10 Movies That Spent Decades In Development Hell (And Still Lived Up To The Hype)

The Other Side of the Wind had more delays and hold-ups than any other entry on this list. It's a satire of classic Hollywood cinema, specifically its demise in favour of more modern and contemporary productions.

Unlike other films of the time, creating it was a tedious slog. Multiple allegations were filed against the production company including embezzlement and incorrect company registration. On top of that, the film's financial problems brought the shooting schedule to a halt.

Because of the many blocks in production, this project from legendary actor and director Orson Welles holds the record for longest film production in history. It released in 2018 after forty-eight long years in production. Filming was completed upon Welles' passing in 1985 and in the decades that followed, his final piece was viewed as the holy grail of lost films.

It would be nearly three decades until the film's rights were finally acquired by Royal Road in 2014. From here, the final stages including post-production and distrubution were handled by director Frank Marshall. Arriving to the masses four years later, The Other Side of the Wind achieved high praise from critics and audiences alike, making good on the promises that were made all those years ago.