10 Actors Who Went Through Hell (For Films No-One Saw)

3. John Travolta Tried So Hard To Make The Worst Mobster Movie Ever - Gotti

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When you hear about how an actor suffered for their work, it doesn't necessarily mean they suffered physically. John Travolta dedicated eight years of his life to make a movie about the crime boss, John Gotti. Despite his commitment and passion, Travolta somehow managed to make one of the worst films of 2018.

As bad as the movie is, making it was a hundred times worse. When Travolta started prepping the film back in 2011, the producer was sent to prison. When a new producer was secured, he was arrested for fraud. In the end, the movie went through 44 producers, (which might be the world record). When big-time actors like Joe Pesci and Al Pacino began ducking out, it seemed like Gotti would never see the light of day.

Instead of deserting the project, Travolta bought the rights for the movie from the distributor. He was so certain Gotti would be a hit, he fought to have it shown at the Cannes Film Festival. He even tried to turn it into a Broadway musical with him in the leading role!

When Gotti was finally released after nearly a decade of development hell, it managed to only scoop a feeble $6 million.

Contributor

James Egan has been with Whatculture for five years and prominently works on Horror, Film, and Video Games. He's written over 80 books including 1000 Facts about Horror Movies Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts About James Bond 1000 Facts About TV Shows