J. J. Abrams's unrealized projects

The following is a list of unproduced J. J. Abrams projects in roughly chronological order. During a career that has spanned over 30 years, J. J. Abrams has worked on projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage under his direction.

In 1989, Abrams met Steven Spielberg at a film festival, where Spielberg spoke about a possible Who Framed Roger Rabbit sequel, with Abrams as a possible writer and with Robert Zemeckis as producer. Nothing came up from this project, although Abrams has some storyboards for a Roger Rabbit short.^[1]

In 1994, Abrams completed a draft of a script for Warner Bros.' planned live action film adaptation of the 1960s Japanese anime and manga series Speed Racer.^[2] Due to an overly high budget,^[3] in August 1995, director Julien Temple left the project. The studio considered director Gus Van Sant as a replacement for Temple,^[4] though it would not grant writing privileges to Van Sant.^[5] In December 1997, the studio briefly hired Alfonso Cuarón as director.^[6]

In 1995, a slate of films were reportedly in development for Sydney Pollack's Mirage Enterprises; one of which was an early script co-written by Abrams with Jesse Alexander titled The Finding, for MGM. The project was described as a medical thriller.^[7]

In 1997, Variety reported a script written by Abrams based on X: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes was being developed at Warner Bros. with the title of Beyond Violent.^[8]

In 2002, Abrams wrote a script for a possible fifth Superman film entitled Superman: Flyby.^[9] Brett Ratner and McG entered into talks to direct,^[10] although Abrams tried to get the chance to direct his own script.^[11] However, the project was finally cancelled in 2004, due to Superman Returns.

In April 2008, it was reported that Abrams and Bad Robot Productions were producing Jay Dyer's script Hot for Teacher.^[12]

In June 2008, it was reported that Abrams purchased the rights to a New York Times article Mystery on Fifth Avenue about the renovation of an 8.5 million dollar co-op, a division of property originally owned by E. F. Hutton & Co. and Marjorie Merriweather Post, for six figures and was developing a film titled Mystery on Fifth Avenue, with Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot Productions,^[13] and comedy writers Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky to write the adaptation. According to the article, a wealthy couple Steven B. Klinsky and Maureen Sherry purchased the apartment in 2003 and live there with their four children. Soon after purchasing the apartment, they hired young architectural designer Eric Clough, who devised an elaborately clever "scavenger hunt" built into the apartment that involved dozens of historical figures, a fictional book and a soundtrack, woven throughout the apartment in puzzles, riddles, secret panels, compartments, and hidden codes, without the couple's knowledge. The family didn't discover the embedded mystery until months after moving into the apartment.^[14][15] After Abrams purchased the article, Clough left him an encrypted message in the wall tiles of a Christian Louboutin shoe store he designed in West Hollywood.^[16]

In August 2008, it was reported that Abrams and screenwriter David Seltzer were working together on a disaster film about an earthquake, for Universal Pictures. Abrams was set to produce with Bryan Burk and Sherryl Clark through Bad Robot.^[17]

In October 2009, it was reported that Abrams and Bad Robot Productions were producing a film from writers Aline Brosh McKenna and Simon Kinberg.^[18] Since then, there have been no further developments.

On November 4, 2009, it was reported that Abrams and Bad Robot Productions would produce 500 Rads, a.k.a. an Absorbed Radiation Dose, from a Jeff Pinkner script.^[19] Since then, there have been no further developments.

On November 6, 2009, it was reported that Abrams and Bad Robot Productions would produce a film based on the Micronauts toy line.^[20] On October 23, 2015, Tom Wheeler submitted a Micronauts draft to Paramount and Bad Robot.^[21] This iteration of the project is unrelated to the Hasbro Cinematic Universe.^[22]

On November 19, 2009, it was reported that Abrams and Bad Robot Productions were producing, along with Cartoon Network Movies, Warner Bros., Frederator Films, and Paramount Pictures, a film adaptation of Samurai Jack.^[23] However, in June 2012, series creator Genndy Tartakovsky stated that the production of the film was scrapped after Abrams' departure from the project to direct Star Trek.^[24] For this and other reasons, Tartakovsky decided to make a new season instead of a feature film.

In December 2009, it was reported that Abrams' Bad Robot Productions and Paramount Pictures were producing the film adaptation of Colum McCann's novel Let the Great World Spin.^[25] Since then, there have been no further developments.

In May 2010,^[26]

On July 29, 2010, Abrams was announced to be producing the Boilerplate film.^[27]

In August 2010, Abrams was announced to be producing Jake Bender's 7 Minutes to Heaven film.^[28]

Since 2011, Abrams has been attached to produce the science-fiction action/thriller film titled Zanbato,^[29] with Guillermo del Toro officially signing on to direct the project in 2019.^[30]

In January 2012, Abrams and Matt Reeves were set to produce Michael Gilio's action film with Brad Parker (director of the 2012 film Chernobyl Diaries) on board to direct for Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot.^[31]

In May 2012, Abrams was set to produce the sci-fi thriller with Josh Campbell and Matt Stuecken for Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot.^[32]

In June 2012, Abrams was announced to be producing Patrick Aison's sci-fi action thriller film Wunderkind, for Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot.^[33]

On July 23, 2012, Abrams was announced to be producing Mark Protosevich's sci-fi film Collider, with Edgar Wright directing for Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot.^[34]

On July 27, 2012, Abrams was set to produce Dustin Lance Black's disaster film Earthquake, for Universal Pictures and Bad Robot.^[35]

In October 2012, Abrams, Bad Robot, Ken Olin and Warner Bros Television were announced to produce the family drama Electropolis, for The CW.^[36]

In January 2013, Paramount Pictures and Abrams and Bryan Burk of Bad Robot were set to produce a film based on Juliet Macur's book Cycle of Lies: The Fall of Lance Armstrong^[37] with Bradley Cooper in talks to star as Armstrong,^[38] and D. V. DeVincentis writing the script.^[39] There have been no further developments since then, with the film likely hindered after The Program was released.

In February 2013, Abrams announced at the D.I.C.E. Summit that Bad Robot Productions had made a deal with Valve to produce a film based on either the video game Portal or Half-Life.^[40] In 2021, Abrams announced that the Portal movie was still being worked on with a script currently being written, even expressing interest for J. K. Simmons to reprise his role as Cave Johnson from Portal 2. However, he also confirmed that he was no longer currently involved in a Half-Life adaptation.^[41]

In April 2013, Paramount Pictures and Bad Robot partners Abrams and Bryan Burk were announced to be producing the film adaptation of Jonathan Tropper‘s book One Last Thing Before I Go, with Mike Nichols as director and Tropper writing the script.^[42] There have been no further developments since Nichols’ death in 2014.

In June 2013, Abrams was announced to be producing the series The Stops Along the Way from an abandoned Rod Serling script for Warner Bros Television.^[43] There have been no developments since.

In 2014, Abrams and Michael De Luca were announced to be producing Chris Alender's sci-fi film, with Alender directing and co-writing the script with Justin Doble, as a co-production between Columbia Pictures and Bad Robot.^[44]

In February 2015, Abrams was set to produce a biopic about Thomas Edison through Bad Robot, with no word about who will write or direct film.^[45]

In April 2015,^[46]

In March 2016, Abrams was set to direct the film adaptation of David Grann's Killers of the Flower Moon.^[47] In 2021, the book was adapted into a film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, and Jesse Plemons.^[48]

On April 1, 2016, Abrams was planning on producing the film adaptation of Greg Grunberg's graphic novel Dream Jumper for Paramount Pictures. It is unknown if the project will be live-action or animated and who will write the script.^[49]

On April 18, 2016, Abrams was announced to produce Marielle Heller's film Kolma, a remake of the Israeli film All I've Got, with Daisy Ridley in talks to star at Paramount.^[50]

On June 23, 2016, Abrams was set to produce Ed Solomon's script Beta, which was said to be combine Solomon's comedy with Inception and The Matrix, for Paramount.^[51]

On June 29, 2016, Abrams was planning on directing and producing the animated film The Flamingo Affair from writer Pamela Pettler for Paramount Animation.^[52]

In July 2016, Abrams reported that a fourth alternate universe Star Trek installment was in the works and that he was confident that Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Chris Hemsworth would return for the sequel.^[53][54] It was announced in December 2017 that Quentin Tarantino had pitched an idea to Paramount Pictures for a new Star Trek film.^[55] A writers room, consisting of Mark L. Smith, Lindsey Beer, Megan Amram and Drew Pearce, was assembled to flesh out the concept. The plan would be for Tarantino to direct the film, with J. J. Abrams onboard to produce.^[56] Smith later became the frontrunner to write the screenplay later that month.^[57][58] In May 2019, Tarantino confirmed that his Trek film was still in development, saying "It's a very big possibility. I haven't been dealing with those guys for a while cause I've been making my movie. But we've talked about a story and a script. The script has been written and when I emerge my head like Punxsutawney Phil, post-Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, we'll pick up talking about it again."^[59] Tarantino discussed the project in June 2019, stating that Smith had turned in his script, and Tarantino would soon be adding in his notes. He asserted his intention for the film to be rated R.^[60] In December 2019, it was reported that Tarantino had left the project, looking to make a smaller budget film.^[61][62] In January 2020, Tarantino stated the film "might" be made, but he would not direct it.^[63] As of 2024, due to ongoing internal issues at Paramount, the movie has stayed in the writing queue.^[64]

In September 2016, Abrams was planning on directing and producing the series The Nix from author Nathan Hill, with Meryl Streep starring and producing.^[65]

In December 2016, Abrams was announced to be producing the Javier Gullón sci-fi TV series Glare through Bad Robot for HBO.^[66] There have been no developments since.

In January 2017,^[67]

In March 2017, Abrams was producing a TV series based on RuPaul's childhood, with RuPaul co-producing and Gary Lennon writing the Hulu series.^[68]

In April 2017, Abrams and Jesse Eisenberg were set to produce the comedy The Market, with Eisenberg starring, writing and directing the series.^[69]

In February 2018, HBO ordered Abrams' sci-fi drama Demimonde to series.^[70] On June 7, 2022, it was announced the project would no longer be moving forward.^[71]

On May 3, 2018, Abrams was announced to be producing Julius Avery's The Heavy with Daniel Casey writing the script for Paramount.^[72]

On May 4, 2018, Abrams was announced to be producing Paramount's adaptation of Michelle Adelman's Piece of Mind with Ryan Knighton writing the script and Daisy Ridley set to play Lucy.^[73]

On June 4, 2018, Abrams was set to produce the sci-fi film Aphoria, with Jared Moshe writing and directing the film.^[74]

On June 6, 2018,^[75]

In July 2018, Abrams was announced to be producing Robert Specland's thriller Reincarnation Type and collaborate with Bristol Automotive.^[76]

In October 2018, Abrams and Steven Spielberg were set to co-produce the film adaptation of Melissa Fleming‘s A Hope More Powerful than the Sea about Doaa Al Zamel's escape from the Syrian Civil War, with Lena Dunham writing the script.^[77]

On November 8, 2018, Abrams was announced to produce Ed Hemming's untitled thriller film pitch.^[78]

On November 14, 2018,^[79]

^[79]

^[79]

^[79]

^[79]

^[79]

In December 2018, Abrams was set to reunite with Jennifer Garner for a limited series they were executive producing based on the 2017 memoir My Glory Was I Had Such Friends.^[80] However, by 2022, it was announced that the project would no longer be moving forward with Apple after Garner exited.^[81]

In February 2019, Bad Robot was announced to be producing the adaptation of Adam Silvera's book They Both Die at the End with Chris Kelly creating the series alongside Abrams, for HBO.^[82]

In July 2019,^[83]

In April 2020, Abrams and his production company Bad Robot were announced to be producing Overlook, a prequel to The Shining based on Stephen King's Before the Play, and explore the tales of the Overlook Hotel, for HBO Max.^[84] However, in August 2021, it was announced that the show would not go forward at HBO Max.^[85]

Also in April 2020, another series executive produced by Abrams and Ben Stephenson based on the DC Comics characters in the Justice League Dark universe was announced to be in development at HBO Max, alongside Overlook and Duster.^[84] By February 2023, it was reported that the series was officially scrapped.^[86]

^[87]

On February 17, 2021,^[88][89]

On February 19, 2021,^[90]

Also on February 19, 2021, Stephen King revealed that he and Abrams were in talks to collaborate on a possible horror anthology series.^[91]

In February 26, 2021, Ta-Nehisi Coates was revealed to be writing a new Superman reboot feature for the DCEU that was in early development, with Abrams was set as producer alongside Hannah Minghella.^[92] The film was expected to feature a Black actor portraying Superman, with potential for Michael B. Jordan to still take on the role after previously pitching himself as a Black version of the character.^[93]

In March 2021, it was reported that Abrams would produce a big screen, live action feature adaptation of the DC Comics character Zatanna, with Emerald Fennell set to write the script.^[94][95] By 2022, the project was cancelled.

In June 2021,^[96][89]

In July 2021,^[97]

In February 2022, it was announced Abrams would serve as executive producer on a limited series adaptation of the Stephen King novel Billy Summers, with Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz writing. One year later, it was announced that Warner Bros. had acquired the project, which was now being repurposed as a feature film with Leonardo DiCaprio's Appian Way Productions joining as a producer.^[98][99]

In March 2022,^[100]

In April 2022, it was announced that Abrams would produce a live action Hot Wheels film for Mattel Films and Warner Bros.^[101][102] On January 23, 2023, Dalton Leeb and Nicholas Jacobson-Larson were announced to write the film.^[103]

In January 2023, it was announced that Jason Bateman would direct the supernatural film The Pinkerton for Abrams' Bad Robot and Warner Bros. Pictures, from a spec script by Daniel Casey; Abrams was set to produce the film alongside Hannah Minghella.^[104]

• J. J. Abrams's unrealized projects at IMDb