12 Movies That Were Almost Directed By Steven Spielberg
4. Oldboy
The project in a nutshell: A remake of South Korean director Park-chan Wook's 2003 thriller, starring Choi Min-sik as a man who is incarcerated for 15 years with no idea why. Once free, he seeks answers, not to mention bloody revenge.
When was Spielberg attached: In 2009, with Will Smith in mind to star.
Who ended up directing it: Spike Lee in 2013, with Josh Brolin in the lead.
What happened: This one was baffling from the get-go. Given that Oldboy had become a instant cult classic among fans of extreme cinema, the idea of a mainstream-friendly duo like Spielberg and Smith taking it on was very hard to envisage. However, plans fell through as Dreamworks couldn't secure the rights.
The ultimate 2013 film seemed to prove how misconceived the whole endeavour had been. Audiences stayed away, and critics agreed that Lee's take did almost nothing that the original hadn't already done better.