10 Horror Movies That Were Cancelled Because Of Other Movies
4. Battle Royale Got Cancelled Because Of The Hunger Games
Kinji Fukasaku's Battle Royale follows dozens of Japanese high school students who are left stranded on an island and ordered to kill each other until only one remains. The dystopian thriller only earned the equivalent of $30 million, but quickly developed a huge cult following.
At the time, Japanese horror remakes were all the rage, so it wasn't surprising when it was announced Battle Royale was getting the same treatment. Initially targeting a 2008 release, the American Battle Royale was put on hold following the Virginia Tech massacre in April 2007.
Although development continued, Suzanne Collins threw a wrench in the works with her 2008 novel, The Hunger Games, which was adapted for the big screen in 2012. Both properties share striking similarities, so the Battle Royale remake suddenly felt unneeded.
But that's not the only issue. Despite the fact Fukasaku's film predated it, The Hunger Games had a broader appeal, raising the risk that the Battle Royale remake could be misconstrued as a cheap knock-off. With The Hunger Games franchise still active over a decade later, there are no plans to redo Battle Royale.