8 Horror Movies Ruined By Last Minute Changes

It’s not a good start to say that this film went through not one, not two but three directors before reaching its final form - but it’s at least a fitting starting point for explaining its failings.

First up to bat was John Frankenheimer, best known perhaps for The Manchurian Candidate, but it all started going downhill when he stepped down before his death. He was replaced by Paul Schrader, who immediately started going rogue in opposition to what the film’s backers were requesting.

Contrary to the brief he wanted a relatively bloodless psychological slow-burn vibe, and he went at it with confidence. In fact he managed to complete his film in its entirety before handing it to producers and soaking in their shock.

It is certainly a whole new breed of last-minute to replace and change everything about a film when the whole thing is already made, but they did it!

Schrader was kicked to the curb and replaced with Renny Harlin, who overhauled the whole thing. Scripts were rewritten, scenes were re-shot, footage was re-edited, characters were added and deleted. Basically the whole thing was a mess.

Characters and events were inconsistent with canon, scenes felt patched-together, overall audiences hugely disliked the movie. Maybe it would’ve been better to just leave it how it was…