Every movie buff knows it’s no fun to have towait for a new filmto be released. However, some waits are longer than others. A movie’s lengthy production is due to the several steps that go into filming and editing. For instance, the script must be prepared, revised, and approved before shooting can start. These procedures need to be properly completed in order to produce the best possible final product.
If you’re interested in learning about which of the most well-known movies took the longest to get to the big screen, just keep on reading!
8Sleeping Beauty
The Walt Disney masterpieceSleeping Beauty, whose script work started in 1951, underwent a lot of rewrites before arriving in theaters in 1959. This wasfour yearsafter its original release date!
The lengthy animation process was what took so long for the Disney princess movie to be completed. To make the characters as lifelike as possible, the entire movie had to be recorded with actual actors dressed in costumes so the animators could use those recordings as models for their drawings.
Related:Disney: The Evolution of Princesses in Movies
7The Simpsons Movie
The idea forThe Simpsons Moviequickly came about after the popular comedy show ended. However, it took quite some time before the movie adaptation hit the big screen.
The screenplay underwent over 100 alterations as the writers spent an entire six months settling on a narrative, even considering a musical at one point. Despite the setbacks, the resultant animated comedy was a hit at the box office, with cameos fromnearlyall the 320 characters in the series as well as the debut of Spider Pig, who became a fan favorite.
6Apocalypse Now
To give you an idea of how difficult the production ofApocalypse Nowwas, there’s a whole documentary,Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse,that details the lengths Francis Ford Coppola and his team went to in order to complete this project. The film took 5 years to produce.
Nevertheless, this Vietnam War drama had to continue filming in spite of all obstacles, particularly when their sets were damaged by a storm, Martin Sheen had a heart attack, and Marlon Brando showed up to the site overweight. Despite this barrage of problems that almost brought the movie to an end,Apocalypse Nowwould eventually win the coveted Palme d’Or at a well-known film festival.
Given that this science fiction epic went on to earn the most money of any movie ever, it is reasonable to assume that the 10-year production period ofAvatarwas well spent.Director James Cameroncollaborated with top-notch visual designers to create his extraterrestrial species, the Na’vi.
After spending over $230 million and making a ton of technological advances, the film shattered records and forever altered the landscape of the movie-making industry. The second installment,Avatar: The Way of Water, took another 13 years to hit the big screen.
4The Lego Movie
The creators ofThe Lego Movieworked tirelessly to make this CGI masterpiece look to resemble stop-motion animation. Once the plot of the movie was decided upon, it then took 4 years for the animation to be completed.
The first-ever full-length theatrical LEGO film centers on Emmet, a regular, law-abiding, and essentially typical LEGO mini-figure who is mistakenly identified as the Special. This film is great for kids and parents alike, but you probably didn’t know it took so long to create.
The 9/11 attacks led the Australian currency to fall too much in relation to the American dollar, and the production ofMad Max: Fury Roadwas abandoned. Director Miller had planned to start filming the action movie in 2001.
The fourth installment of the Mad Max franchise finally began principal photography in the summer of 2012 after years of development hell, during which Heath Ledger was even considered to play Max. Contrary to most action movies,Mad Max: Fury Roadgot 10 Oscar nominations and won six awards.
2Koyaanisqatsi
The silent documentary/poemKoyaanisqatsi, which means “life out of balance,” transports the audience from the depths of nature to the center of a bustling city using slow motion and time-lapse. This 1982 film took roughly seven years to produce.
An anti-Ritalin public service campaign provided the initial funding for the entire project, which over the course of its creation progressively expanded into massive production.
The popular horror movieCronos, which was directed by Guillermo del Toro, came close to being abandoned countless times.
The production’s budget and schedule were completely destroyed by his trademark perfectionism, and it was only saved by GdT taking out some high-interest personal loans (and reducing Ron Pearlman’s pay). All in all,Cronostook around eight years to reach the movie screen.
