8 Movies That Got Directors Fired From Other Movies
7. The Thing Flopped & Got John Carpenter Fired From Firestarter
Though John Carpenter's The Thing can't be thought of as anything less than a sci-fi-horror masterwork today, the reception was decidedly frostier upon its original 1982 release.
The Thing was initially a critical and commercial failure, and in what might be one of the all-time worst Razzie nominations, Ennio Morricone's dread-infused synth score earned him a baffling Worst Musical Score nomination (one of two Razzie nods the legendary composer received that year, no less).
But while shooting The Thing, Carpenter had already been offered the opportunity to direct an adaptation of Stephen King's novel Firestarter, which he accepted and also brought his The Thing screenwriter Bill Lancaster aboard.
Yet once The Thing cratered at the box office, barely recouping its $15 million budget, Universal let Carpenter go and replaced him with on-the-rise director Mark L. Lester.
Ultimately it was a blessing in disguise for Carpenter: Lester's version of the film was a critical and commercial failure, while Carpenter went on to enjoy an incredible run of films throughout the '80s including Christine, Starman, Big Trouble in Little China, and They Live.