12 Movies That Were Almost Directed By Steven Spielberg
5. The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button
The project in a nutshell: An adaptation of F Scott Fitzgerald's 1922 short story about a man who ages in reverse.
When was Spielberg attached: very early on: Spielberg optioned the project in 1991, intending on casting his friend Tom Cruise in the lead.
Who ended up directing it: Ultimately, David Fincher made The Curious Case of Benjamin Button in 2008, with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett starring. The film received 13 Oscar nominations including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor, but only won in 3 technical categories.
What happened: As might be apparent from how long it took to reach the screen, Benjamin Button proved a significant challenge to a number of directors. Frank Oz had been attached before Spielberg, and Ron Howard, Spike Jonze and Gary Ross would be among the others linked before Fincher.
Ultimately, Spielberg would spend the early 1990s working on Jurassic Park and Schindler's List, and would finally work with Cruise a decade later on Minority Report and War of the Worlds.