David Fincher, renowned for films like “Fight Club” and “The Social Network,” recently shared why he didn’t direct Disney’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.”
Speaking to Letterboxd, Fincher expressed his excitement for the film, describing it as “gross, cool, and steampunk,” with a unique vision.
However, Disney told him they needed a project they could “exploit as much as possible,” which clashed with Fincher’s ideas.
Fincher explained that Jules Verne’s original story involves an Indian prince resisting white imperialism, a theme he wanted to explore. However, Disney responded with, “Yeah, fine. Just less of that.”
It became clear that Disney was not willing to invest in Fincher’s vision, leading him to leave the project and direct “Gone Girl” instead, starring Ben Affleck.
The project was first announced at the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con.
