12 Movies That Were Almost Directed By Steven Spielberg
6. Memoirs Of A Geisha
The project in a nutshell: An adaptation of Arthur Golden's 1997 novel, which, while fictional, was based on the author's research into geishas in World War II-era Japan.
When was Spielberg attached: Initially, Spielberg intended for it be his next film after 1998's Saving Private Ryan, which won him his second Best Director Oscar.
Who ended up directing it: Rob Marshall, in 2005; his first film after the Oscar-winning Chicago.
What happened: According to David Geffen, Spielberg's partner at Dreamworks SKG, the project "wasn't good enough" for Spielberg. As we've seen, the director had been quite busy in the early 2000s, and ultimately decided to step back, remaining on board as producer.
Ultimately, Memoirs of a Geisha was not a great success either critically or commercially. It also attracted a great deal of criticism for its western perspective on eastern culture, and the casting of non-Japanese actresses Zhang Ziyi, Michelle Yeoh and Gong Li.