CRUSADE - Why Arnold Schwarzenegger's Cancelled Epic Was Too Ambitious

[@williamsandell3260]

I was Paul’s Production Designer on Robocop and Total Recall and can just see and hear him explaining to the studio executives “...that there are no guarantees! “, that is so Paul. He tells it like it is

[@SupervoidCinema]

Wow, that's some phenomenal work you did on those movies!

[@captfeeny]

I looked you up... Wowwie, very cool!

[@michalstanek77]

Oh Man, it's not about Verhoeven, but I have to say that I LOVE Your work in "Master & Commander". One of production design masterpieces, IMO, really. Thanks.

[@williamsandell3260]

@@michalstanek77 thanks. We won a lot of awards for all that work, an Oscar nomination and we won the BAFTA Award for Production Design. Lots of work and research on that one. Big big sets also. I looked for complicated films to work on, lots Forman Art Dept. to do, and this was certainly one of those

[@spock_elvis]

@@williamsandell3260 Where is Robocop now? We need him.

I can't seriously believe they pulled the plug on this movie. Arnold would have driven his enemies before him. And heard the lamentations of their women for sure.

[@jensi479]

I love Paul Verhoeven I love Schwarzenegger I love the Crusades And this makes me sad

[@conniecarroll7222]

Yes, since the poster in Arnold's office is of Cecil B movie made in B&W which was terrible. Hollywood took history threw it in a barrel then made a movie.

[@CinemaRescored]

The music for _Crusade_ was going to be composed by Basil Poledouris, who has worked with Verhoeven on _RoboCop_ and _Starship Troopers._ Poledouris' "The Tradition of the Games" (a musical piece from the 1996 Olympic Games opening ceremony) was actually recycled from one of his compositions written for _Crusade._ It's available on KZbin.

[@flyingace1939]

Source?

[@vojjta]

Speaking about Poledouris work, and not mention Conan the Barbarian should be considered crime.

[@CinemaRescored]

@@vojjta Verhoeven didn't direct _Conan._

[@vojjta]

@@CinemaRescored im speaking about Basil Poledouris best work - soundtrack to Conan.

[@CinemaRescored]

@@vojjta Yes, I agree, it is his best work, and my favorite film score of all time, but it's not related to Verhoeven so it has nothing to do with what I wrote.

[@harveyplissken4604]

It's a damn shame this didn't get off the ground. Nowadays since Arnold Schwarzenegger is old and past his prime, I think this movie should be brought to life as a graphic novel (akin to what happened with The Power of The Dark Crystal) and a fan-made animated movie.

[@Johnlindsey289]

That would work and speaking of Dark Crystal, they did an excellent prequel show on netflix

[@CB-ke7eq]

@@35mm21 That's what I was thinking. If Arnold still owns the script, he should produce it and maybe appear as a supporting character, a seasoned general would be perfect. Get Hemsworth or Cavill in at Arnie's original role. Boom!

[@conniecarroll7222]

@@35mm21 Have you seen Maggie? It's a sort of Zombie movie but Arnold was great in it playing the father. I was not only surprised but impressed with his acting. He's also done a action comedy with Jackie Chan that I don't think went to the Theaters, I think it went straight to streaming so I am not sure of the date. You have to check on the MIMB website under Arnold's or Jackie's names.

[@glyph2011]

Good lord. That movie would have been AMAZING. Crying shame it never happened. :-(

[@maddestmax6522]

I wanted to see the hamlet movie from last action hero

[@billygarcia9885]

I think we all know what the poster’s tag line would be... “Hey Uncle, you killed my father ... BIG MISTAKE”

[@maddestmax6522]

@@billygarcia9885 lol "no one tells this sweet prince GOOD NIGHT. To be or not to be

[@Varg84]

Would have been the best movie of all time.

[@maddestmax6522]

@12thManInTokyo hahaha that bit was great

[@djwilliams1749]

@@billygarcia9885 To be or not to be. Not to be...

[@skobywankenobi]

From the title alone I'm sold.

[@AleZayas]

Paul Verhoeven sounds like the guy that ends up sabotaging himself. Honestly I don't think it's just because he is "too honest". Asking for 800 horses is a way of saying "I don't know if I want to do this". He was probably afraid.

[@noizetv4240]

This is the most professional amateur video I've ever seen based mostly on the way you put it together. Keep up the great work, cause it truly is inspiring.

[@redsyrup1138]

Damn! I never knew we were so close to another Verhoeven/Schwarzenegger epic. Total Recall is one of my absolute favorites.

[@johnhaladay5541]

I remember hearing about this when I was a teenager in the early 1990s. There was a lot of excitement about it. Schwarzenegger was at the top of his game as this would have been released after T2. The fact that Cutthroat Island - which cost just as much as Crusade was budgeted - was made instead is a crime against humanity.

[@Johnlindsey289]

yes they should had made crusade in 1994

[@Draak_en]

Jesus this movie would have blown. 05:40 The fucking director doesn't even know basic history holy shit, thank God this got put into development hell.

[@JinxSanity]

Spoken like a true Christian fanatic who will happily commit Genocide for a "loving" God 🤡

[@TheNYCGoldenGlover]

I wanted to add a kudos for using Albinoni's "Adagio for strings and organ in G minor" and Wagners "Dies Niebling" so prominently throughout. I first heard it in Gallipoli years ago and is to this day my favorite piece of music. It fits well here

[@Dohsoda]

This would have been interesting, especially with Arnold in the lead role.

[@Bonko78]

It's cruel irony that historical epics became all the rage just a few years after this. Both Arnie and Verhoeven were at the top of their game, so this could have been something special. Though, even if we could fix this with a time machine, I still wouldn't trade this movie for True Lies or Starship Troopers. But I do hope someone else makes it in the future.

[@kdscool1536]

Someone else would f*ck it up. It should have been made with Paul and Anrold back in 90s.

[@ToejamandEarl1983]

This was and still is my most wanted movie 😔

[@captfeeny]

For me, it would be #2 next to Kubrick's "Napoleon".

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

Jodorowsky's Dune.

[@Elainerulesutube]

The proposed Crusades movie would've upset the Muslims.

[@wildandwonderful7069]

Just found this channel. Great research and clips. it's almost like watching an alternate history movie.

[@jackcraven2266]

Great job with video! I read Crusade script few times, and it really is one of the best unproduced scripts ever written, and probably the most violent unproduced script i ever read. When it comes to unproduced scripts for cancelled Schwarzenegger films, i'd put it right after John Logan's 1997 I Am Legend script(s) but above Steven De Souza's and Frank Darabont's 1989 Commando 2 script, all of which were great. I can't believe that Carolco made Cutthroat Island instead of Crusade. This, Commando 2, Sgt. Rock which he was going to do with John McTiernan and I Am Legend film which he was going to do with Ridley Scott are all lost Schwarzenegger films which should have been made, and i'm sure Crusade and I Am Legend alone would have been huge hits and cult classics by now. Looking forward to more of your videos about films that never were!

[@SupervoidCinema]

Yeah the Logan drafts of I Am Legend would've made an amazing film. I've got Commando 2 somewhere, keep meaning to read it.

[@slob5041]

It’s interesting that the patriot and similar Gibson movies came out a few years later. He was on top of the trends before they existed

[@mmmuck]

This could make a great mini series now

[@davidjames579]

Netflix, Amazon and Apple have lots of cash to burn. This could be a way of making names for themselves, resurrecting great lost projects the risk averse studios won't touch.

[@kidzoki]

Back in the early ‘90s I read Walon Green’s “Crusade” screenplay. It was incredible - brutal, tight, compelling and pitch perfect.

[@kidzoki]

Evan Fletcher - Want I should do a video on the screenplay?

[@redcrabdue1787]

@@redmistbluemiss You can find and download the screenplay online. Here is the link: stephenbatchelorblog.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/crusade.pdf

[@baronsierra]

All your content is fantastic! I remember finding your channel when you guys posted your first video and I'm so happy to see it grow little by little. Please keep it going, you're doing great!

[@Jarejander69]

I remember applying for a job as extra for this movie when I was around 18.

[@rosecity_chris]

God, I hate that this kind of period piece would never be done as a blockbuster these days. Could only have happened perfectly in the 90s.

[@horrorstew3577]

This would've been legendary in scope and scripts and Paul would've hit it out the park like everything else he did

[@flatscan1978]

Turn the script into a videogame. Arnold can still voice the main character (and lend his likeliness).

[@s2735]

this is exactly the type of thing I want to know more about. Thanks!

[@SmoothCriminal12]

Funny thing is that James Cameron had the opposite approach with the Carolco executives when he was making his Spiderman adaptation. He slapped his name on a previously written script since they demanded a script that proved the film would come in on budget and opted to just deal with budget issues later.

[@deadlegs187]

Also. Could you do In The Mountains of madness please

[@beatngu8022]

I think Guillermo del Toro is working on that movie, has been for some time.

[@mygoditsfullofstars9148]

@@beatngu8022 Unfortunately he pulled out of `At The Mountains Of Madness`.A shame as it would have been awesome.

[@Repossessedurass]

I cannot agree with this enough!

[@C0wb0yBebop]

Yes !!!!!!!

[@conniecarroll7222]

@@beatngu8022 Last I read Del Toro has taken it back up. Think I read that about 2 or 3 years ago. He had stopped due to someone else doing something very close to it, then their project either didn't work out or it stopped. Not very sure.

[@victorjohnson7512]

Verhoeven's "soldier of orange" was an epic WW2 historical film.

[@filegrabber1]

That's a great movie!

[@ryanh603]

Hands down my favorite of his Dutch movies followed by Turkish Delight. I would rank Elle in the top 3 but that was a French production if I’m not mistaken.

[@camilorivero]

I just found your channel and I love it! Great stuff! Now you have one more subscriber. Keep them coming!

[@TIOMKIN1]

Excellent Report on the Crusade movie never made. I wish it had been. Thanks. Out.

[@BodhiSatfa-co2zz]

Everything about this channel I absolutley LOVE and wish was a reality- Cheers mates

[@KrisM1998]

This is great. Very informative and detailed, I love this channel, was wondering if you would ever make a video on Total Recall 2? That film had an insane development cycle, starting out as an adaptation of the Phillip K Dick short story Minority Report and then evolving into something else entirely. It would make for another fantastic look at what might have been.

[@Spiqaro]

This movie, along with Mel Gibson's Viking epic "Beserker," need to be made.

[@moviemaster8372]

Nice Video,Never knew this movie was in the making and got pulled.

[@Kriegtime101]

This would have been so incredible! And well cast! How perfect would Arnold have been as a medieval Austrian duke!

[@skippy1138]

Nice job-well researched and great video presentation.......

[@HardestTargett]

i think this movie was Kingdom of Heaven and the guy returns home as a blacksmith instead of a gardner and it was good.

[@addictstatic]

each one of these stories would make the doubting cinephile who is dismayed at current movie making rethink their stance. Follow the passion or at least come out with a documentary on each one. I would call the filmmakers to show their "one that got away". I love the channel.

[@Benjatron-jw2rg]

Total Recall is my favorite Arnold movie. It’s a shame we never got another Verhoven/Schwarzenegger movie.

[@KhadijahJoySams93]

Awesome videos. You do great work, keep it up. Shine on!

[@brunfranc]

Wow, that was quick! Hope you do a video on the videogame movies that were never made.

[@brunfranc]

@@HerneHunter I choose to take that as a compliment.

[@thaequalizer3539]

One that comes to mind is the canceled sequel to Dante's Inferno.

[@ewanhub6080]

this would have been so awesome, I hope it gets made somehow ! maybe not with Arnold in the lead role but still could be in it ?

[@kdscool1536]

Not in the current climate. It should've been made in 90s.

[@WhatsReallyGoingOn84]

Love the music at the end, on top of everything else:)

[@seanmcmanus9575]

Awesome video my friend i wish we could have seen this movie and the i am legend movie with Arnold and Ridley Scott directing it

[@aaronmoreno4545]

I think it’s such a shame it didn’t get made, it really makes me appreciative of all the films we did get from Arnold.

[@animationfanatic2133]

I hope maybe someday to at least see a graphic novel

[@Michael-th9ti]

I think arnold owns it still. He should push to make it. He's old now but im sure he could produce it and oversee it so its nade right. It still sounds great. From what ive read of the script it seems awesome.

[@alwaysxnever]

I respect Verhoven's desire to be honest. But shame that it cost us this epic.

[@nikoniko9]

I would absolutely LOVE to see a video on Alfred Hitchcock's "Kaleidoscope"!!! You're the man!

[@jordel2010]

This sounds like something that would have been very interesting to see materialized as a film, but sometimes there are things that aren't just meant to be and this project was one of those.

[@dylanslemp4069]

Really wished this film got made. It would've been a phenomenal historical epic.

[@demetriusdillard2863]

I first read about Arnold's aborted period epic drama "Crusade"--alongside other rejected and/or stalled film proposals, such as Kevin Smith's ill-fated "Superman Lives"--in David Hughes' wonderful book "Tales From Development Hell" a few years ago. Had the gutless fatcats at Carolco not greenlit the abysmal (and asinine) Geena Davis vehicle "Cutthroat Island" instead of the far more ambitious "Crusade" in the spring of 1994, Arnold would've had a surefire box office success in his back pocket, possibly even outgrossing his biggest box office hit of all time, "Terminator 2: Judgment Day"...hell, "Crusade" would've probably also received massive critical acclaim--which would've surprised even Arnold himself (given the fact that critics have seldom applauded Arnold throughout his fifty-plus year career in Hollywood)--and collected a s**tload of awards along the way, including a possible Best Actor Oscar nomination for Arnold. Oh, well.

[@jairtapia3595]

A sort of social media petition / fan campaign to restart this, could be powerful. The script doesn't feel outdated, is still pretty fresh and now that there is deageing technologies, everything is possible.

[@illerac84]

The beginning of this mentions who they wanted for the roles. Who would you switch them with?

[@flesheater6676]

This would've been like one of those movies I would've watched over and over again, pretty much like almost any Schwarzenegger film.

[@matthewstoneback9]

I've read Walon Green's original draft online, and while I'm not sure if Arnold would've had the acting range to carry an epic of this scope, it still would've been an awesome movie!

[@SupervoidCinema]

Yeah, it's a great script.

[@benjamingentile1660]

I'm gonna be honest, the scene of Arnold inside the donkey and his head out the asshole would have made the film a laughing stock. I have not idea why all these people think that would have been some great scene. It would be memed like the Ace Vantura scene.

[@andrewescocia2707]

I just don't see Arnold going for a subversive take on the crusades with corrupt church officials giving the thumbs up to massive slaughter

[@benjamingentile1660]

Andrew Escocia or any studio wanting that for the massive budget film in the 90’s

[@haraldharam9334]

It would have been *GLORIOUS*

[@benjamingentile1660]

Harald Haram would have been one of the best bits of unintentional humor in all of cinema

[@midnightanimal4598]

Did you watch the video? Paul and the others talk about how the movie wasn't going to take itself completely seriously, that scene would have been intentionally humorous.

[@jaysonraphaelmurdock8812]

This script would make an interesting animated movie or series. Maybe even bring in Arnold Schwarzenegger as the voice of the main protagonist.

[@Johnlindsey289]

Yup an amazon prime adult animated series like Spawn and Castlevania and be done by Madhouse of Ninja Scroll fame

[@lucascoval828]

Not a bad idea.

[@katherinealvarez9216]

2:59 man, they constantly try to make dinosaur movies where there's no dialogue (or humans) and it always gets shot down.

[@mrScififan2]

I remember this! I was so into that era back then.....it would have been glorious!

[@nurseelliott4256]

i remember reading what was suppose to be an outline of the script and thought it was something i would have liked to see. had some crazy action during the battles

[@guitarhurricaine]

It was eventually made called Kingdom of Heaven. That kind of epic is in better hands with Ridley Scott.

[@wcw2793]

Imagine hearing Jerry Goldsmith’s music for this epic film?!

[@TheCaptainSlappy]

Amazing the movies you end up with, and those you could have ended up with.

[@v-trigger6137]

can you please do a video on Stanley Kubrick's "Napoleon"

[@paranoyd70]

This would have been a great movie, and Verhoeven is the perfect director...but sadly, this movie will never get made, not with how insane Hollywood has become. Cutthroat Island was a decent movie, but it dropped the ball on many scenes, imho.

[@Hawthorne-Studios]

Damn, my love-hate vibe for Showgirls really digs deep knowing that that movie probably doomed Crusade, as after Showgirls PV left Hollywood never to return.

[@mickeynewlin]

This sounded AWESOME

[@TwinRiver100]

i hope one day someone can get the official rights and permission to make a graphic novel of this movie.

[@KatarnCrusader]

Bring back this narrator! He has such an amazing voice!

[@ComradeCommissarYuri]

Bet the company wished they went with Crusade in the end then

[@Johnlindsey289]

It would had saved the company unlike Showgirls and Cutthroat Island

[@davedudeip]

I can only imagine Arnold's performance...AHhhhHHHhhh...God Wills it...AhhhhhhAAAa!!!!

[@deadlegs187]

Recently found this channel.

[@thaequalizer3539]

Can you please do a video on Philip Noyce's canceled PLANET OF THE APES reboot that would've starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as well?

[@sgauden02]

I've read the script for Crusade, and all I can say is that this was a huge, missed opportunity.

[@fordfarlaine2834]

Dios, gracias por subtitular esto

[@mikearchibald744]

Oh man, the sources for comedy are too much. Arnold leaving Jerusalem "I'll be back". Leaving his family back in Spain: "hasta la vista, baby".

[@steved1593]

Actually, I think the type of movie couldn't have been better handled until the 21st century's technology. They could pull it off now and get Dwayne to do it.

[@meesterexit1969]

Cutthroat Island...really...Carolco betted on the wrong (800) horses. Schwarzenegger had much more star power in those days than Gina Davis! And pirate movies we're practically forbidden then. What a missed golden opportunity.

[@matiaseduardoferrarichao9040]

Hermosa voz. Un magnífico relator

[@katranmusic]

Now better resurrect this project and screen it with Jason Momoa

[@charleslennon1]

I had hoped that Mr. Verhoeven and Mr. Schwarzenegger would have made movies from the Greg Isles books "Spandau Phoenix" and "Black Flag".

[@adammackinnon5932]

What is the name of the piece of music you used over the concept art at @4:12?

[@SupervoidCinema]

Wagner - Tannhauser Overture

[@adammackinnon5932]

Thanks!

[@NemesisApoc]

Does anyone know the source for the dinosaur footage around the 2:52 mark?

[@SupervoidCinema]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/np3EiXyIic-BnNE Phil Tippett's 'Prehistoric Beast'

[@NemesisApoc]

@@SupervoidCinema Man, that's a real blast from the past. I remember watching this on VHS probably 25 years ago.

[@MatthiasPowerbomb]

I remember hearing about this back in the day and being excited, especially since this was around the same time as Braveheart. But then I never knew what happened to it. It was years before I even saw it mentioned again on the internet. By then I think Arnie was the Governator, so it seemed clear it would never happen. Two similar projects that I was excited for which never happened, and likely never will, were the King Kamehameha biopic staring the Rock, and Hannibal the Conqueror starring Vin Diesel. I heard Hawaiians threw a fit over the Rock, half-Samoan, starring as a Hawaiian, so the project disintegrated. I don't know what happened to Hannibal, other than falling into development hell and never clawing its way out.

[@gabbar51ngh]

Make the movie and give Arnold a cameo role in it? Never too late

[@Sidragrosm]

Could always cast Arnold as Barbarossa (who later died swimming in a river) at age 68 (which was SERIOUSLY old for those times!) narrating about the first Crusade. (Could even CGI him as they did in the later Terminator films...)

[@GeorgeCostanzais10.]

And in the following years BRAVEHEART and GLADIATOR were hugely successful, which is proof audiences wanted this kind of historical epics and were willing to pay to watch them on the larger screen of the theaters.

[@MoltenPlastic]

Can't believe this was cut to make Cutthroat Island instead.

[@giovannibarbato4558]

A video about the Hobbit by Guillermo del Toro please.

[@Acekorv]

Paul Verhoeven is a great director.

[@mfbobyle6771]

Great job man. Very interesting story.. What a shame

[@spurguvitunhuora9119]

Oh well. The studio drowned in money since they greenlit Cutthroat island instead. But seriously. Somewhere theres an alternative universe where Verhoeven finished this and talks about how he never made Starship Troopers, because he got the story of idiots fighting a war they dont understand, out of his system few years prior.

[@NitpickingNerd]

Watching starship troopers got me to sign up to the military

[@spurguvitunhuora9119]

@@NitpickingNerd Of course. You wanted to know more.

[@Vanexelfan3137]

This would have been EPIC. I guess the higher ups getting cold feet is a tale as old as time.

[@mart9898]

Every detail of the script revealed here makes me think about what a mess this movie would have been. Whoever pulled the plug probably avoided the disaster of Last Action Hero.

[@YusufDaza]

Probably in an alternative universe this movie DID happened. 😌

[@jeremyjohnson6438]

As someone who works in the film industry, it is ludicrous to ask for a guarantee on anything while shooting. But the people with the money can and do. There are too many moving parts and if one of them breaks, the whole movie making machine grinds to a halt. I think most people would have told them anything to get it green lit. I wonder if Paul had it to do over again if he would have said yes I can guarantee you.

[@lindenstromberg6859]

Paul Verhoeven is one of the most controversial filmmakers of all time because critics and filmgoers alike can't decide whether or not he's amazing or crap. Showgirls isn't objectively any significant difference in quality from his other flicks, especially in the 1990s, except it was generally judged to be terrible while Robocop, Total Recall, or Starship Troopers, and others were deemed great classics - the major differences were less blood/violence and way more sexuality; while many try to pretend there's a difference in the quality of dialogue, acting, and plot, there isn't really - it's the fictional criticism they use instead of the weak sounding reality of: "the subject matter offends me."

[@lindenstromberg6859]

@kurt neill You're entitled to your opinion, even though it's moronic

[@Musicvidsetc]

Starship Troopers is mostly garbage. It's like a movie made by someone who didn't understand the book. Verhoeven has some talent so there were a few exciting and/or funny scenes, but the film is less than the sum of it's parts

[@DamienDrake]

Showgirls is godawful, and I say this as someone whose favorite English language Verhoeven films are Flesh + Blood and Basic Instinct. It's not the subject matter. Everything in Showgirls was cranked up to 11. People acted like they were on meth all the time and it came off more like an SNL parody than an actual movie. Watch the scene in RoboCop where Murphy takes off his helmet and asks Lewis about his family. Next, watch the "different places" scene in Showgirls. Can you honestly say that there's no difference in quality?

[@darkestbeforedon914]

absolutely devastating