9 Movies That Were Cancelled At The Last Minute

Like Something’s Got To Give, Dark Blood was cancelled following the tragic death of a tremendous young talent, in this case River Phoenix aged only 23.

However, unlike Something’s Got To Give which was a fairly standard lighthearted Monroe flick, Dark Blood might really have been something great. It was the only time Phoenix played a villain, and took to it with the same compelling tenacity that earned him an Oscar nomination for My Own Private Idaho.

Phoenix plays Boy, a young widower who kidnaps a married couple after their car breaks down.

Cancelled doesn’t technically ring true here; in 2012, director George Sluizer screened his version of the film at a handful of festivals. It featured the original footage Phoenix (and co stars Jonathan Pryce and Judy Davis) had recorded before his death, with commentary from Sluizer to fill in the gaps.

Despite these unorthodox methods of ‘finishing’ a movie which was clearly impossible to truly finish, Sluizer’s commentary filled version of Dark Blood won a lot of praise.

Phoenix’s performance especially was highlighted, and while there are contextual circumstances to bear in mind, it only serves to remind us just how talented the young actor was.