Throughout his extensive career spanning over 35 years in the film industry, director David Fincher has been associated with numerous projects that either shifted to other hands or were shelved entirely.

Fincher’s project list, notable for its variety, includes unmaterialized sequels to ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,’ an unrealized adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke's ‘Rendezvous With Rama,’ and a non-progressed sequel to ‘World War Z.’

Recently, during a promotion for the 4K reissue of his seminal movie ‘Se7en,’ Fincher disclosed that he was once a contender to direct a ‘Harry Potter’ film, a venture that ultimately did not proceed with his vision.

In a conversation with Variety, Fincher explained his interaction with the ‘Harry Potter’ team: “I was asked to come in and talk to them about how I would do ‘Harry Potter,’” he recalled. “I remember saying, ‘I just don’t want to do the clean Hollywood version of it. I want to do something that looks a lot more like ‘Withnail and I,’ and I want it to be kind of creepy.’” According to Fincher, Warner Bros. desired a more conventional approach, envisioning an adaptation reminiscent of “Thom Browne schooldays by way of ‘Oliver.’”

Fincher is currently linked to several developing projects, including an American remake of the widely acclaimed Korean series ‘Squid Game’ for Netflix, and a ‘Chinatown’ miniseries prequel that he co-authored with the late screenwriter Robert Towne. When discussing his attraction to new projects, Fincher reflected on the draw of previous works like ‘Dragon Tattoo’ and ‘Gone Girl,’ both of which had significant pre-existing followings.

Regarding audience expectations, Fincher stated, “Is there a built-in audience? That’s somebody else’s job. Those books get sold to movie studios when it’s shown that there’s a built-in audience, so I’m usually coming into the food chain after it’s been decided that this is something tasty. I was interested in ‘Gone Girl’ in spite of the fact that it was a bestseller… I liked the idea of punishment for our narcissistic leanings as it relates to finding a mate.”

He elaborated on his connection to ‘Dragon Tattoo,’ expressing a preference for storytelling elements found in ‘Chinatown’ over typical hacker narratives. “With ‘Dragon Tattoo,’ I’m much more fond of ‘Chinatown’ and the shoe leather in that than I am in any hacker thing. But I loved this broken girl who’s given a chance to do research with this guy that she’s not quite so sure about. And I don’t even know that he’s kind to her; I think he just treats her the way you want to be treated, and for her, this is so revelatory," he explained.

Fincher also shared his affinity for other projects like ‘The Social Network,’ which captivated him with its compelling script, and ‘Zodiac,’ a personal project as the Zodiac killer loomed large in his childhood fears. "‘Benjamin Button,’ I loved the idea of a romance with that kind of body count," he quipped.

In summing up his approach to selecting projects, Fincher highlighted the personal and professional factors that influence his decisions. “There are different things about stories that resonate with you based on movies you love and the kind of movies that you made,” he noted. “So I don’t know how I choose things to be involved with, but you get a hankering where you go, ‘I’d like to see this, and I’d like to see it done this way.’”

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