All kinds of filmmakers have directed superhero movies. Since 2010, though, the default choices for these projects have become newly minted Sundance darlings (like Jon Watts, Spider-Man: Homecoming; Chloe Zhao, Eternals; and Ryan Coogler, Black Panther) or horror cinema veterans (David F. Sandberg, Shazam; James Wan, Aquaman; Andy Muschietti, The Flash; and Scott Derrickson, Doctor Strange). Many talented people have directed these features, but with a few exceptions (like Coogler, Zhao, or Raimi), few of them would qualify as all-time great directors. However, history is rife with instances of where such filmmakers almost helmed various superhero movies.
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There are seven particularly striking examples of this phenomenon, where great directors came very close to stepping outside of their auteur-driven comfort zone and embraced major studio superhero movie filmmaking. These pairings of famous directors and superheroes never happened for many reasons. However, these seven instances of great directors almost making superhero movies are such fascinating “what if?” scenarios that they might as well be kooky alternate-dimension comic book storylines.
1) James Cameron’s Spider-Man
None other than future Titanic and Avatar helmer James Cameron was once eyeballing a film adaptation of Spider-Man. Cameron was passionate about the project and wrote a script that was infamously heavy on adult material. However, legal issues surrounding the film rights to Spider-Man inspired Cameron to ditch the tumultuous project. Unsurprisingly, the blockbuster king had no trouble finding other lucrative projects to steer.
2) George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal
Arguably the most tantalizing “what could’ve been” superhero movie ever, beloved filmmaker George Miller was set in the mid-2000s to helm a live-action blockbuster entitled Justice League: Mortal. This project would’ve realized all of the most famous DC Comics characters, complete with their most colorful costumes and superheroes, on the silver screen. The prospect of the Mad Max: Fury Road genius handling these characters sounds too good to be true. Alas, it was. The 2007-2008 Writers’ Guild of America strike and the changing superhero movie landscape in the late 2000s inspired Warner Bros. to shelve this proposed blockbuster despite having a full cast and nearing production start.
3) Paul Greengrass and X-Men vs. Fantastic Four
Paul Greengrass is famous for his gritty, realistic thrillers, like United 93 and Captain Phillips. Even his four Bourne movies are firmly rooted in the ordinary. Shockingly, he was once in talks to helm 20th Century Fox’s decidedly surprising crossover film X-Men vs. Fantastic Four. Greengrass eventually abandoned the project, and Fox soon after shifted gears on its superhero movie priorities to solo features like Logan and Deadpool.
4) Christopher McQuarrie and Man of Steel 2
After director Christopher McQuarrie and Henry Cavill got along so well during the making of Mission: Impossible – Fallout, the duo decided to continue working together with a potential Man of Steel sequel. McQuarrie pitched a version of a new Superman movie (as well as a Green Lantern reboot that Warner Bros. actually hired him to cook up) that he felt incredibly passionate and confident about, but Warner Bros. opted to pursue other superhero film properties.
5) Guillermo del Toro and Justice League Dark
One could go on and on about the various superhero movies Guillermo del Toro almost got attached to after his Blade II stint was finished. However, one especially fascinating unrealized project was del Toro’s Justice League Dark, a team consisting of various dark, fantastical DC Comics characters like Swamp-Thing and John Constantine. Del Toro was fully committed to the endeavor, but studio politics and timing issues led to the project collapsing.
6) Spike Lee and Nightwatch
Spike Lee’s filmography is rife with masterpieces, such as Malcolm X, Do the Right Thing, and Da 5 Bloods. For one brief moment, it appeared that his towering resume would include a feature film adaptation of the obscure Marvel Comics character Nightwatch for Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. That certainly would’ve added a dose of prestige to this shared continuity. Though Lee was attached to the project throughout 2017, by late 2018, Lee confirmed he was no longer helming the feature. Since then, Nightwatch has never materialized, with Sony instead focusing on the likes of Kraven the Hunter and Madame Web.
7) Darren Aronofsky and The Wolverine
How on Earth do you get people invested in solo Wolverine movies again 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine? The solution at 20th Century Fox seemed to be recruiting a prestige filmmaker like Darren Aronofsky. Coming hot off his 2010 Best Picture nominee and box office phenomenon Black Swan, Aronofsky had also previously worked with Jackman on The Fountain. Reminding moviegoers of these acclaimed features was one creative way to get people to associate The Wolverine with Aronofsky’s track record rather than a bad 2009 superhero movie. However, much like he did with prior unrealized superhero projects like a Batman movie, Aronofsky walked away from The Wolverine, paving the way for James Mangold to take over, and eventually give us Logan.
The Wolverine is now streaming on Disney+.
