Directors: Movies they refused or didn't get.

One-Eyed Jacks
It was a project of him, with Marlon Brando star as lead role, but negotiations broke down and Brando ended up directing the film himself.

The Exorcist
He was refused to direct a sequel to The Exorcist, but made his own horror film: The Shining.

A.I. Artificial Intelligence
In the 1990s, Kubrick began an on-again/off-again collaboration with Brian Aldiss on a new science fiction film called "Artificial Intelligence (AI)", but progress was very slow, and was backgrounded until special effects technology was up to the standard the Kubrick wanted. After some years special effects technology had matured rapidly in the meantime, and Kubrick immediately began active work on A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001), but tragically suffered a fatal heart attack in his sleep on March 7th, 1999. Spielberg took over as the film's director and completed the last Kubrick project.

Anastasia
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

The Bad Seed
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

The Exorcist
Turned down the chance to acquire the screen rights to William Peter Blatty's novel and also turned down the chance to direct the film when another producer bought the rights to the property.

Jane Eyre
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

The Keys of the Kingdom
He liked the A.J. Cronin novel about a young priest sent to establish a Catholic parish in China, but plans for him to direct the movie version in the '40s fell through.

The Lodger
In the '40s, he bought the remake rights to the Silent film that helped put him on the map but could never convince a studio to let him remake the film in color.

No Highway in the Sky
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Rosemary's Baby
Turned down the chance to acquire Ira Levin's novel and, later, to direct the film version.

Sleuth
Passed on directing the movie version of Anthony Shaffer's ingenious hit play.

Wait Until Dark
He was offered the screen rights to the broadway hit play by Frederick Knott, who also wrote Dial M For Murder previously made into a film by Hitchcock.

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
When producer William Frye considered taking an option on the William Farrell novel in 1960, he and his friend, Bette Davis tried to get Hitchcock interested in directing. He declined, as he was busy promoting Psycho and trying to develop The Birds into a screenplay.

The Wreck of the Mary Deare
He was originally going to direct but chose to make North By Northwest instead.

The Black Dahlia
Was originally set to direct, but dropped out.

Madonna: Truth or Dare
Was originally set to direct, but dropped out.

Mission: Impossible III
Was originally set to direct, but dropped out over creative differences.

Catch Me If You Can
Turned down the offer to direct the film, and opted for Panic Room instead.

Batman Begins
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

8MM
Turned down the offer to direct the film and opted for Fight Club instead.

Collateral
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Clockers
He originally signed on to direct, but dropped out to do Casino.

Collateral
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Schindler's List
He turned down the offer to direct the film, because he felt it was best that a jewish director take the job.

The Honeymoon Killers
Was originally going to direct, but was replaced after a week of shooting.

Dick Tracy
He was offered to direct but was too involved planning Edward Scissorhands to accept.

The Fly
Was offered to direct with Michael Keaton in the lead role, but he backed out and David Cronenberg took over.

The Nightmare Before Christmas
He thought about directing, but gave Henry Selick the director's chair so he could concentrate on Batman Returns.

Ripley's Believe It or Not!
The studio refused him to direct because his budget was too big.

Stay Tuned
Passed on directing, to work on Batman Returns.

The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari
Was originally set to do a re-make in the early 1980s.

Big
Was considered to direct the film. He wanted Harrison Ford to star as lead role.

Collateral
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
According to IMDB, Steven Spielberg was attached to the film, in the late 1990s. He would have had Tom Cruise star as lead role.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
He was considered to direct the Harry Potter series, but was rejected by Rowling who kept close control of the film.

Last Action Hero
Turned down the offer to direct the film to work on Schindler's List.

Rain Man
Backed out of the director's chair because he needed to start on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

Something Wicked This Way Comes
The director considered making the film version of Ray Bradbury's beloved novel. In the end, he opted instead to direct Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.

Meet the Parents
He was approached to direct the film and have Jim Carrey star as lead role.

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
He was intended to direct but couldn't accept because of the issues George Lucas had with the Director's Guild.

Superman
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Men in Black
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Speed
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Westworld
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Spider-Man
Wrote a screenplay for this movie, but was turned down by the studios, due to the fact that his version of Spider-Man was "too violent". Sam Raimi's version got the green light instead.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Turned down the chance to direct because he felt the story ended with the second movie.

Solaris
Refused to direct but opted to produce instead.

The Godfather
He was offered the chance to direct but he did not care for the story.

Hang 'Em High
Was approached to direct, but he turned it down since he was working on Once Upon a Time in the West at the time.

Angels & Demons
He was interested in directing this movie, but didn't get the chance because Ron Howard was contractually obligated to direct.

Red Dragon
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Van Helsing
Turned down the offer to direct the film, opting to do The Island instead.

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines
Was offer the opportunity to direct but pulled out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.

Man on Fire
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

The Shadow
He wanted to adapt and direct, but was denied the rights to do it. Instead, he created his own superhero with his film Darkman.

I Am Legend
Turned down the offer to direct the film because he was not interested.

Batman
Was interested to direct, but he couldn't get the rights for Batman from DC comics. Another script was then developed and eventually made by Tim Burton in 1989.

Dune
He was the original director but left the film to do Blade Runner instead.

I Am Legend
In the mid nineties Ridley Scott was set to direct an adaptation of the classic Richard Matheson novel. However the project eventually fell through, and after all Francie Lawrence directed the movie after impressing studio execs with his work on Constantine.

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Batman Begins
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

The Wolverine
In March 2011, Aronofsky announced he was leaving production of The Wolverine (2012) because it would require him to be filming outside of the United States for too long. He released a statement specifying, "I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time. I am sad that I won't be able to see the project through".

Blade: Trinity
Turned down the offer to direct the film, to work on Hellboy.

AVP: Alien vs. Predator
Turned down the offer to direct the film, to work on Hellboy.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Turned down the offer to direct the film, to work on Hellboy.

One Missed Call
Turned down the offer to direct the film, to work on Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

I Am Legend
Turned down the offer to direct the film, to work on Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Turned down the offer to direct the film, to work on Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

Hellraiser: Bloodline
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

End of Days
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

D-Tox
Was interested in directing D-Tox at one point, but decided to direct How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

The Chamber
Backed out of the director's chair to do Ransom instead.

Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
Turned down the director's chair in order to do Dune instead.

American Beauty
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Enemy Mine
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Forrest Gump
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Alien: Resurrection
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J.K. Rowling, creator of the "Harry Potter" book series, originally wanted Gilliam to direct Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (2001), but Warner Bros studios wanted a more family friendly film and eventually settled for Chris Columbus.

Braveheart
Turned down the offer to direct the film.

American Psycho
Was attached to direct the film with Leonardo DiCaprio to star as Patrick Bateman. After DiCaprio left the project to make The Beach, he left it also.

American Gangster
Turned down the offer to direct the film in 2001, because he decided to work on Alexander.

Alien: Resurrection
Passed the director's chair to work on A Life Less Ordinary.