Every Cancelled John Carpenter Film We NEVER Got To See

Eric Van Lustbade's The Ninja was such a success, the novel was directly responsible for popularising ninjas in Western pop culture. For this reason, it's no surprise Hollywood was eager to churn out a film adaptation as soon as possible.

Much like how Irvin Kershner replaced Carpenter for Eyes of Laura Mars, Carpenter was set to direct The Ninja, after Kershner got the boot. 

Carpenter co-wrote a Ninja script with Tommy Lee Wallace (who directed and co-wrote Halloween III: Season of the Witch). Rather than embracing the campiness expected from contemporary martial arts flicks, Carpenter envisioned The Ninja as a lean, violent narrative. The titular character's fighting skills would be borderline inhuman, making him closer to Michael Myers than Bruce Lee.

Despite The Ninja's commercial appeal, Carpenter's initial concept was considered unfilmable. Unable to produce a workable draft, Carpenter decided it would be best to pursue other interests. Nobody else was able to whip up a serviceable script, leading to The Ninja getting axed.