12 Movies That Were Almost Directed By Steven Spielberg
9. Meet The Parents
The project in a nutshell: A remake of a low-budget 1992 independent comedy of the same name, centred on the difficulties a young man has on meeting his girlfriend's parents for the first time.
When was Spielberg attached: Studio Universal bought the remake rights in the mid-90s, and at one point Steven Soderbergh was interested. Later, Spielberg came on board, with an eye to casting Jim Carrey.
Who ended up directing it: Jay Roach in 2000, with Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller. It was a huge hit, spawning two sequels.
What happened: Spielberg and Carrey were attached for a time, and contributed to the development of the screenplay; reportedly, the character name Gaylord Focker was Carrey's idea. However, ultimately both men felt the project wasn't really for them.
Enter Jay Roach, an up-and-comer in the wake of the Austin Powers movies, who struck gold in casting De Niro and Stiller. Carrey for one has insisted he has no regrets, admitting that Stiller was far more suited to the role.
And it's hard to imagine what Spielberg would have done with it, as he doesn't have the best track record with comedy: 1941, anyone?