10 Insane Movies That Were Almost Made
4. Crusade
The Movie: Back in the early 1990s, Arnold Schwarzenegger was one of the biggest celebrities on the planet, and he could almost get any project made. Unfortunately, Paul Verhoeven's Crusade was just a step too far, even for him.
Arnie would've been reuniting with his Total Recall director here, in a bloody historical epic featuring the actor as a peasant thief called Hagen who is sentenced to death. Hagen evades the noose by performing a "miracle" (he burns a giant cross into his back), resulting in the Pope - who believes Hagen's miracle is a sign from God - using him as a piece of propaganda.
Cue lots of bloody hack'n'slash battles, an evil Count who also happens to be Hagen's half-brother, and a story that culminates with Hagen literally acting out his earlier miracle, carrying a burning Holy Cross on his back.
Why It Wasn't Made: A massive budget was ultimately what doomed Crusade, with Verhoeven reportedly yelling "“guarantees don’t happen and if anyone promises you guarantees, they’re lying!” to a room full of studio execs, when asked if he could guarantee that costs wouldn't balloon. If he had co-operated, chances are he would have got to make his movie.
Unwilling to take the financial risk on a mature film that played with religion in a potentially controversial fashion, studio Carolco instead greenlit Cutthroat Island - which soon became one of the biggest flops in Hollywood history. Oh dear.