Ten Fan Films That We’ll Never See




I’ve been covering fan films for an extremely long time. And in that time I’ve seen some spectacular productions. Along the way I’ve also seen quality concepts that just couldn’t make it to completion for one reason or the other. The potential left behind is certainly images that can still be appreciated even knowing the final vision was never finished. What I have for you this time out is ten of these fan films I’ve been following for a while that are definitely dead or that I’m 99.9% sure will never be completed. And these aren’t just some kids with mom and dad’s VHS camera. These are really high end fan productions. So let us begin…


Star Wars: Secrets of the Rebellion

I remember the website and stills for this fan film. What director Mark Twitchell put together was spectacular. But now there’s just this little stumbling block. Mark Twitchell is now facing trial for murder. The self proclaimed Canadian filmmaker “allegedly” lured a gentleman named John Brian Altinger to his garage by posing as a woman on some website. Investigators believe the murder of Altinger bares a striking resemblance to a movie that Twitchell had been planning on making called House of Cards about a character who lures people to a garage, ties them to a chair, and chops them into pieces. Twitchell was also very fond of the Showtime television series, Dexter, with the main character being a serial killer.

If you even care at this point the plot of this fan film was explained as follows –

“The time is just a couple of days before A New Hope. Red Hand Squadron moves to infiltrate the Imperial Outpost on Danuta in order to broadcast the plans of the dreaded Death Star to a rebel mole onboard a Star Destroyer 10 parsecs away.”

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-SddGNXSkQ[/youtube]


Max Payne: Payne and Redemption

This technically is no longer a Max Payne fan film. Let me explain. The brains over at Fox Films who are behind the recent failed Max Payne motion picture starring Mark Wahlberg sent a cease and desist to Fergle Gibson to stop his fan film production based on the famed video game character. To what I read the studio didn’t want potential audiences being confused by their peace of crap film that got 20% on the Tomatometer at RottenTomatoes.com to what Gibson was doing. Even the games own creator from 3D Realms, CEO Scott Miller, told the video-game magazine Edge, “There are several fundamental story flaws in the film that have me shaking my head in bewilderment.” Among them, he said, is the fact that Payne is seen in a flashback scene half way through the movie learning that his family has been murdered. Said Miller, “In the game, we put this scene right at the front of the story for a reason! Saving this scene until mid-film is a narrative blunder, because the audience needs to empathize with Max in order to like him and understand what drives him.” But Fox Films can’t keep a good fan film down. A few tweaks to the story and promotional materials and a fan film are full speed ahead. The fans will still know who the film is about and be happy to see the character given his due justice.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZF2ApxX2eE[/youtube]


Indiana Jones: Treasure of the Templars

This is truly a unique fan film because of the fact that it’s been filmed in both California and Scotland. The story revolves around a young Indiana Jones who travels from the deserts of Mexico to the highlands of Scotland in at the bequest of an old friend and in search of a medieval prize – the Treasure of the Templars. The idea for the movie sparked in 2004 with the filmmaker’s original footage being scrapped when felt a far superior job could be done. The first ten minutes have made it online with the entire feature pending its full debut. I have reservation as if the full film will ever see the light of day considering how many years it has taken to get this baby out. I hope I’m proven wrong, but doesn’t look good.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1bbOKQEY0c[/youtube]


Spider-Man Versus Kraven The Hunter

One of the earliest Spider-Man fan films beyond the 60’s Don Glut short is a webhead flick by Bruce Cardozo made in 1974. According to an article in the a 1975 issue of Marvel Fan Magazine the film features appearances by Kraven the Hunter and Gwen Stacy, and the story is based on issue fifteen of the comic book. Supposedly, the reason that Mr. Cardozo doesn’t want to put his film online present time is he doesn’t want to show the forces at Marvel and/or Sony how to do a good Spiderman film. I can’t imagine a fan film made in 1974 is going to spark any creative juices for the rebirth of the franchise that’s coming. I’m sure there’s some bad blood there because this was actually endorsed by Marvel and got the thumbs up from Stan Lee. If Cardozo is happening upon this page I have to tell you it’s been over 25 years my friend. Let it go and let the world see your work. Perhaps someday Cardozo will reconsider, but not betting I’ll ever be able to view this potential fan film classic.


Star Wars: Tydirium

The official site gives a cryptic answer as to why the film will never be completed. “Due to different circumstances out of our working life the finalization of our film will be interrupted again and again. A potential release date is unknown up to now.” I’m not a gossip monger, but in reading between the lines creative differences halted this fan film from a galaxy far, far away. It’s been a few years since any word on this one. I fear it will for ever be buried in the fan films that never were vault. It’s a shame. The trailer is awesome.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3PAJP_lFe8[/youtube]


Captain America

I’m not sure what happened to this film and I’m not even sure if it’s out of the realm of possibility. I thought this movie died a while back, but doing some research for this article it still may be coming to an internet near you. Daryl Kyle was/is heading up the project. A post I read May 0f 2007 suggested he was still going to make the short fan film, but here we are a year+ later with the announcement of an official film being released from Marvel Studios yet no film from Kyle.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7K82Px82BE[/youtube]


Star Wars: Broken Allegiance 2

The first Broken Allegiance is spectacular even by today’s standards. I can’t believe the original film is six years old already. It may not seem like a long time except when you put it into the context of the origins of the entire fan film explosion. Broken Allegiance was such a hit among the Star Wars and fan film community a sequel was planned, a script was written, the actors were ready to return to their parts, and then it pretty much fell apart from there. You can read the full story with the link provided above.

You can watch the original Broken Allegiance film HERE.


Wolverine: Hell Unleashed

Based on the Weapon X years of the X-Men character Wolverine this fan film seems to of withered on the vines. The fan film is inspired by a story by Barry Windsor Smith adapted by Michael W Kondyra and Sam Meola JR. Their official website is no longer online and they’re MySpace site hasn’t updated since June 2008. Not being able to see this completed film wants me to break out in some berserker rage.

UPDATE – August 11th, 2012

Sam Meola from Hell Unleashed contacted the Fan Film Follies to clue us in why the film was never completed. We thank him for the incite into why the project was never finished.

We couldn’t finish the film due to:

  • our main filming location was sold to a new owner
  • I was in a motorcycle accident followed my a very serious work accident (my legs were crushed between two 20-ton slabs of steel). I was told that I would lose them and never walk again. Eight months later I started bouncing at a bar and doing bodyguard work and had to cut my hair and sideburns. (Obviously, I didn’t listen to the doctors, my legs work just fine and look normal.)
  • I was dating the girl who played “Ms Hines”, we broke up after the motorcycle accident.
  • I lost muscle and got skinny with a gut, then built up bigger than before while not at work…which wouldnt hurt the film, but I was also getting heavily tattooed.

Mike and I ended up being in a few movies and were stunt fighters in a big-budget flop “The Last Airbender” by M. Night.

It seemed like lot of people liked the teaser footage, we even got a nod and were linked with Barry Windsor-Smith’s site. He loved it. Thanks for the mention.

– Sam Meola

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ_dSnypAQw[/youtube]


Logan

I actually have an interview posted with the creators behind this potential Wolverine fan film where you can read here.  That interview is the very reason I don’t interview anyone anymore who doesn’t have a promising trailer of a completed fan film. They went as a lot of fan film creators I’ve followed go. They’re so full of steam out of the gate, but too many factors come along that weigh your ambitions down until you finally have to decide to scrap the idea.


The Ghost of the Lone Ranger (Preston: N.W.M.P.)

The film would of centered around one of George W. Trendle’s other creations, Sgt. Preston of the Yukon. In the adventure, a young Preston, not yet a sergeant is aided by a Texas Ranger in his quest to capture his father’s killer. Classic Media has asserted its rights to the characters in this movie and has effectively shut it down. We will keep you posted if anything changes. How cool would a Lone Ranger fan film be? But alas – not going to happen…YET!


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13 thoughts on “Ten Fan Films That We’ll Never See

  1. The ironic thing about that Templars movie is that the creators decided to make it because they were tired of waiting for Spielberg & Lucas to make Indy 4. Now, people can watch Indy 4 while they’re waiting for THESE guys to get their act together, if ever.

  2. If Templars is truly dead, I don’t think they’ll ever make an official announcement- a TON of people supported this effort, and telling them it was all for naught is going to lead to rioting on the Indiana Jones message boards! (Denial is a powerful thing.) 😉

  3. you forgot Starship Exeter…..these films are now : ‘How NOT to do a Fan Film.’
    The only thing worse than ‘seeing’ a Fan film never get completed is being INVOLVED in one, doing your job 110%, then see your work go to pot because of 1 or 2 Management jackasses bailing out of the Film because they don’t(or never did) have what it takes.

  4. I do have their first DVD down in my archives, Art. GEEZ! I got that at my old house so it has to be about 6 or 7 years ago now. YEAH! You are talking about other people’s time and energy here. If you’re going to make any film you either better be paying the people for their time or making damn sure their time isn’t wasted by finishing the thing.

  5. If a fan film’s gotta make it, it’s either got a) funding, or 2) passion. The first is nigh impossible to come by, and the second doesn’t pay the bills for people who have day jobs.

    Much as I’d love to watch all of these fan films, it’s pointless to hold out hope.

  6. be kind, I don’t think a person whom has never tried to create one of these productions, could truely understand the time, effort, or family stress it causes. there are numerous areas, that take loads of research, and when that dosen’t work, you resort to could the fans swallow the horse hockey I create. Just saying guys If you are so damb bad ass, you go out on the limb and take the rocks. Other wise stay in moms basment. These folks have tried, and not quite hit the mark, but GUYS!! they tried . “Never be afraid to fail ”
    P.S. Dont give up on Exeter shes about to get a a second life. and a sister series Ajax.

  7. I agree, John. I’m part of a production and it has taken us all of 2011 to get it completed. We’re set to film the final scenes this coming October and then we have a long road to run for post production so I can respect the efforts put into these films.

  8. I tracked down Bruce Cardozo a few years ago via the net and he was nice enough to respond to me about his Spider-man fan film. He signed an agreement with Marvel to never ever let any copies of the film out and he plans on honoring that agreement. But he did offer if I was ever in LA he’d be willing to show the film to me.

  9. Interesting. I’m guessing this was the days before the viral videos and the great use of the internet. Somehow I don’t think Marvel would give two poops if it hit online.

  10. While it is true that someone who has never made a film does not realize the hard work involved in making a film, that does not automatically give the filmmakers a free pass from criticism. Many fans of baseball complain about their favorite team, without ever even having played a single professional game.

    When one makes a film, they usually make it because “A” they want to see that film, and “B” they want others to see that film. In that case, once a film is out, or even a trailer is produced and shown, then it is fair for folks to comment whether or not one likes the film or not. Just mentioning the good things about a production is really not criticism, since the way to better films is to remove the bad elements from any given production.
    In Hollywood, if there is a problem with a film, they just throw money at it till it hopefully goes away, fan films do not have that luxury, they have what they have for finances, and they have what they have in usually free help.

    Having said all that, yes folks should take it a little easy on the fan films, but still constructive criticism is actually a good thing. As in Hollywood movies, not all fan films are created equal, for every “Batman Dead End” there are many not so realized productions.

    On this article about fan films that were never completed, it is really fascinating, giving a taste of what might have been. I’m sure there are many fan films are left uncompleted maybe even more than are completed, showing just how hard it is to actually make a film. All this is Okay, since for the filmmaker, sometimes the journey is more relevant than the destination.

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