Walt Disney has abandoned the proposed remake of 1968 Beatles film Yellow Submarine, reports the Hollywood Reporter.
Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis (The Polar Express, Forrest Gump, Back to the Future) was to have produced and directed the project.
Various reasons were given for the cancellation of the film, from the Zemeckis-produced bomb Mars Needs Moms to budget issues. As well, Zemeckis was unable to reschedule a meeting with surviving members of the British band and their heirs.
Apparently, the decision was made some months ago and had nothing to do with the fact that the director’s latest film, which cost $150 million to make, earned only $6.3 million at its weekend debut.
For this new version of the film, director Robert Zemeckis was planning to incorporate the 16 Beatles songs from the original motion picture. One of the last films to use this many was Zemeckis’ 1978 directorial debut, I Wanna Hold Your Hand, a comedy about Beatlemania.
This would have been the third time Zemeckis has directed a film that involved The Beatles, the other being Forrest Gump. Zemeckis is now free to take his project to another studio.