Lost Projects: Michael Cimino Wanted To Make A Movie With Taylor Swift

When Michael Cimino passed away this summer, the director behind “The Deer Hunter” and “Heaven’s Gate” hadn’t helmed a film since 1996’s “The Sunchaser.” However, apparently it was not for lack of trying.

Vincent Maraval, founder of French production company Wild Bunch, has revealed to Sofilm that he had been working with Cimino on a handful of projects over the years, none of which came to fruition, but all of which are pretty fascinating. But perhaps the most intriguing of the bunch is “Cream Rises.” The story would’ve followed two young women — not unlike Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie — who live a hedonistic life in California, filled with empty sex and boozing, until the more timid of the pair is murdered halfway through the film, and the other heads to the country to reassess her values.

If that premise wasn’t intriguing enough, Cimino told Maraval he wanted Taylor Swift for the lead role, but this was just before she became massive, worldwide pop star, and not knowing who she was, the producer balked at the suggestion. Oops. Christopher Walken was apparently eyed for a role as well, and a couple years back, Arte read the script, and said it played like more nihilistic version of “Thunderbolt And Lightfoot.” What could’ve been….

While it’s in French, the full article at Sofilm is well worth a read. Cimino apparently pitched himself to direct “Che” after Terrence Malick exited and before Steven Soderbergh was officially announced. Other projects the director worked on included “One Arm” about a boxer who loses his arm, and a film about the history of America but told from the Native American perspective. Hopefully the scripts for the projects won’t stay stuck in a shelf, and we’ll get to at least read them somewhere down the road.