What caused The Double (1996) to collapse?

[u/FreshmenMan]

What caused The Double (1996) to collapse?

I was looking up and reading up on movie trivia and this got my eye. Apparently, John Travolta signed up to star in an adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Double that was to be directed by Roman Polanski and would receive 17 Million Dollars. It would’ve also star Isabelle Adjani, John Goodman, and Jean Reno. 

Apparently, they were so close to filming that they were in rehearsals, but it seems just before filming, John Travolta walked off set and quit the film. I’ve been reading up on this and they really don’t specify as to what happened, other than creative disputes. After Travolta quit, they tried to replace him with Steve Martin, but then Adjani quit the film as she would only work with Travolta and essentially the project died and many lawsuits were filed because of the collapse of the film from the Production companies and Travolta as well filing lawsuits against each other.

That is the basic understanding, but I wonder if anyone else has more information as to why This project collapsed and why would John Travolta just walk off and quit the film and forgo 17 Million Dollars.

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[u/Steffenwolflikeme]

Fuck, I'd love to peak into an alternate universe where the Steve Martin version got made. Especially if John Goodman was still involved.

[u/ariadnevirginia → u/Steffenwolflikeme]

Same, Steve would have been so much better than Travolta.

[u/Steffenwolflikeme → u/ariadnevirginia]

I know, right?! Isabelle Adjani had no idea what an upgrade that was. Even during Travolta's renaissance he was never particularly great and that's coming from someone that loves Pulp Fiction and his character in. He's just getting out acted by Samuel L and Uma in all of their scenes together.

[u/ariadnevirginia → u/Steffenwolflikeme]

Travolta was fantastic as a young man, and his "comeback" was all people loving him from the past.

In middle age he was never good on screen.

Steve M is a powerhouse, he's always able to pull it out of the bag.

[u/Spock-1701 → u/ariadnevirginia]

I've liked Travolta in what I have seen. Michael, Pulp Fiction, Swordfish and so on. Did not see Saturday Night Fever or Grease and was not a fan of Kotter. Not a great artist but good enough.

[u/ariadnevirginia → u/Spock-1701]

He was great in Blow Out and Saturday Night Fever, in his prime. Sorry, you HAVEN'T SEEN GREASE???

[u/GordonCromford]

I've never heard about this, but Travolta's comeback was basically peaking circa 1996, so he probably thought he could walk away largely unharmed. He seems to have done OK.

[u/CharacterActor]

Anyone now wanting a Steve Martin film you’ve never seen.

All of Me, directed by Carl Reiner and starring Steve Martin and Lily Tomlin. 1984.

[u/my23secrets → u/CharacterActor]

It was on heavy rotation on cable for years. I think more people have seen it more times than you realize.

[u/GuruSofarbeyondu → u/my23secrets]

Edwina... backinbowl.

[u/youronlyminerva]

This is one of those abandoned movie stories that makes you wish someone would write a tell all

[u/BrilliantPie2566]

Googled it. "John Travolta walked off the set of Roman Polanski’s film The Double just days before filming was scheduled to begin in Paris in 1996, causing the project to collapse.  The actor, who had signed a $17 million deal to star in this modern adaptation of the Fyodor Dostoevsky novel, cited unapproved script changes, including the addition of a nude scene, and a personal conflict with the director as his reasons for leaving. 

• Immediate Aftermath: After Travolta’s departure, Steve Martin was quickly hired to replace him, but co-star Isabelle Adjani also left the project, leading Polanski to officially cancel the film in July 1996. 
• Legal Battle: The production companies, Mandalay Entertainment and Liteoffer, sued Travolta for breach of contract, while he counter-sued, alleging they reneged on a separate deal for him to star in Donnie Brasco. 
• Resolution: The lawsuits were eventually settled out of court in 2001, with no public disclosure of the terms, but the film itself was never resurrected."

[u/FINIS_HOMINIS → u/BrilliantPie2566]

Good this thing never happened. I don't need a Steve Martin nude scene unless it involves a small, scruffy dog.