Even the most influential directors don’t always succeed in bringing their ambitious visions to life. Film history is filled with grand projects that, for various reasons, remained nothing more than plans.
Among these unrealized masterpieces, Napoleon by Stanley Kubrick holds a special place — perhaps the most monumental unmade film in history.
After the triumph of 2001: A Space Odyssey, the director conceived an ambitious project — a three-hour epic biopic of Napoleon Bonaparte. Obsessed with historical accuracy, Kubrick conducted an enormous amount of research: he studied hundreds of books and created a card index detailing the emperor’s daily routine.
Actor Jack Nicholson, fresh off an Oscar nomination, had been cast in the leading role. Stanley Kubrick planned to shoot the film in European palaces and involve 30,000 extras for the battle scenes. The budget was expected to reach a record-breaking 5–6 million dollars.
However, the studios refused to finance the project. Kubrick shifted his focus to A Clockwork Orange, postponing his dream for better times — which never came.
