How Michael Myers Lost His Shot at Directing Spielberg’s ‘Hook’
Nick Castle, the original Michael Myers, was set to direct 'Hook' before Steven Spielberg took over. Castle, frustrated by the studio's decision, watched as the film became one of Spielberg’s least favorite projects.
Looking back, Steven Spielberg’s ‘Hook’ is a nostalgic favorite for many, but it ’s no secret that even Spielberg himself doesn’t rank it among his best. What’s less known is that the film almost had a very different director—Nick Castle, the man behind the mask in the original ‘Halloween.’ The idea of the actor who terrified audiences as Michael Myers stepping behind the camera for a big-budget fantasy adventure seems far-fetched, but it nearly happened.
Castle, who became a horror legend after his role in John Carpenter’s 1978 classic and later returned for the recent sequels, was originally tapped to direct ‘Hook.’ He had worked on the screenplay and was deeply involved in the project’s early development. Castle recalled,
“I developed that screenplay, and the producer went to the studio with it, and we came up with a great first draft. We sent it to the people that eventually were in the movie, Dustin Hoffman and Robin Williams. And we were basically waiting for a green light.”
Studio Politics and a Sudden Change
Everything changed when a new studio head took over at TriStar Pictures. Castle explained,
“Then, the new studio head, this is where things get very political, their new studio head saw me, just not as a director.”
That executive, Mike Medavoy, decided the film needed a more established name at the helm. With Spielberg already having shown interest in making a Peter Pan movie, he was the obvious choice to take over.
Castle was pushed aside, though reports suggest he received a $500,000 settlement for his efforts. Still, the decision stung. Castle later said,
“He just thought this was too big a movie to lay at the incompetent hands of Mr Nick Castle. So that’s when it all changed. Steven came on board after a while. He’d always wanted to do a Peter Pan movie. Everyone always knew that. And I think when he heard about this, he got very excited about it.”
Spielberg Steps In—and Has Regrets
With Spielberg directing, ‘Hook’ became a box office success, pulling in over $300 million and earning five Oscar nominations in technical categories. But the production was far from smooth. Julia Roberts reportedly had a tough time on set, and Spielberg himself has admitted he’s not fond of the finished film. In fact, he’s called it his least favorite of his own movies, aside from ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park.’
Castle couldn’t help but notice the irony. After being removed from the project, he watched as the film he helped create became something its new director didn’t even like. Castle summed up his feelings:
“Steven’s least favourite movie, which I’m pissed at because I always saw that it was going to be.”
A Hollywood What-If
It’s a strange twist in Hollywood history: the man who haunted Jamie Lee Curtis on screen almost directed the movie that so many ’90s kids grew up loving. Instead, he was left on the sidelines, while Spielberg’s take on Peter Pan became a cult favorite—despite the director’s own misgivings.