Trivia / Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes

• Alan Smithee: Robert Towne was originally set to direct the film as well as write the screenplay; after Hugh Hudson took over the project, Towne had his name taken off the screenplay as a protest, and instead it is credited to "P. H. Vazak", Towne's dog. Consequently, P. H. Vazak is the only dog ever to have been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.
• Darkhorse Casting: Hugh Hudson wanted to cast unknowns as Tarzan and Jane.
  They are complete innocents, and therefore somebody new is more acceptable to the audience than a face you know. They also represent the innocent side of ourselves, and we should be able to identify with them. So Tarzan is what we might be, if we had lived like that: light, lithe, every muscle used, but not rippling like a Charles Atlas.
• Deleted Role: Daniel Chatto had a bit part in the film but his scenes were all removed during editing / post-production.
• Fake Brit: Christopher Lambert (Tarzan) is American-raised-French-speaking Swiss, while Andie MacDowell (Jane) is American.
• In Memoriam: The film was dedicated to Ralph Richardson, who died before the film was released.
• Missing Episode: In an alternate ending, Jane ran off into the jungle with Tarzan. It was cut during editing, and no one knows if it still exists.
• Stillborn Franchise: It was originally intended that there would be a sequel reuniting the cast but the movie's poor box office showing put paid to any immediate follow up.
• What Could Have Been:
  • In an alternate ending, Jane ran off into the jungle with Tarzan. It was cut during editing, and no one knows if it still exists.
  • Viggo Mortensen tried out for Tarzan. Other candidates included Rupert Everett, Richard Gere, Julian Sands, Stellan Skarsgård (whose son Alexander would play the ape man in 2016), and Lambert Wilson.
  • Maryam d'Abo was considered for the role of Miss Jane Porter. When she met with Hugh Hudson, she felt that he had already cast someone else in his mind. In the end, the part was cast with Andie MacDowell. Hudson and d'Abo met again at a dinner party in 1999, became involved, and married in 2003. Ironically enough, her cousin, Olivia, would play Jane in The Legend of Tarzan.
  • Brigitte Nielsen was also considered for Jane.
  • Lord Esker was originally intended to be in his 20s, and Hugh Grant was one of the choices for the part. Later, the director decided that the character should be middle-aged, and James Fox was cast.
  • Hugh Hudson wanted to re-team with his Chariots of Fire composer Vangelis but he was experiencing writers block so John Scott took over.
  • Robert Towne was slated to direct this movie based on his screenplay. He was sacked following the box-office failure of his directorial debut, Personal Best.

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