10 Movies That Changed Directors Midway Through Their Shoot

Behind the Scenes Shakeups from the Director's Chair

The movie director is the most important part of the behind the scenes shooting of the movie. He is essentially the chef that adds a distinct flavor to serve his dish on the big screen for the audience. Usually, movies tend to avoid switching directors midway as it can lead to disastrous results. However, sometimes there are some changes where the director gets replaced in favor of another. Here are some movies which are living examples of the same.

Justice League (2017)

This is the most infamous and high-profile director swap in modern history. After a family tragedy, Zack Snyder stepped away from the film during post-production. Warner Bros., already wanting a lighter tone, brought in Joss Whedon to oversee massive, multi-million dollar reshoots. Whedon's theatrical cut was a critical and commercial disappointment, which sparked a years-long fan campaign that ultimately resulted in the release of Zack Snyder's Justice League, a 4-hour version of the original director's vision.

Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)

This was a shocking move by Lucasfilm. Lord and Miller, known for their improvisational, comedic style, were fired deep into principal photography (reportedly over 75% of the way through). The studio was unhappy with the comedic tone and brought in veteran director Ron Howard to reshoot the majority of the film, steering it back to a more traditional Star Wars adventure.

Superman II (1980)

The original and most legendary director swap. Richard Donner had filmed roughly 75% of Superman II at the same time he was shooting the first film. After clashing with the producers, he was fired. Richard Lester was hired to finish the film, but to get a "sole director" credit, he had to reshoot enough of Donner's footage to make the film "his." This led to a wildly different, campier tone and, decades later, the release of Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

With only a few weeks of filming left, 20th Century Fox fired director Bryan Singer for "unprofessional conduct," which included disappearing from set and clashing with star Rami Malek. Dexter Fletcher (who was, ironically, originally attached to the project years earlier) was hired to step in, finish principal photography, and oversee post-production, guiding the film to its massive box office and Oscar success.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

This classic had a revolving door of directors. Richard Thorpe was fired after two weeks for being "too flat." George Cukor (a friend of Judy Garland's) stepped in temporarily, changing her look and the film's tone. He then left to direct Gone with the Wind, and Victor Fleming took over for the bulk of the film. When Fleming himself was called over to finish Gone with the Wind, a final director, King Vidor, stepped in to film the black-and-white Kansas sequences.

Gone with the Wind (1939)

The two most famous films of 1939 actually traded directors. Cukor, known as a "woman's director," was fired by producer David O. Selznick after just a few weeks (and at the alleged insistence of star Clark Gable). Selznick brought in the famously "masculine" Victor Fleming from The Wizard of Oz to take over the massive production and bring it home.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)

While Gareth Edwards remained the credited director, it's one of Hollywood's most open secrets that he was sidelined during massive, film-altering reshoots. Tony Gilroy, who was on board as a writer, was brought in to take over the reshoots, reportedly changing the film's tone and completely reworking the entire third act (including the iconic Darth Vader hallway scene), which many now consider the best part of the movie.

World War Z (2013)

This is a case of a "midway" change to the script, not the director. The film was finished, and the studio hated the entire third act (a massive, confusing battle in Russia). They brought in writers Damon Lindelof and Drew Goddard, who scrapped the last 40 minutes of the movie. Marc Forster then returned to direct a brand new ending (the tense, quiet sequence in the W.H.O. lab) months later, effectively saving the film from disaster.

Ratatouille (2007)

Pixar is famous for changing directors mid-stream if a story isn't working. Jan Pinkava had been developing Ratatouille for years, but the studio felt the story was too complex and wasn't "working." They brought in The Incredibles director Brad Bird, who kept the core concept (a rat who cooks) but essentially restarted the production, giving it the sharp, emotional, and thrilling story that became an animated classic.

Jaws 2 (1978)

The studio wanted a sequel to its biggest hit, but the production was a mess. After a month of filming, the producers fired original director John D. Hancock, feeling his vision was too dark and "artsy" for a summer blockbuster. They brought in Jeannot Szwarc, who reshot everything and delivered the more straightforward, action-adventure sequel the studio wanted.