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Arnold Schwarzenegger's Lost Pirate Epic Revealed!
16 Jun
Summary
- Arnold Schwarzenegger was nearly cast as Captain Blood.
- Director Chuck Russell developed a pirate film with Arnold.
- Eraser production led to the pirate movie's cancellation.
Director Chuck Russell has unveiled details about a near-production pirate film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the 1990s, following the success of films like "True Lies" and "Junior," Russell and Schwarzenegger were developing a new version of "Captain Blood," based on Rafael Sabatini's novel. Russell envisioned a fresh take on the swashbuckling character, even commissioning artwork of Schwarzenegger in leather pants instead of traditional tights.
This ambitious project was being developed after Russell's directorial success with "The Mask" and his collaboration with screenwriter Frank Darabont. Schwarzenegger was reportedly keen on Russell directing his next film, with "Captain Blood" sharing a similar action-adventure tone to the eventual "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise. However, "Eraser," another project Schwarzenegger was developing, gained immediate momentum with Warner Bros.
Russell explained that the swift green-lighting of "Eraser" led to "Captain Blood" being put on hold. While he expressed passion for the pirate film, the complex nature of big-budget film development meant that perfect alignment was necessary. Ultimately, the pirate epic never set sail, with Schwarzenegger proceeding with "Eraser" instead.
