13 Movies Actually Ghost Directed By A Second Filmmaker

Here was a strange case where the ghost director was added to a film's production as a necessity from an early stage.

Iconic director Robert Altman was in ill health when he signed up for this ode to Country and Western music; a welcome return to the similar territory of his classic film Nashville.

According to MNSpeak, Phantom Thread director Paul Thomas Anderson was brought onboard as a backup support.

“... the producers of the film probably insisted that Altman commit to a 'backup' director because of his age... and some say [Anderson is] basically running daily production of the film. […] Between cuts, Robert belts directions over a mic while PT runs up to the stage and speaks with the actors directly.”

Considering Anderson was a blatant admirer of Altman - look no further than his films Boogie Nights and Magnolia, as case in point - it seemed like a rare occurrence of this not hurting egos but being an enjoyable experience for both parties, as Anderson could collaborate in a hands-on manner with one of his heroes, while Altman could bounce off one of his long-time fans, in what became his swan song.

Conclusively it was certainly Altman's vision, yet Anderson was still heavily responsible for getting the project to completion on every step of the way.