Empires of the Deep
This would-be hit movie, which was marketed as China's answer to Avatar, started filming back in 2010 in China. It was planned for release the following year. With a spending cap of $140 million, it was unquestionably destined to be a big special effects extravaganza. But "spectacle" doesn't always connote a positive thing.
A year later than planned, an official teaser was unveiled in 2012, and it was something else. Above all, a 2013 release was guaranteed. That never took place. Many talented people left the film like it was a sinking ship. As mermaid queens, Sharon Stone and Monica Bellucci were both initially connected to the role. As the production was weighed down by delays and bad choices, a number of filmmakers agreed to join but ultimately withdrew.
The movie was slated to be directed by Pitof, with Ivan Kershner of Empire Strikes Back serving as producer. Both men gave up. The second director, Jonathan Lawrence, wasted five or six months before quitting as well, allegedly owing to inadequate preparation and hazardous working conditions for the actors and crew. After then, two additional directors took over.
The script had undergone 40 drafts from 10 different screenwriters. The outcome was nevertheless regarded as ridiculous. The author of the original script and story for the film, Jon Jiang, was responsible for all of this. He was a millionaire who made his money in real estate and had no prior expertise in the film industry, despite the fact that he claimed to have seen 4,000 films and intended to develop his own.
A merman extra in the movie described the hazardous conditions on set in a blog post, including falling pebbles in an abandoned quarry, outfits physically stuck to human flesh with glue not intended for human use, and harmful treatment of animals. The film had spent $140 million by the time it was released in 2016, and as of 2022, it has still not been released, despite reports to the contrary.
Directed by: Jonathan LawrenceMichael FrenchScott Miller
Written by: Randall FrakesJon Jiang (story)
Produced by: Jon JiangHarrison Liang
