Getting a TV show made is a long and complicated process. Even projects with major stars attached, famous creators involved, or huge expectations can spend years stuck in development. Some are rewritten over and over again, some have cast members drop out, and others never make it past the initial planning stage. Here are some TV shows that spent years struggling to get started, with a few never making it to television at all.
1. The Lord of the Rings (Amazon’s TV Adaptation)
Before becoming one of the most expensive TV series ever, the small screen version of The Lord of the Rings was discussed for years. Multiple studios had tried to figure out how to adapt Tolkien’s complex world for television, but the production demands were hard to overcome. Eventually, Amazon secured the rights and shot The Rings of Power, but the journey was much longer than expected.
2. The Dark Tower
Stephen King’s The Dark Tower gained a reputation as being one of the most difficult book-to-screen adaptations. Before the disappointing 2017 movie, many attempts were made to turn the fantasy into a TV series. Projects attached to major studios and filmmakers were announced, rewritten, and cancelled over the years. The story’s combination of fantasy, horror, and Western elements made it challenging for television.
3. The Jetsons (Live-Action Series)
A live-action version of The Jetsons has been talked about for decades. There have been several false starts at bringing the futuristic family to TV in live action form. Creatives have repeatedly explored the idea, but multiple challenges have kept it from happening. These include expensive space-related effects and capturing the essence of the original cartoon version without making it look ridiculous in live-action form. Maintaining the humor and charm of the animation is difficult. Different writers, producers, and networks have been connected to potential versions over the years. Despite the popularity of The Jetsons, no live action version has ever made it to the small screen.
4. Star Wars: Underworld
Before Disney’s Andor and The Mandalorian, George Lucas was developing a darker live-action Star Wars series called Star Wars: Underworld. The show was to take place between the prequel and original trilogies. It would focus on the criminal goings on within the galaxy. Remarkably, more than 50 scripts were reportedly developed. But production costs were massive and the project was shelved.
5. The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (The Original Plans)
A sequel or continuation of The Dark Crystal had been on the table for decades before Netflix finally made Age of Resistance. Various versions of the project were tried, but each one creeped along slowly. Among the unique challenges were complicated puppetry skills. The eventual series took almost 40 years to come to fruition.
6. Halo
A live-action Halo series spent years going from one studio to the next before finally being released on Paramount+. The project was first announced way back in the mid-2000s, when the video game franchise was experiencing massive success. Well known filmmakers were attached at different points over the years. Multiple versions were developed and then just as soon abandoned. The best way to adapt the enormous world of the video game for TV eluded the creators. Budgets, creative changes, and the expectations of fans only made the process more complicated. By the time the show finally premiered, it had gone through well over a decade of changes.
7. The Chronicles of Narnia (Netflix Series)
Netflix announced plans to create a new television series based on The Chronicles of Narnia. Though it is still in the works, progress has been slower than expected. The production team has struggled with turning the beloved fantasy world into television format. Creative decisions and production details have been slow going. At this point, fans have waited years for the next version of Narnia.
8. American Gods (Before It Happened)
Before it finally became a TV series, Neil Gaiman’s American Gods spent years in development limbo. Several writers and producers gave it their best attempt, but the story’s grand scale and unusual structure made it difficult to work with. It eventually became a Starz series, but only after a time-consuming journey through development.