crack passenger trains. It was a job the Hudsons performed at flawlessly from 1923 until 1963, when the last of these legends were dropped from service, but with many living into preservation. Pentrex has complied an excellent collection of authentic sound footage of these engines strutting their stuff from the 1930s up until their last days, including from our own archives and the NYC's own corporate archives as well as elite members of the New York Central System Historical Society.

We cover all the NYC Hudsons from the original J-1as to the J-3as, as they power every passenger train immaginable, from the famous name trains to local passenger trains to mail trains. While most of the program is located on the famed Water Level Route, we also see plenty of action with the Hudsons on the Boston & Albany, Michigan Central, and "Big Four" lines. Included is a special segment dedicated entirely to the locomotives semi-streamlined by Henry Dreyfuss for the iconic 20th Century Limited from New York to Chicago and the Empire State Express from New York to Buffalo, as well as how Dreyfuss redesigned the streamlining to accomodate for later upgrades to the locomotives. You'll even see a fair number of Hudsons on fast freight trains like the famous Pacemakers as the steam era entered its final days.

Pentrex's coverage of the Hudsons does end there, though. There is also an entire segment dedicated to Hudsons 5433 and 5452, which joined the New York Central's steam excursion program which lasted until 1972. You'll enjoy the sights and sounds as these Hudsons pull excursions alone, double-heading with each other, or double-heading with the Mohawks, Niagaras, and Mikados that also were part of the excursion fleet. Also included is a segment detailing the post-retirement lives of various other Hudson survivors, including footage of J3a 5418 making her way to the National Railway Museum in Green Bay under her own power. Concluding the modern-era analysis is J3a 5433 heading parts of the American Freedom Train in 1976, and the restoration of J3a 5452 with her new name "Henry Dreyfuss" by the Niagara Falls NRHS Branch in the 1980s. Come for the ride on the best of America's greatest passenger locomotives in The New York Central Hudson Collection!

The Complete Challenger Collection

The 4-6-6-4 wheel arrangement, known more affectionately as the Challenger, was easily among the most common of all the articulated steam locomotives in North America during the age of steam. These rare scenes recorded by Ken Griffith, Bruce Ward, Emery Gulash, and several other photographers has allowed Pentrex to dedicate an entire program to the different Challenger type locomotives that once roamed North American railroads.
- The Union Pacific: The railroad that first operated the Challenger type. You'll see both the original 1933 order of Challengers, and the later models built around the same time as the famous Big Boys. You'll see plenty of action with the locomotives on the Transcontinental Route from North Platte, Nebraska, through Wyoming, all the way to Ogden, Utah. There's also some of the only known footage of Challengers in action on the lines through Idaho, southwestern Montana, and eastern Oregon alongside the UP's FSF-1 clones of Canada's Royal Hudsons. Speaking of Canada...
- Northern Pacific Z-6s: These locomotives are seen mainly on the NP mainline in North Dakota and Montana with fast freights. However, other scenes of these engines include assisting diesel-powered freight and passenger trains over Stampede Pass in Washington. We'll also see some action with the SP&S' oil-fired clones as they speed through the Columbia River Valley.
- Canadian Pacific Y1s: Distinct from their Union Pacific contemporaries by their oil firing and Belpaire fireboxes, you'll see these Canadian giants on a variety of routes radiating out of Calgary, Alberta. While most of the footage focuses on the Challengers running east through the praries of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, there is a fair amount of footage of the locomotives working in the British Columbian Rockies with both heavy freight and passenger trains. Also included near the end of this segment is footage in Quebec and eastern Ontario of the coal-fired Challengers formerly belonging to subsidiary Delaware & Hudson. Distinguishable by their Deep Blue coloring in contrast to CP's standard Tuscan Red, these locomotives had been displaced by D&H electrification, and were finishing their careers with a bang.
- Louisville & Nashville O-1: Articulateds, and big steam in general, were a rare sight in the Deep South. But the L&N operated these Baldwin-built Challengers on its lines north of Atlanta into the mountain country of east-central Tennessee to Knoxville and on subsidiary NC&StL to Nashville. In addition to the numerous coal trains that ran through the region, you'll also see the O-1s assisting passenger trains like the Dixie Limited to Chicago and the Flamingo to Cincinnati and Detroit.
- Rio Grande L-105: Much like rival Union Pacific, the Rio Grande was well known for big articulated steam on fast trains. These Challengers can be seen at the head of manifest and merchandise freights through such locations as Tennessee Pass and through Moffat Tunnel in Colorado, on the St. George line through southwestern Utah and on the former Western Pacific's Feather River Canyon route.
- Chlinchfield E-1: Far from the traditional territory of the Rocky Mountains, the Clinchfield was an Appillachian coal-hauling railroad. And the demand for a powerful, fast machine during World War II led to the railroad ordering several open-cab clones of the D&H J class, itself a coal-fired derivative of the Canadian Pacific Y1s. You'll see these locomotives working the Clinchfield loops with long, heavy coal trains.

Most Challengers may have long since been scrapped. But you can relive the memories with the Complete Challenger Collection from Pentrex.

Canadian National Confederation Collection

From the late 1920s until the very end of steam, the Canadian National Railway and its American constituents looked to the 4-8-4 locomotives, which they called "Confederations", for power on the system's fastest trains. Pentrex has dug deep into its own vaults and those of amateur contributors and CN's own archives to provide the most in-depth look of one of Canada's most beloved steam locomotives. Pentrex has managed to complete the near-impossible feat of chornicalling every class and subclass of Confederations from the original U-2s to the U-4-c rebuilds, with everything inbetween from the mixed-traffic U-3 series to the sleek and powerful U-4-a and U-4-b streamliners. With their Scullen drivers, belpaire fireboxes, all-weather cabs, and Kylchap exhaust systems, Confederations were some of the most technologically advanced steam engines ever built.

We start with a brief history of 4-8-4s on the Canadian National. Including the first U-2 being tested and sent to the CN in 1927. From there, we follow the different subclasses of Confederations as they make their way across Canada, often carrying "Kegger" water tenders to enable longer distances without water stops. The U-4 subclass engines were the primary motive power for the "Great Canadian Fleet" of CNR passenger trains, and you will see them doing what they do best as they whisk these trains through eastern Canada to points west. In addition we see footage of the Confederations working various trains in the United States like a U-2-c leading the Twin Capitals from Ottawa; over the NYO&W to the PRR in New York and GTW Confederations leading the Cavalier to Chicago through Michigan and northwest Indiana. Most of this footage is initially in Ontario and Quebec, particularly on the mainline from Sarnia, Ontario east to Halifax, with scenes of the engines at the Spadina roundhouse in Toronto, Turcot roundhouse in Montreal, and Transcona shops in Winnipeg. However, there's plenty of footage later in the program which shows the Confederations in the Canadian Rockies of Alberta and British Columbia, often pulling passenger trains doubleheaded or with helpers on the final leg to the West Coast.

Concluding this program is Pentrex's tradition of covering the class in preserved life. To that end, we sample footage of fan trips from two different time periods. First, the Canadian National's operations of 6167, 6213, 6218, and 6402 on excursions in the 1960s. Then, we come back in the 2000s as 6218 returns to service, and is joined by her Grand Trunk cousin 6323 on some excursions again in Ontario and in Michigan. If you're a fan of Canadian steam, then Pentrex offers you a change of pace from the usual American fare with the Canadian National Confederation Collection!

OOC: Like with many of my other railfan film ideas, @TheMann deserves credit for inspiration thanks to both his own ideas and critiques he has given to my ideas in the past. As well as letting me derive some of the ideas presented in these videos from his own.

 

[kaijudirector]

The Shoot Down King (1979)
The life and legend of IJANS' top scorer of the Pacific War, Testuzo "Tetsu" Iwamoto. Produced by Toei, directed by Sadao Nakajima and stars Tetsuya Watari as the fighter ace. Hot on the heels of Toho's previous Samurai of the Skies movie starring Hiroshi Fujioka, the film mainly drew inspiration from Iwamoto's memoirs and paints a thrilling, if nationalistic and exaggerated (albeit sobering, at times) portrait of the legendary ace. Also depicts Iwamoto's postwar years where he battled depression and ill health until his death at 38. Released in the US as King of the Zeroes.

Credit to @Sekhmet_D for inspiring me via their post here: https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/top-tv-shows-never-made.51488/page-85#post-24786720

 

[Sekhmet_D]

The Shoot Down King (1979)
The life and legend of IJANS' top scorer of the Pacific War, Testuzo "Tetsu" Iwamoto. Produced by Toei, directed by Sadao Nakajima and stars Tetsuya Watari as the fighter ace. Hot on the heels of Toho's previous Samurai of the Skies movie starring Hiroshi Fujioka, the film mainly drew inspiration from Iwamoto's memoirs and paints a thrilling, if nationalistic and exaggerated (albeit sobering, at times) portrait of the legendary ace. Also depicts Iwamoto's postwar years where he battled depression and ill health until his death at 38. Released in the US as King of the Zeroes.

Credit to @Sekhmet_D for inspiring me via their post here: https://www.alternatehistory.com/forum/threads/top-tv-shows-never-made.51488/page-85#post-24786720

I love how you decided to make it a 1970s production as opposed to a modern one. Watari is an inspired piece of casting given his history of playing maverick lone wolf heroes fighting against overwhelming odds; by all accounts Iwamoto was something of an outspoken individualist who was not averse to getting himself in trouble for the greater good (I wish someone would translate his diary for foreign readers already; it's worth its weight in gold regardless of its sometimes extravagant claims). Nakajima is outwardly an atypical choice given how he is usually known for his crime dramas but I suppose he and Watari would have been eminently comfortable with each other as a result of that, and a crime drama director would have done great justice to Iwamoto's gritty postwar struggles. Perhaps the combat portions might have received some input from master of mayhem Kinji Fukasaku, whom Watari also worked with in the past?

 

[kaijudirector]

I love how you decided to make it a 1970s production as opposed to a modern one. Watari is an inspired piece of casting given his history of playing maverick lone wolf heroes fighting against overwhelming odds; by all accounts Iwamoto was something of an outspoken individualist who was not averse to getting himself in trouble for the greater good (I wish someone would translate his diary for foreign readers already; it's worth its weight in gold regardless of its sometimes extravagant claims). Nakajima is outwardly an atypical choice given how he is usually known for his crime dramas but I suppose he and Watari would have been eminently comfortable with each other as a result of that, and a crime drama director would have done great justice to Iwamoto's gritty postwar struggles. Perhaps the combat portions might have received some input from master of mayhem Kinji Fukasaku, whom Watari also worked with in the past?

Kinji is too much of a rebel IMO. I almost picked Kosaku Yamashita, but he has a tendency to lean way too much toward the rightist aspects in his war movies. Nakajima I find a reliable director who can balance the story's themes better.

 

[Sekhmet_D]

Kinji is too much of a rebel IMO. I almost picked Kosaku Yamashita, but he has a tendency to lean way too much toward the rightist aspects in his war movies. Nakajima I find a reliable director who can balance the story's themes better.

That's entirely fair, no worries - on second thought Fukasaku might end up going overboard with the carnage lol.

Iwamoto's most prominent supporting characters would be his mentor Toshio Kuroiwa and his best friend Yoshimi Minami* - might I suggest a moustached Yujiro Ishihara for the former and Akira Terao for the latter given their frequent collaborations with Watari?

Lastly, I thought this model kit artwork of Iwamoto and his mount might make a great basis for your film's promotional poster.

* As per RL, Iwamoto serves in China with both Kuroiwa and Minami. Minami, flying from Shokaku, continues fighting by his side during every operation from Pearl Harbor to Coral Sea. Unfortunately neither Kuroiwa nor Minami survive the war, Kuroiwa disappearing during a routine transport flight off Malaya and Minami dying as a kamikaze at Leyte - Minami volunteering for the kamikazes despite Iwamoto being on record as opposed to suicide tactics could make for some heartwrenching drama.

 

[kaijudirector]

That's entirely fair, no worries - on second thought Fukasaku might end up going overboard with the carnage lol.

Iwamoto's most prominent supporting characters would be his mentor Toshio Kuroiwa and his best friend Yoshimi Minami* - might I suggest a moustached Yujiro Ishihara for the former and Akira Terao for the latter given their frequent collaborations with Watari?

Lastly, I thought this model kit artwork of Iwamoto and his mount might make a great basis for your film's promotional poster.

Tempted to go with Yoshio Harada as Minami actually!

Great choice with the art though!

 

[S. Marlowski]

A Soviet Life (2017): A bio-pic about a Leningrad resident named Anatoly Ivanov, following his life throughout the existence of the Soviet Union, from events like the October Revolution of 1917, the Russian Civil War, Collectivization and the Great Purges, WWII (mainly around the Siege of Leningrad), the Death of Stalin, Cold War, Brezhnev's rule, Glasnost and Perestroika, and finally the Collapse of the USSR and Communist toward the end of Ivanov's life.

 

[Driftless]

A Soviet Life (2017): A bio-pic about a Leningrad resident named Anatoly Ivanov, following his life throughout the existence of the Soviet Union, from events like the October Revolution of 1917, the Russian Civil War, Collectivization and the Great Purges, WWII (mainly around the Siege of Leningrad), the Death of Stalin, Cold War, Brezhnev's rule, Glasnost and Perestroika, and finally the Collapse of the USSR and Communist toward the end of Ivanov's life.

Love it!

I could imagine Brian Cox doing brief voice overs connecting the eras.

 

[kinnikuniverse]

Okay, so, just to make sure, this thread is just for twisting existing movies based on its title, or can it also be about actual interesting-sounding films that were never made or fixing bad movies?

 

[kirbopher15]

Okay, so, just to make sure, this thread is just for twisting existing movies based on its title, or can it also be about actual interesting-sounding films that were never made or fixing bad movies?

Why not all of the above

 

[kinnikuniverse]

Driven (2001)

Genre: Sports Movie, Docufiction
Director: Paul Newman
Starring: Heath Ledger, Paul Newman, Michael Keaton and dozens of Indycar stars and cars!

 Sypnosis
The movie follows young driver Jimmy Bly (Heath Ledger), who finds himself running out of money at the end of the Indy Lights season, losing out on the title because of it. His brother (Robert Sean Leonard), who had become his agent, managed to get him a new sponsor and sign with the rebuilding Newman-Haas team, who lost Michael Andretti to a rival team (a plot point that would actually happen IRL in the 2001 season), being put under the wing of grizzled veteran Joe Tanto (Michael Keaton), who lost everything on his quest for an ever elusive win at the Indy 500.

The movie shows the ups and downs of a race car driver, with Jimmy struggling with the media attention and respsonsibilities of a modern driver, as well as the inside outs of the Indycar racing world through Jimmy and Joe's experiences and bonding.

BEHIND THE MOVIE

Actor Paul Newman, who had been involved in Indycar racing since the 80s, always had the dream of making the indycar equivalent of the famed 1966 film Grand Prix. Filmed over the 2000 Indycar World Series season, and featuring exclusive access to Newman-Haas chassis provider Swift's factory, among others, the movie was notable for its lack of CGI, with Newman prefering to film the races as authentically as possible, really honing in on the Grand Prix (1966) influences, and he wanted the portrayal of the world of motorsports and the performances to be as authentic as possible, presented in a docufiction format.

While Michael Keaton was the most notable name in the cast outside Newman, he had a makeover to make him utterly unrecognisable, with his long hair and beard, with the majority of the cast being composed of unknown actors to sell the docufiction illusion. Heath Ledger, a young australian actor, received praise for his orotrayal of Jimmy Bly as a young man who gets increasingly overwhelmed by life on the fast lane and the nature of the sport he competes in. The movie has also been praised for the realism of its racing scenes, featuring famed Indycar locales like Indianapolis, Adelaide, Australia, Twin Ring Motegi, Road America, Toronto, Michigan, Homestead Miami, Long Beach and Fontana, as well as appearances from Indycar stars of the era like Juan Pablo Montoya, Tony Kanaan, Helio Castroneves, Michael Andretti, Tony Stewart, Greg Moore, Adrian Fernandez, Paul Tracy and Jeff Gordon.

 

[Duke Andrew of Dank]

"So long-eh, Tripp!"
- Nigel Hicks' nervous, failed attempt to lighten the mood after the infamous pigtails scene.

Matilda (2004)

The idea to adapt Roald Dahl's 1988 novel Matilda as a movie was first raised as early as 1993 with a screenplay by Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord. Due to a hostile attitude from Dahl however, they were unable to get the film off the ground. However, the film would re-enter serious production in 2001 when per the suggestion of new producers at Fox, musician Tim Minchin was approached with the idea of making the film into a musical. Starting with Danny DeVito on the director's chair and financial backing from Fox, the film would quickly pick up steam again.

Like the original novel, the film focuses on the story of precocious Matilda Wormwood and her life under her TV-obsessed parents, who despise literature and ban her from bringing it home from the library or school. The turning point in Matilda's life proves to be at the privately-run Crunchem Hall Elementary School, where she gets on the bad side of Principal Agatha Trunchbull due to her father selling the tyrannical headmistress a jalopy. Eventually, the bright side to the Crunchem Hall life becomes apparent in the gentle, motherly teacher Miss Honey, who forms an especially strong bond with Matilda. Eventually though, the combind toxocity of Matilda's two lives manifests itself in her developing supernatural powers - which may prove to be her ticket to a happier life.

Cast
Matilda Wormwood: Chloe Grace Mortez
Jennifer Honey: Amy Adams
Agatha Trunchbull: Dawn French
Mr. Wormwood: Danny DeVito
Mrs. Wormwood: Kate Chapsaw
Lavender: Claire Corrlett
Horensia: Britt McKillip**
Amanda Thripp: Lilliana Mumy

** McKillip was discovered at a talent workship when DeVito was on vacation in Vancouver, and was the first choice to play Matilda herself. However, she was deemed too old by the time the film entered serious production, and was given Hortensia as a middle ground. Likewise, Corrlett was cast due to her father, voice actor Ian James Corrlett, ingratiating himself with DeVito when he voice-acted for an unproduced animated project that DeVito was involved in.
​

Upon release, the film proved to be a surprise hit, which would lead to a stage retelling in 2008. Mortez and Adams particularly would achieve indisputable stardom in the years that followed (with a catalog of successful TV roles also helping Adams) which they maintain to this day. Minchin would also continue to work regularly with Fox, which would lead to him composing music for Hasbro's toyetic animated series when they became shows on Fox's The Cub Den channel.

 

[kaijudirector]

Rocky IV (1985)
Pretty much the same movie, but it sticks a lot more to the original shooting script (https://assets.scriptslug.com/live/pdf/scripts/rocky-iv-1985.pdf), which has a LOT of deleted scenes not in the finished movie and the director's cut.

• Another press conference sequence and training montage with Apollo
• Mary-Anne Creed chewing Rocky out after Apollo dies
• The Balboas getting harassed by the FBI and by patriots/veterans groups
• Rocky going on national TV to explain his actions RE the Drago fight
• There's only one training montage in Siberia (the DRAGOOOOO one) and after Adrian arives and talks with Rocky, it cuts to the fight

Otherwise, I'll mostly borrow Fanscription's suggested changes, mainly Apollo living and becoming a cripple and having some conflict with Rocky regarding his choice to throw in the towel. Also since one of the FBI agents in the script is named Holmes, he'll be played by Larry Holmes for this one.

Rocky V (1990)
Following up on the above altered Rocky IV, mine would be a mix of Fanscripton's version and the Workprint. To wit:

• The movie skips five years after the Drago fight, just like Fanscription
• George Washington Duke's surname is changed to Lord
• Tommy still becomes Rocky's pupil and turns against him because of resentment
• Rocky and Junior's character arcs still remains the same, and Junior becomes more resentful when Rocky showers Tommy with all the attention
• Rocky does challenge Tommy to a fight after the bar scene, but this is what leads to Adrian and Junior confronting Rocky about his lack of attention, which leads to him promising that this time, he'll fight for them and not himself
• Rocky does give Junior the "not about how hard you hit" speech at one point, and Junior says it again to remind him
• Apollo does show up in a cameo to help train Rocky and co-promote the fight (again borrowed from Fanscription) and ensures a big payday for Rocky no matter the outcome
• Unlike Fanscription however, Adonis doesn't show up early
• Rocky is a lot more careful in the ring ala III owning to his condition
• The fight ends in a tie, but it wins Tommy a lot of respect as he gave Rocky a good fight and still retained his crown; as such the two make peace
• I'd keep Marie's role in this, and her showing up in Balboa still makes sense even with her presence here.
• The film ends with the whole cast (sans Lord) visiting the Philadelphia Museum of Art
• Apollo and Duke end up training Tommy after Rocky quits again
• Gunn is played by Evander Holyfield instead of Tommy Morrison

Rocky Balboa (2006)
Pretty much the same, but instead of Rocky Jr. having this conflict with his dad from the OTL movie, he and Rocky instead have their arc from Creed II. It's Marie who inspires Rocky to reunite with Jr. and his grandson. Additionally, Mr. T and Evander Holyfield return as Clubber Lang and Tommy Gunn.

Creed (2016)
Since Apollo's alive, he takes over Rocky's role in this one, including the non-Hodgkins lymphoma arc. However, Rocky does appear and helps train Adonis. Additionally, in this version, Adonis doesn't get adopted, but his birth mom does receive child support payments from Apollo. Finally, since we've already had the "lost by split decision" ending from Balboa, Adonis does win in the end.

Creed II (2018)
Ditto, though Apollo's arc is more of him vs. Drago, something I felt that wasn't emphasized as much in the OTL. Apollo does make peace with Drago ala the OTL deleted scene.

Creed III (2023)
Ditto again, but this is the one where Apollo passes away ala Mary-Anne in the OTL. (Sadly this does make Carl Weathers' passing hit a lot more, especially in this TL.)

 

[redben12]

Follow That Coyote (2027)

"He wanted to write a movie off for 30 million, but the movie never wrote back" - A tagline used for the film

Follow That Coyote is an American biographical-comedy film directed by Cody Snyder, chronicling a fictionalized version of Coyote vs. Acme (2024) and it's failed cancelations.

The movie starts after the farewell screening for CvA, where David Zaslav (played by Paul Giamatti) ends up accidentally sending the film to Universal Studios. The rest of the film follows Zaslav trying and failing miserably to stop them from releasing it. The climax shows him seemingly succeeding and destroy several hard drives said to contain the feature. The ending however shows Zaslav and several actors at the premiere of Joker: Folie a Deux where CvA plays instead, revealing that he mistakenly destroyed copies of Joker instead.

Follow That Coyote would become a critical smash with most critics and audiences, praising it's satire on the film industry and the comedic performances of the actors. Of course, not everybody would be please with the film.


"David Zaslav: I felt like how the movie portrayed me and the whole Wile E. Coyote situation was misrepresented. I wanted to scrap that film because I felt like it would be more beneficial for the studio if we used it and other films like it as a tax write off.

MSNBC Interviewer: But that film costed 80 million dollars and several companies offered over 30 million for the movie.

DZ: I mean when we being investigated by the government, we were told we had to release Batgirl and Scoob! with it-

MI: I'm not asking about those movies, I'm asking why you didn't take those initial offers for Coyote vs Acme?

DZ: You don't get, I had no idea it was going to be hit and believed it would be a better idea at the time to write it off.

MI: But why didn't you think that was going to work out financially?

DZ: Because... well I... shut up you don't know business like I do!" - MSNBC Interview with David Zaslav around the release of FTC



[Coyote vs. Acme can still be saved, we don't have much time however. I recommend who ever is reading this to show your support for CvA in anyway you can. We shouldn't allow companies to do this.]

 

[Unknown]

The Day After (1983)
A 3-hour theatrical movie about the buildup to and aftermath of a nuclear war on the Kansas City metropolitan area, this movie, directed by Nicholas Meyer and produced by Paramount Pictures, [1] cost $20 million to make, and would, in the fall and winter of 1983, make over $160 million, becoming the second-highest grossing film of 1983, only being beaten out by Return of the Jedi. [2] One of the reasons for the movie's success is the shootdown of KAL 007 over the Sea of Japan, which occurred on September 1, 1983--only one day before the movie's Labor Day weekend release date, that aggravated tensions between the US and USSR, and worried a lot of people. It also played a part in decreasing Cold War tensions in the years after the movie's release, because Reagan viewed a screening of the movie and was disturbed at its depiction of a nuclear exchange and its aftermath. [3] It would win the Oscar for Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects (for the nuclear war scenes) and was nominated for Best Picture, Director, and Original Screenplay. [4]

[1] The PoD here is that The Day After is a theatrical movie instead of a TV movie. I chose Paramount because Nicholas Meyer directed Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, which was distributed by Paramount.
[2] Return of the Jedi made over $250 million in OTL, and it'd be pretty hard for The Day After to top that, IMO.
[3] This is OTL, believe it or not.
[4] In OTL, The Right Stuff won the first two awards, and Return of the Jedi won a Special Achievement Award (which they still win in TTL) for Visual Effects in OTL.