Mike Flanagan's unrealized projects
During a career that has spanned over 20 years, Mike Flanagan has worked on projects which never progressed beyond the pre-production stage. Some of the films and television shows were produced after he left production.
2010s
''Scare Dares''
In March 2012, after the release of Flanagan's first film Absentia, he was set to write and direct Scare Dares, a low-budget paranormal horror film starring Courtney Bell, Katie Parker, Justin Gordon and Morgan Peter Brown, who all previously appeared in Absentia. Produced by Fallback Plan Productions, the film would have centered on a smartphone app that leads users to known areas of paranormal phenomena in central California. Things go wrong when a group of estranged friends kick off a reunion weekend by visiting ghostly hotspots and engaging in occult dares. The film was set to be released in 2013, before being cancelled for undisclosed reasons.''I Know What You Did Last Summer'' reboot
In September 2014, Sony Pictures revealed plans to remake I Know What You Did Last Summer, with Flanagan and Jeff Howard writing the script. The film was a high priority and was initially set for release in 2016, and required an estimated budget of $15–20 million. Flanagan confirmed that his new iteration of the franchise would be a reboot and not include elements of the 1973 novel nor of the 1997 feature film. The project was ultimately never made and was subsequently canceled.''Inherit the Earth''
On December 7, 2016, Flanagan signed on to write and direct Inherit the Earth. On August 21, 2018, Kornél Mundruczó replaced Flanagan as director with Mundruczó's wife Kata Wéber writing a new script.Untitled interactive haunted house film
By August 14, 2019, Amblin Entertainment hired Flanagan and Jeff Howard to co-write an "interactive haunted house film", with Alexandre Aja directing.''Doctor Sleep'' prequel and sequel
In October 2019, prior to the release of Doctor Sleep, Warner Bros. had enough confidence in the film that they hired Flanagan to script a prequel with the working title Hallorann, focusing on the character of Dick Hallorann. Following the disappointing box-office performance of Doctor Sleep, the project was scrapped. Flanagan also confirmed that he was interested in directing a sequel focused on Abra Stone, and that he had asked King, who was open to the idea.2020s
''Revival''
On May 8, 2020, Deadline Hollywood confirmed that Flanagan would write and direct a film adaptation of Revival in partnership with Intrepid Pictures. That July, Flanagan confirmed that he had completed the first draft of the screenplay, which was met with Stephen King's approval. However, he expressed doubt as to the likelihood of Warner Bros. greenlighting the project. On December 23, 2020, Flanagan confirmed that the adaptation was no longer in development, saying in conversation with Josh Boone on the podcast The Company of the Mad, "I stepped on the exact same landmine, and ended up in the exact same place... We should get together some day and share boards, and drafts, and scars. I kind of hit the same wall with it where it was just so expensive. Man, did I love it, though."''Clayface''
In January 2021, Flanagan expressed interest in writing and directing a standalone "horror/thriller/tragedy" film centered on Clayface. By March 2023, Flanagan met with DC Films producer Jon Berg about making a "horror-leaning" iteration of the character, but it "kind of went nowhere", saying that DC did not "bite on" his idea but that he was ready to commit to the project "anytime". In March 2023, Flanagan and his Intrepid Pictures partner Trevor Macy met with James Gunn and Peter Safran, the co-CEOs of DC Studios, regarding a Clayface film. Flanagan said the report of him pitching a Clayface film by then was "entirely speculative", further stating in late May that such a film was not in development and that he was participating in the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike that began earlier that month.After the strike ended, Flanagan wrote the film's screenplay, which got the project greenlit by DC Studios in December 2024, however, he could not recommit to directing the film, due to scheduling conflicts with The Exorcist and a Carrie miniseries. By February 21, 2025, James Watkins was chosen to direct the film. In March 2025, it was reported that Hossein Amini had joined the film to perform a significant rewrite on Flanagan's script. In May 2025, Flanagan confirmed that he was no longer involved in the project and said he expected Watkins to "make it own", but he hoped the film would remain true to the spirit of what he originally wanted it to be. By June 2025, Amini had completed multiple drafts, and Gunn said the script was entirely Flanagan's story with minor changes being made to the shooting script before it was finalized. In November 2025, Flanagan said he enjoyed developing the film with Matt Reeves, and then with Gunn and Safran, and this was the first time in his career where he had to leave a project he was passionate about due to scheduling concerns.