History DiedDuringProduction / FilmLiveAction

* A sixth film for the 1950s-1960s ''Literature/DonCamillo'' series, fr. ''Don Camillo et les contestataires''/ it. ''Don Camillo e i giovani d'oggi'' (''Don Camillo and the Red-Haired Girl''), was in the making in 1970-1971 when main star Creator/{{Fernandel}} collapsed while shooting due to cancer. He died a month later, the movie unfinished. The studio completely reshot the movie with different actors -- the other lead Creator/GinoCervi refused to make a new film without Fernandel. The unfinished movie with Fernandel and Cervi has never been seen, the reels are thought to have been destroyed.
* Parodied in ''Film/MontyPythonAndTheHolyGrail''; the knights are saved from a cartoon monster by the (fictitious) death of the animator, Creator/TerryGilliam.
* ''Franchise/StarWars'':
** Because Creator/GeorgeLucas hated the process of script-writing he went through on ''Film/ANewHope'', he hired noted pulp science fiction author and Golden Age Hollywood film scriptwriter Creator/LeighBrackett to write the script for ''Film/TheEmpireStrikesBack'', based on ideas they came up with together in story meetings beforehand. She produced a first draft script, but Lucas wasn't completely satisfied with it. Sadly, though, Brackett died of cancer before she could revise her draft. Lucas was forced to write the next few drafts of the ''Empire'' story himself, after which Lawrence Kasdan came on board to polish the dialogue. (Incidentally, the passing of Brackett and Lucas' subsequent return to the drawing board was what led to the [[ItWasHisSled famous]] LukeIAmYourFather revelation; in Brackett's draft, Vader was ''not'' Luke's father, while Anakin was a Force ghost and best pals with Obi-Wan.)
** Creator/CarrieFisher's sudden death from a heart attack in December 2016 before the release of ''Film/TheLastJedi'' reportedly brought some major changes to ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker'', the final chapter of the Sequel Trilogy. Leia's part in ''TLJ'' was ''not'' changed, even though there was a clear opportunity to kill off the character, reportedly because director Creator/RianJohnson wanted all of Carrie Fisher's final performance as Leia to be in the finished film. For most scenes of Leia in ''Film/TheRiseOfSkywalker,'' unused footage from ''Film/TheForceAwakens'' was used rather than recreating the actress' likeness with CGI; this was despite her family expressly giving permission to use CGI and CGI having been used for Leia's brief scene in ''Film/RogueOne'' [[note]] which was done with Carrie Fisher's approval[[/note]]. Backgrounds of footage with Fisher were replaced and body doubles were used in ''TROS'' for some scenes that did not feature Carrie Fisher's face, and one flashback scene of a younger Leia did use a CGI face replacement, with Fisher's daughter Creator/BillieLourd playing the young Leia for that scene. [[spoiler: Leia finally dies as a result of Rey's battle with her son Ben, and Creator/HarrisonFord also appears (uncredited) in ''The Rise of Skywalker'' despite Han's death in ''The Force Awakens'' two films earlier, apparently to play the role in redeeming their son Kylo Ren that Leia would have played.]]
* A unique example would be actor Creator/PeterSellers. In 1980, he was co-writing a script for ''Franchise/ThePinkPanther'' series for the first time, ''Romance of the Pink Panther'', that he intended as a GrandFinale for his Inspector Clouseau character. He submitted a revised draft of it to Creator/UnitedArtists shortly before his death in 1980. It ultimately was never produced. Creator/BlakeEdwards, the director and co-writer of most of the previous entries, decided to continue the series his own way (he was quite specifically not to have anything to do with ''Romance''), writing out Clouseau and introducing ReplacementScrappy character Clifton Sleigh over two films shot at the same time, ''Film/TrailOfThePinkPanther'' (which featured clips of Sellers from the previous films) and ''Film/CurseOfThePinkPanther''. [[BoxOfficeBomb The]] [[BrokenBase results]] [[FranchiseKiller were]] [[CreatorKiller disastrous]].
** Sellers was also due to star in ''Lovesick'' and the remake of ''Film/UnfaithfullyYours''. Upon his death, both roles went to Creator/DudleyMoore.
* Creator/StevenSpielberg brought ''Film/AIArtificialIntelligence'' to the screen after Creator/StanleyKubrick's passing on; in this case, though, Kubrick had had him in mind to direct (or at least produce) from the start.
** Kubrick passed away just five days after showing his completed cut of ''Film/EyesWideShut'' to Creator/WarnerBros. The movie took a record ''400 days'' to shoot. However, as its premiere wouldn't take place until four months later, who knows if the notorious ControlFreak wouldn't have wanted to work on it a bit more. Ultimately, [[ExecutiveMeddling the studio]] made changes of its own before its release.
* Kinji Fukasaku refused treatment in order to film ''Film/BattleRoyale 2,'' but died after directing only one scene. His son Kenta finished it.
* Simultaneously {{lampshade|Hanging}}d and subverted in Creator/BobFosse's ''Film/AllThatJazz''; a fictionalized account of Fosse's own life story, including a serious heart-attack which occurred during one of the most stressful periods of his career -- while producing both the film ''Lenny'' and the ''Chicago'' stage musical simultaneously. A heart attack that he survived; but which his {{expy}} didn't. The question of whether the "play within the film" would ever be completed is left hanging; although previous scenes strongly hinted that it would be simply scrapped.
-->"You could be the first show on Broadway to make a profit without really opening."
* The Polish film ''Passenger'' (''Pasazerka'') suffered AEF when director Andrzej Munk died suddenly in a road accident. The film is a series of flashbacks. When Munk died, many of the scenes taking place in the present day were unshot. His assistant decided to use still images for these scenes.
* After ''Film/HalloweenResurrection'', producer of the ''Franchise/{{Halloween}}'' franchise Mustapha Akkad was assassinated, dashing hopes for the original series to continue until [[Film/{{Halloween 2018}} 2018]].
* The script for a third ''[[Series/TheAddamsFamily Addams Family]]'' film (which would've served as an actual sequel to ''Film/AddamsFamilyValues'') was being prepared when lead actor Creator/RaulJulia (Gomez) died suddenly that October of a stroke (after having been ill of stomach cancer for a while), at which point the idea of a third film in the series was scrapped. A planned sequel to the 1994 film adaptation of ''Film/StreetFighter'', in which he played [[BigBad M. Bison]], did not go into production for the same reasons. He was also due to play the main villain in ''Film/{{Desperado}}'' and Don Diego de la Vega in ''Film/TheMaskOfZorro''.
* Creator/SergioLeone, best known for the ''Film/DollarsTrilogy'', attempted to repair his career following the abysmal disaster of ''Film/OnceUponATimeInAmerica'' (which has since been VindicatedByCable) with a film based off the Nazi occupation of the Soviet city of Leningrad (now St. Petersburg, Russia), but halfway through planning his heart disagreed with him.
* Creator/BrandonLee [[FatalMethodActing was killed during filming]] of ''Film/TheCrow''. The film was retooled and the character's remaining scenes were filmed using [[FakeShemp a body double, shot in shadows]], or [[DigitalHeadSwap with Brandon's face added]].
** He was supposed to play Liu Kang in ''Film/MortalKombatTheMovie''. After his death, Creator/RobinShou was cast.
* H.B. Haliki, the man that gave us ''Film/{{Gone in Sixty Seconds|1974}}'' (1974) died while filming the [[WhatCouldHaveBeen now unfinished]] ''Gone in Sixty Seconds 2'', when [[FatalMethodActing a stunt sequence malfunctioned]] and he was crushed by a telephone pole. His widow hopes to one day construct a complete film out of the footage Haliki was able to capture.
* Trinidad Silva died in an auto accident before he filmed all his scenes as Raul in ''Film/{{UHF}}'', so the movie had to abort his subplot before [[spoiler:the poodles got their revenge.]] The film is dedicated to him.
* Creator/ErnstLubitsch died two weeks into shooting on ''Film/ThatLadyInErmine''. Creator/OttoPreminger stepped in to finish directing the film; he had replaced Lubitsch as director of ''A Royal Scandal'' for similar but less fatal reasons.
* The ''Film/TopGun'' sequel project was postponed after Creator/TonyScott committed suicide in August 2012. The 3D re-release of ''Top Gun'' [[DistancedFromCurrentEvents was delayed to February 2013 for this very reason]]. Eventually, the sequel was made and titled ''Film/TopGunMaverick'', with Joseph Kosinski as director and a release scheduled for 2022.
* The future of Creator/QuentinTarantino's traditional "Hi, Sally!" behind-the-scenes gag is in doubt after the death of its namesake, editor and longtime Tarantino collaborator Sally Menke, in 2010.
* The future of ''Film/FuriousSeven'' looked uncertain after the death of Creator/PaulWalker, [[HarsherInHindsight in an auto accident, no less]], in November 2013. After a hiatus, Creator/VinDiesel announced in January 2014 that production was resumed, with the release date changed from July 2014 to April 2015. But as Walker was the main character, the only way they could write his character out of the plot seemed to be to either [[PutOnABus force him and his family into exile]] or [[DroppedABridgeOnHim kill him]], the former strategy lying in contention with how the character is portrayed, and the latter by and large considered ghoulish. In February 2014, [[TakeAThirdOption the producers decided]] [[CharacterOutlivesActor to retire Walker's character]] by reworking the footage he'd shot before his death [[FakeShemp with the help of Walker's brothers]].
** Walker also experienced a downplayed example with the movie ''Hours'' in 2013. It premiered that March at a film festival, but only went into wide release after he died.
* The original director of ''Blue Skies'', Mark Sandrich, died of a heart attack nine days into filming and was replaced with Stuart Heisler. Oddly enough, Creator/FredAstaire, the star of six previous movies directed by Sandrich, was not cast in ''Blue Skies'' until after Sandrich's death.
* Creator/PhilipSeymourHoffman's death from a heroin overdose in February 2014 at the age of 46 left the fate of several projects uncertain, not least of them the ''Film/TheHungerGamesMockingjay'' parts 1 & 2, in which he played Plutarch Heavensbee. At the time of his death, he was also set to direct a feature entitled ''Ezekiel Moss'', and he was to star in a comedy series on Showtime entitled ''Happyish''. Since Hoffman had only one week of filming left for the ''Mockingjay'' films, the scenes he still needed to film were completed with a combination of a digital double as well as shifting some of his roles around to other characters, most notably a scene near the end of ''Part 2'' where Haymitch reads a letter to Katniss about what happened [[spoiler:after she killed President Coin]] rather than Plutarch telling her in person as he did in the book (the in-story explanation being that, given how seemingly heinous her act was he could not risk being seen with her at that point in time). ''Happyish'' ultimately continued with Creator/SteveCoogan in the role meant for Hoffman. It lasted for a single season of ten episodes broadcast in 2015. ''Ezekiel Moss'' remains in DevelopmentHell.
* A third film in the ''Franchise/{{Ghostbusters}}'' franchise had been in DevelopmentHell for decades, but with Creator/HaroldRamis' passing in February 2014, it seemed unlikely to ever materialize. [[Film/{{Ghostbusters 2016}} A new movie]], a ContinuityReboot with female leads, was directed by Creator/PaulFeig and released in 2016, to general fan hostility and disappointing results. Some fans viewed [[VideoGame/GhostbustersTheVideoGame the 2009 video game]], which featured the original team and other past cast members, as the honorary third film. Then ''Film/GhostbustersAfterlife'', an {{unreboot}} helmed by Creator/JasonReitman (son of Creator/IvanReitman, director of the first two films), was announced and set to be released in 2021, with Ramis' character Egon all but confirmed to be [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim killed off]].
* Roy Kinnear died from a horseback riding accident during filming of ''Film/TheReturnOfTheMusketeers'' in 1988. [[FakeShemp His role was completed with a stand-in, filmed from the rear and with lines dubbed by a voice actor]].
* ''Film/JurassicWorld'' has two examples: Mr. DNA has only a cameo, [[TheOtherDarrin voiced by]] [[CreatorCameo the film's director]], Colin Trevorrow, as its voice actor in ''Film/JurassicPark'', Creator/GregBurson, died in 2008, with fellow ''WesternAnimation/LooneyTunes'' alumni Creator/JeffBergman also taking over as Mr. DNA for a cameo in ''WesternAnimation/JurassicWorldCampCretaceous''; and while Creator/RichardAttenborough had frequently expressed interest in returning as John Hammond during the film's tenure in DevelopmentHell, he wouldn't be able to appear in the film, even if he wanted to, because his health was really poor - he died in August 2014, just as ''World'' was wrapping up production. Instead, Hammond is depicted in an OurFounder statue, and ancillary material reveals that the character died in 1997, making a deleted scene of John's funeral from ''[[Film/TheLostWorldJurassicPark The Lost World]]'' canon.
* ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' featured Creator/LeonardNimoy's last performance as Spock before his death in 2015. Additionally, Creator/AntonYelchin died in an accident in his garage on June 19, 2016, which makes his role as Chekov in ''Film/StarTrekBeyond'' his last as the character. In July 2016, producer Creator/JJAbrams confirmed that they will not recast Chekov for the next ''Franchise/StarTrek'' film, [[DevelopmentHell if it happens]].
* Songwriter Richard A. Whiting died during the production of the movie musical ''Cowboy From Brooklyn'' (1938), and it fell to Harry Warren to compose the movie's title song.
* Similar to Bernie Mac, plans for a potential sequel of ''Film/GalaxyQuest'' were folded after Creator/AlanRickman passed away on January 2016 due to pancreatic cancer.
* Harris Glenn "Divine" Millstead died in his sleep from heart failure just three weeks after the release of ''Film/{{Hairspray}}'' and a night before he was scheduled to film a guest appearance as Uncle Otto on ''Series/MarriedWithChildren''.
* An early infamous example was ''Film/{{Saratoga}}'' in 1937. Creator/JeanHarlow's sudden untimely death occurred in the middle of filming, and MGM briefly considered recasting the role entirely. However, under fan pressure, they decided to instead complete the movie by writing her character out of most of her remaining scenes and using body and voice doubles for a few additional shots.
* ''Film/{{Yellowbeard}}'' was on the verge of wrapping up filming when Creator/MartyFeldman suffered a fatal heart attack at his hotel room in Mexico City. His character's [[KilledOffForReal death scene]], which had not been filmed at the time of his death, had a stunt double fill in for Feldman.
* Creator/JohnCandy died of a heart attack as ''Film/WagonsEast'' was nearing completion. His remaining scenes were shot with stand-ins and special effects while others were re-written.
* Geraldine Peroni, notable as Creator/RobertAltman's most frequent editor, passed away before completing her work on ''Film/BrokebackMountain''. It was finished by her former assistant editor Dylan Tichenor, later of ''Film/ThereWillBeBlood'' fame. Both Peroni and Tichenor were then nominated for the UsefulNotes/{{BAFTA}} for Best Editing.
* Before his death in March 1982, Creator/JohnBelushi was intended to star in some other films alongside his friend and fellow Blues Brother Creator/DanAykroyd:
** First, the sequel to ''Film/TheBluesBrothers'' was shelved for years before finally being made in 1998 as ''Film/BluesBrothers2000'', with [[TheCharacterDiedWithHim Jake Blues having died between films]] and Creator/JohnGoodman [[SuspiciouslySimilarSubstitute filling in as "Mighty" Mac McTeer]].
** He was supposed to play Dr. Peter Venkman in ''Film/{{Ghostbusters 1984}}''. Their SNL castmate Creator/BillMurray played Venkman instead. The character of Slimer was created as a homage to Belushi's performance in ''Film/AnimalHouse''.
** He was supposed to play Emmett Fitz-Hume in ''Film/SpiesLikeUs''. Again, another SNL castmate, Creator/ChevyChase, was cast instead.
** When Creator/SteveMartin wrote ''Film/ThreeAmigos'' in 1980, he'd intended for Belushi and Aykroyd to star as Ned Nederlander and Dusty Bottoms, respectively. Creator/MartinShort and Creator/ChevyChase were cast instead when it was finally made in 1986.
* Creator/AlfredHitchcock was planning to work on a thriller called ''The Short Night'', but his death prevented production from going forward.
* Creator/BurtReynolds was cast as rancher George Spahn in ''Film/OnceUponATimeInHollywood'', but died in September 2018, weeks before his scenes could be filmed. Creator/BruceDern took over the part instead.
* With Creator/StanLee's passing on November 12th, 2018, the long-standing tradition of Lee's {{Creator Cameo}}s will most likely come to an end once the remaining pre-filmed footage made for his ''Franchise/MarvelCinematicUniverse'' cameos is used up (barring any CGI recreations of Lee's likeness).
* French distributor S.N. Prodis, best known for making ''Film/LeSamourai'' and distributing ''Film/FirstBlood'' on behalf of Creator/CarolcoPictures, didn't last much longer after the death of founder Raymond Bordiere in 1982.
* [[SavedFromDevelopmentHell After nearly 30 years]], a third ''Film/BillAndTed'' film, ''Film/BillAndTedFaceTheMusic,'' was announced in March 2019. Unfortunately, Creator/GeorgeCarlin, who played Rufus, passed away in 2008, so he only appears at most in archive footage, with both a character that is Rufus' daughter being created and Creator/WilliamSadler reappearing as the Grim Reaper from the second film to compensate for Carlin's absence.
* Following the completion of the ProfessionalWrestling movie ''Film/AllTheMarbles'', director Creator/RobertAldrich had surgery and ultimately died of kidney failure. This prevented a planned sequel where The California Dolls would have competed in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}}.
* Creator/RiverPhoenix had several projects lined up at the time of his death:
** ''Dark Blood'' was left, by the estimation of director George Sluizer, "80 percent finished" when Phoenix died. It finally premiered at the Netherlands Film Festival ''19 years later'' with the narrative gaps filled in by a voiceover.
** He was due to begin work on ''Film/InterviewWithTheVampire'' two weeks after his death. He was to play Daniel Molloy, the interviewer, which then went to Creator/ChristianSlater, who donated his entire $250,000 salary to two of Phoenix's favorite charitable organizations: Earth Save and Earth Trust. The film has a dedication to Phoenix after the end credits.
** He was supposed to play Creator/SeanAstin's role in ''Film/SafePassage''.
** He had signed onto the lead role in ''Broken Dreams'', a screenplay written by Creator/JohnBoorman and Neil Jordan (to be directed by Boorman), and co-starring Creator/WinonaRyder. The film was put on hold due to Phoenix's death. In June 2012, it was announced that Creator/CalebLandryJones had been cast in the role.
** He had expressed interest in playing the 19th-century poet Arthur Rimbaud in ''Film/TotalEclipse'' by Polish director Agnieszka Holland. Phoenix died before the movie was cast, with the role eventually going to Creator/LeonardoDiCaprio.
* Creator/JamesDean's next film after ''Film/{{Giant}}'' was to be the boxing picture ''Film/SomebodyUpThereLikesMe''. Upon his death, the role went to Creator/PaulNewman. He was also due to star as UsefulNotes/BillyTheKid in ''The Left-Handed Gun'', which also went to Newman.
** He was also due to star in a gritty urban drama called ''King Creole''. Upon his death, it became an Music/ElvisPresley vehicle.
* Creator/RichardHarris passing away prior to ''Film/HarryPotterAndThePrisonerOfAzkaban'' led to Creator/MichaelGambon being cast as Dumbledore.
* Creator/MarilynMonroe's next film after ''Film/TheMisfits'' was the screwball comedy ''Something's Gotta Give'' with Creator/DeanMartin. She filmed a few scenes (including the first nude scene for a major Hollywood star). She was eventually fired for her habitual lateness, but Martin, who had co-star approval, refused to do the film without her, so she was recast, but by then, she'd died.
** Creator/BillyWilder planned to cast her in ''Irma la Douce'' and ''Film/KissMeStupid''. Upon her death, the parts went to Creator/ShirleyMacLaine and Creator/KimNovak respectively.
* ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'' is the only Film/JamesBond film to not have M in it. This because Creator/BernardLee passed away shortly before filming began. As a mark of respect, the character was given a WrittenInAbsence rather than recast.
* Creator/BruceLee:
** He created choreographed fights for ''Film/GameOfDeath'' and had great plans for it, but one month after ''Film/EnterTheDragon'' was finished came his untimely death.
** He devised a script called ''The Silent Flute'' with Creator/JamesCoburn and Stirling Silliphant and he would play LoadsAndLoadsOfRoles. The script was changed, retitled ''Film/CircleOfIron'' and recast with Creator/DavidCarradine.
** He was due to star opposite Creator/GeorgeLazenby in ''Stoner'' aka ''The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss''. The film was even sold as "It's Lee! It's Lazenby! It's Bruce Versus Bond!".
** He was also meant to star in ''Film/TheManFromHongKong'', which went to his PoorMansSubstitute Jimmy Wang Yu.
* Creator/RichardBurton was due to return for ''Film/WildGeeseII''. When he died, Creator/EdwardFox was cast as his character's brother.
* Creator/HeathLedger's death during production of ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' meant that Creator/TerryGilliam had to get creative to finish the film. So he had his character played by Creator/JohnnyDepp, Creator/JudeLaw and Creator/ColinFarrell when he enters a new dimension.
** Out of respect for Ledger, ComicBook/TheJoker isn't even mentioned in ''Film/TheDarkKnightRises'' save for a single passing mention in the novelization where it's stated his current whereabouts are unknown.
* Gloria Foster, who plated The Oracle in ''Franchise/TheMatrix'', passed away before she could film anything for ''Film/TheMatrixRevolutions''. The part was hastily recast and an explanation thrown together.
* ''Film/SinCityADameToKillFor'' took so long to get made that two cast members -- Creator/BrittanyMurphy and Creator/MichaelClarkeDuncan -- died in the intervening years. Duncan's role was recast with Creator/DennisHaysbert, while Murphy's was AdaptedOut.
* Creator/ElizabethTaylor handpicked Creator/MontgomeryClift to be her costar in ''Reflections in a Golden Eye''. Following his death, the role went to Creator/MarlonBrando.
* ''Film/TheCannonballRun'' was a variation in that the "author" was still alive at the time. The movie was originally planned as a straight action film with Creator/SteveMcQueenActor playing the lead role. He turned down the offer because he was battling the stomach cancer he would later die from. Creator/BurtReynolds turned out to be available and the movie was reworked into an action/comedy.
* German film "Lang lebe die Königin" is about a woman who is about to die. In a bitter case of {{Irony}}, the actress died from cancer during the shooting. The makers of the film took RefugeInAudacity and pulled TheOtherDarrin UpToEleven - five top German actresses jumped in for the remaining scenes (similar to how ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' dealt with Creator/HeathLedger's passing).
* Ideas for a sequel or reimagining of ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}'' had been tossed around for some time when Music/DavidBowie, who played Jareth, died in January 2016. In 2020, four years later, the sequel was [[https://deadline.com/2020/05/labyrinth-sequel-scott-derrickson-director-maggie-levin-write-script-doctor-strange-1202943188 officially set into motion with Scott Derrickson directing]]; it remains to be seen how it will handle Bowie's passing. The death of Creator/TerryJones in the same year also makes the prospect uncertain.
* In a similar case to Paul Walker and ''Hours'', veteran Canadian actor Sean [=McCann=]'s final appearance before his death from a lifelong heart disease was as Red Storey in the 2019 made-for-TV documentary ''Goalie''. The film had a short, limited theatrical release that March, but made its' televised premiere several days after [=McCann=]'s death.
** He also had a part in the movie ''Defining Moments'', which was released posthumously after being on TheShelfOfMovieLanguishment.
* A sequel to ''Film/BlackPanther2018'' was set for a 2022 release when Creator/ChadwickBoseman died of complications from his battle against colon cancer in August 2020, seven months before filming was supposed to start. Later in 2021, Kevin Feige himself announced that the role of T'Challa would not be recast, with the sequel, ''Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'', now focusing on the world and characters introduced in the first movie. Boseman had just finished recording his lines for ''WesternAnimation/WhatIf2021''. A planned spinoff show about the alternate version of T'Challa that became ComicBook/StarLord was scrapped.
* Averted with Doreen Montalvo, who passed away from a stroke as the 2021 film adaptation of ''Theatre/WestSideStory'' was awaiting release. It had already filmed at the time of Montalvo's death, and was scheduled for release in December 2020 but was pushed ahead a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
* Harry Carey died while ''Film/SoDearToMyHeart'' was in post-production.
* With Creator/RichardDonner [[https://deadline.com/2021/07/richard-donner-dead-superman-lethal-weapon-director-1234786372/ passing away on July 5th, 2021]], it looks like ''Lethal Finale'', the GrandFinale of the ''Film/LethalWeapon'' franchise, may not happen anytime soon.
* Although his scenes were already filmed, Creator/WilliamHickey died just before ''Film/MouseHunt'' wrapped up shooting. The film was dedicated to his memory.
* Tragedy struck the filming of the Western ''Rust'' on October 21, 2021 when Creator/AlecBaldwin discharged a prop gun, accidentally killing director of photography Halyna Hutchins and critically injuring director Joel Souza.
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* ''Film/SinCityADameToKillFor'' took so long to get made that two cast members -- Creator/BrittanyMurphy and Creator/MichaelClarkeDuncan -- died in the intervening years. Duncan's role was recast, while Murphy's was AdaptedOut.

** He was supposed to play Liu Kang in ''Film/MortalKombat''. After his death, Robin Chou was cast.

* Tragedy struck the filming of the Western ''Rust'' on October 21, 2021 when Creator/AlecBaldwin discharged a prop gun, accidentally killing director pf photography Halyna Hutchins and critically injuring director Joel Souza.

* A sequel to ''Film/BlackPanther2018'' was set for a 2022 release when Creator/ChadwickBoseman died of complications from his battle against colon cancer in August 2020, seven months before filming was supposed to start. Later in 2021, Kevin Feige himself announced that the role of T'Challa would not be recast, with the sequel, ''Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'', now focusing on the world and characters introduced in the first movie. Boseman had just finished recording his lines for an episode of the Creator/DisneyPlus animated series based on ''ComicBook/WhatIf'', and a planned spinoff show about the alternate version of T'Challa that became ComicBook/StarLord was scrapped.

* Creator/GeorgeClooney has said there cannot and will not be another ''[[Film/OceansEleven Ocean's]]'' movie without Creator/BernieMac. Turns out, though, that this only meant "with the original all-male cast"; an all-women [[Film/OceansEight spinoff]] was made, produced by Clooney and starring Creator/CateBlanchett and Creator/SandraBullock.

* ''Film/StarTrekIntoDarkness'' featured Creator/LeonardNimoy's last performance as Spock before his death in 2015. Additionally, Creator/AntonYelchin was killed in a car crash on June 19, 2016, which makes his role as Chekov in ''Film/StarTrekBeyond'' his last as the character. In July 2016, producer Creator/JJAbrams confirmed that they will not recast Chekov for the next ''Franchise/StarTrek'' film, [[DevelopmentHell if it happens]].

* Creator/ElizabethTaylor handpicked Creator/MontgomeryClift to be her costar in ''Relfections in a Golden Eye''. Following his death, the role went to Creator/MarlonBrando.

* A sequel to ''Film/BlackPanther2018'' was set for a 2022 release when Creator/ChadwickBoseman died of complications from his battle against colon cancer in August 2020, seven months before filming was supposed to start. Later in 2021, Kevin Feige himself announced that the role of T’challa would not be recast, with the sequel, ''Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'', now focusing on the world and characters introduced in the first movie. Boseman had just finished recording his lines for an episode of the Creator/DisneyPlus animated series based on ''ComicBook/WhatIf''.

* A sixth film for the 1950s-1960s ''Literature/DonCamillo'' series, fr. ''Don Camillo et les contestataires''/ it. ''Don Camillo e i giovani d'oggi'' (''Don Camillo and the Red-Haired Girl''), was in the making in 1970-1971 when Creator/{{Fernandel}} collapsed while shooting due to cancer. He died a month later, the movie unfinished. The studio completely reshot the movie with different actors -- the other lead Creator/GinoCervi refused to make a new film without Fernandel. The unfinished movie with Fernandel and Cervi has never been seen, the reels are thought to have been destroyed.

* A sixth film for the 1950s-1960s ''Literature/DonCamillo'' series, fr. ''Don Camillo et les contestataires''/ it. ''Don Camillo e i giovani d'oggi'' (''Don Camillo and the Red-Haired Girl''), was in the making in 1970-1971 when Creator/{{Fernandel}} collapsed while shooting due to cancer. He died a month later, the movie unfinished. Out of respect for him, the studio completely remade the movie with different actors -- the other lead Creator/GinoCervi refused to make a new film without Fernandel. The unfinished movie with Fernandel and Cervi has never been seen, the reels are thought to have been destroyed.

* ''Film/ForYourEyesOnly'' is the only Film/JamesBond film to not have M in it. This because Bernard Lee passed away shortly before filming began. As a mark of respect, the character was given a WrittenInAbsence rather than recast.

* The ''Film/TopGun'' sequel project was postponed after Creator/TonyScott committed suicide in August 2012. The 3D re-release of ''Top Gun'' [[DistancedFromCurrentEvents was delayed to February 2013 for this very reason]]. Eventually, the sequel was made and titled ''Film/TopGunMaverick'', with Joseph Kosinski as director and a release scheduled for 2021.

* Creator/HeathLedger's death during production of ''Film/TheImaginariumOfDoctorParnassus'' meant that Creator/TerryGilliam had to get creative to finish the film. So he had his character played by different actors when he enters a new dimension.