Netflix Canceled the Release of a Gore Vidal Biopic Eight Years Ago — for the Filmmakers, the Story Isn’t Over

In wintertime 2018, Netflix gave a triumphant report of its 4th fourth net from 2017. The streaming elephantine touted its accrued streaming revenue, complete 20 cardinal caller memberships added, and that nan institution doubled its worldwide operating income. It mentioned only a insignificant portion of bad financial news: Netflix took a $39-million loss successful unreleased contented from nan quarter. “Despite this unexpected expense,” nan study said, “we somewhat exceeded our publication profit and operating income forecast owed to our stronger-than-expected personnel maturation and nan timing of world contented spend.”

But nan study did not tie attraction to what that $39 cardinal nonaccomplishment was: nan costs of respective episodes of “House of Cards” and a film starring Kevin Spacey that Netflix chose not to merchandise successful ray of of respective accusations of intersexual misconduct, including one by character Anthony Rapp that he said occurred erstwhile he was 14 and Spacey was 26. 

That canceled movie is “Gore,” a biopic of writer Gore Vidal directed by Michael Hoffman and based connected nan curriculum vitae “Empire of Self” by Jay Parini. The task — solely financed by Netflix — was nan first vanished movie cancelled by a streaming service, a believe that Warner Bros. Discovery and Netflix person travel to embrace. 

Almost 8 years since nan film’s axing was announced, IndieWire said to immoderate of nan group who worked connected “Gore” to study much astir nan making — and shuttering — of nan movie from their perspective.

The communicative of “Gore” starts pinch nan communicative of Parini’s narration to Gore Vidal himself. The 2 met erstwhile Parini was successful his 30s and had already published respective books. “Gore saw successful maine personification for illustration himself,” Parini told Indiewire. After gathering connected nan Amalfi Coast, nan 2 began what would go an over-30-year friendship. “I really loved Gore,” Parini added successful a statement. “He was for illustration a large relative to me.”

Parini later wrote nan curriculum vitae “Empire of Self,” published successful 2015, 3 years aft Vidal’s death. The improvement of a movie adjustment later began pinch head Michael Hoffman, pinch whom Parini had antecedently worked connected nan movie adjustment of his caller “The Last Station,” which premiered successful 2009. The 2 developed nan book and brought connected shaper Andy Paterson, a communal friend of theirs.

“‘The Last Station’ had taken maine 20 years, truthful I thought movies would return forever,” Parini said. “But nan ‘Gore’ movie came up successful minutes.”

The accelerant was erstwhile Spacey came connected committee to play Vidal. “I had sent nan book to Kevin because he knew Gore and admired him,” Parini said. Spacey soon agreed to prima successful nan movie adaptation. “Once we had that, Netflix jumped connected committee and said, ‘Sure, we’ll get down this.’”

British movie head Michael Hoffman (L) and writer Jay Parini astatine London’s Mayfair, connected January 26, 2010, to be nan British Premiere of ‘The Last Station.’AFP via Getty Images

In 2017, astir Netflix original films were acquisitions, often bought aft films premiered astatine festivals, specified arsenic nan first Netflix original, “Beasts of No Nation,” which debuted successful 2015. But Netflix had greenlit respective high-profile original films successful nan years earlier “Gore.” In 2015, nan streamer financed their first movie pinch “The Ridiculous 6,” which they spent an estimated $60 cardinal to fund. They besides bought nan authorities to a live-action “Death Note” adjustment from Warner Bros. successful 2015 and greenlit nan task pinch a fund between $40-50 million. 

For “Gore,” Netflix provided nan sole backing to nan project, paying nan estimated $12 cardinal fund to Paterson’s accumulation institution directly. While location was thing successful nan film’s charismatic statement that stipulated “Gore” would beryllium released successful theaters, nan movie made usage of nan UK’s movie accumulation taxation in installments that requires a theatrical release, implying Netflix intended to show nan movie successful theaters. At nan time, a theatrical tally was a request for awesome awards nominations.

Netflix’s excitement for nan task came from its longtime narration pinch Spacey. The Oscar-winning character led “House of Cards,” Netflix’s first foray into original programming that helped motorboat nan work to caller captious and commercialized heights. “Gore” would beryllium 1 of nan streamer’s astir high-profile movie productions to date, pinch nan coagulated instauration to go a awesome awards contender. 

“This Could Be nan Future”

The composer for “Gore,” Simon Boswell, said to nan excitement astir Netflix greenlighting nan small-scale play task while overmuch of nan manufacture still embraced much costly projects. “I deliberation we were each rather heartened successful a measurement that this could beryllium nan future,” he told IndieWire.

“Gore” takes spot successful nan mid-’80s and follows young writer Jamie (Douglas Booth) and his woman Mari (Freya Mavor), who walk clip pinch Vidal successful his Amalfi Coast mansion soon aft Vidal’s grounded run for California Senate. The movie focuses connected nan tumultuous narration betwixt Vidal and longtime partner Howard Austen (Michael Stuhlbarg), arsenic Vidal struggled pinch slump and alcoholism.

Douglas Booth astatine nan 48th Annual Toronto International Film Festival successful 2023Michael Buckner/Variety

Spacey was announced to prima arsenic Vidal successful July 2017. The remainder of nan unit included cinematographer Oliver Stapleton, Oscar-winning accumulation designer Patrizia von Bradenstein, and costume designer Gabriella Pescucci. 

Production connected “Gore” began connected Italy’s Amalfi Coast successful August. Much of nan movie was changeable successful Vidal’s existent location successful Ravella, which nan unit had to restore.

The movie had a fund of astir $12 million. “Not a large fund for a film, which is wholly changeable connected location and successful a difficult location,” said statement shaper Enrico Ballarin. The location had been abandoned for complete 15 years and had fallen into disrepair. “We had to telephone plumbers, electricians, and we had to rebuild [the swimming pool]… We succeeded … pinch a reasonable magnitude of money.”

“Gore” filmed successful Italy for 7 weeks, amounting to astir 35 shooting days. The unit of astir 100 group comprised mostly Italian locals. The movie besides made usage of some nan Italian movie accumulation taxation in installments and an further money for shooting successful nan Campania region. 

The unit successfully restored Vidal’s location to what it looked for illustration successful nan 80s. For Parini, who was connected group each time of filming, nan acquisition was a unusual homecoming. “The shade of Gore was hanging complete me… It was conscionable excessively weird, almost painful, to beryllium reliving, particularly my younker pinch Gore.”

Also coming connected group sometimes were executives from Netflix, who kept tabs connected what was astatine nan clip 1 of nan company’s astir high-profile forays into original programming. The main executive progressive was Matt Brodlie, Netflix’s past Director of Original Film. 

“They were very supportive,” Ballarin said of Netflix’s engagement while shooting. “In a bully consciousness because, usually moving successful independent productions, it doesn’t activity nan aforesaid way.” Ballarin added, “Matt came complete to Italy to sojourn and was really a awesome shaper to activity with.”

Editor Camilla Toniolo, who was connected group during nan “Gore” shoot, recalled really Netflix executives “loved” nan footage and dailies. “The footage was truthful beautiful,” Toniolo said. “It was a movie that really consumed maine successful position of really overmuch I wanted to do connected it… For immoderate editor to person a batch of footage that’s really good, it’s nan champion you tin inquire for.” 

Production wrapped connected nan movie successful October 2017. Post-production moved to London, wherever nan edit continued astatine Warner Bros. De Lane Lea Studios successful London. A unsmooth trim was completed by nan clip shooting wrapped. This was a communal practice, according to Toniolo, who said she ever edits while nan films she useful connected are being shot.

Anthony Rapp astatine nan ‘Star Trek: Section 31’ World Premiere held astatine Jazz astatine Lincoln Center connected January 22, 2025 successful New York, New York.Kristina Bumphrey/Variety

A fewer weeks aft post-production moved to London, Buzzfeed News first published nan accusations against Spacey made by Anthony Rapp. Several different group came guardant pinch allegations of intersexual misconduct against nan character successful nan coming days. Some of these were “House of Cards” employees, who accused nan actor of creating a toxic situation done a accordant shape of committing intersexual harassment and assault. Many accusations besides stemmed from Spacey’s 11 years arsenic creator head astatine The Old Vic theatre successful London. Twenty men involved pinch nan theatre accused Spacey of groping and behaving inappropriately.

According to Toniolo, nan accusations came a time aft she screened nan movie pinch Paterson and Hoffman. That Sunday, October 29, she sewage a telephone from Hoffman informing her of nan allegations.

The adjacent morning, she met pinch Paterson. “[He] arrived to fto maine and my adjunct spell because, you know, Netflix wanted america dead… they wanted america gone.”

“We’re Sticking Around Until We Know What’s Going on”

Netflix said connected November 3 that nan institution would sever each ties pinch Spacey, including that he would nary longer beryllium progressive pinch “House of Cards” going forward, adding, “We person besides decided we will not beryllium moving guardant pinch nan merchandise of nan movie ‘Gore,’ which was successful post-production, starring and produced by Kevin Spacey,” according to nan statement. The past play of House of Cards went forward, pinch Spacey’s characteristic being written retired of nan show by being killed disconnected and co-star Robin Wright assuming nan lead role. 

Paterson informed Toniolo and her adjunct Tom Chandler that nan cutting room would beryllium closed to extremity post-production arsenic he learned much astir nan situation, offering to fto his collaborators time off nan project. “We wouldn’t dream of it,” Toniolo recalled telling Paterson. “We’re sticking astir until we cognize what’s going on.”

According to Toniolo, Paterson’s lawyers began gathering pinch Netflix and discovered that shutting down nan post-production of nan movie would put Netflix successful usurpation of its statement pinch Paterson’s accumulation company. “[Paterson’s] lawyers and [Netflix’s] lawyer came to an statement that we would decorativeness nan film… nan fund was already there.” Toniolo added, “The truth that we were finishing nan movie was conscionable based connected a ineligible issue. It was not retired of [Netflix’s] bully intentions aliases respect for filmmaking. I really don’t judge that.”

Robin Wright astatine a ‘House of Cards’ arena successful 2018Michael Buckner/Variety/PMC

Chandler recalled nan edit process continuing on. “I was still getting paid, truthful I still turned up to work.” 

The task moved to a different room successful nan post-production facility. Chandler described a heightened level of information erstwhile nan film’s cancellation was public. “We were nary longer an obscure movie; it was thing that was successful nan news.” The task besides continued nether a caller codename title, “All nan Things You Are,” a reference to a opus successful nan film.

As portion of nan post-production process, Chandler said they brought each nan formed they needed to complete nan film’s ADR to London — isolated from for Spacey.

The movie besides still had nan fund to grounds an orchestral people by Boswell. He recalled moving connected nan task aft nan film’s cancellation pinch a consciousness of optimism. “It was my belief that [Netflix] would spot consciousness because nan movie was really bully erstwhile I watched it, that this would travel retired somehow,” Boswell said.

Boswell recorded nan people astatine Lyndhurst Studios, Hampstead connected April 5-6, 2018, pinch an orchestra of astir 30-40 people. Later successful nan edit process, nan title of nan movie was changed from “Gore” to “Dear Mr. Vidal.”

Once nan movie was completed, screenings were held pinch nan cast, crew, and prime friends and family members. “We had mini screenings successful nan smallest screening room astatine Warners successful London,” Toniolo said. “They liked it very overmuch and they each anxiously asked, ‘So what’s going to hap to this beautiful movie?. . . They were besides not believing that a movie of this caliber would not travel out.”

But nan screenings were not highly publicized among those who worked connected nan film. Chandler was unaware of immoderate screenings occurring until our interview, and Ballarin had seen a trim of nan movie while it was successful post-production, but has still ne'er seen nan vanished version.

Oscar Hopes Dashed

A vanished trim of “Gore” was seen by Netflix brass astatine immoderate constituent successful nan process. According to Boswell, he had heard from group he knew successful Los Angeles that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos had screenings of nan movie successful his backstage theatre to show disconnected nan value of nan film. “I thought it was encouraging. Maybe he’s gonna travel astir to it and relent location down nan road.”

Everyone interviewed for this communicative said highly of “Gore” arsenic a movie — though they are admittedly not unbiased viewers since they are collaborators connected nan task — paying circumstantial attraction to its cinematography, nan accumulation design, and particularly nan performances of Spacey and Stuhlbarg. “Stuhlbarg would, I swear, person won nan Oscar for Best Supporting Actor had nan movie appeared,” Parini said successful his statement. If nan movie had premiered successful 2018, it would person been nan twelvemonth aft Stuhlbarg appeared successful a trio of Best Picture-nominated films: “Call Me by Your Name,” “The Post,” and victor “The Shape of Water.”

Michael Stuhlbarg astatine nan AFI Fest screening of ‘Bones and All’ held astatine TCL Chinese Theatre connected November 5, 2022 successful Los Angeles, California.Gilbert Flores/Variety

“It was 1 of nan very uncommon films that I’ve done wherever nan full unit was really struck by nan performances of nan cast,” Ballarin said.

“Gore” would person been among Netflix’s first awesome movie awards contenders. During nan past fewer weeks of filming, Netflix asked nan accumulation to make a trailer that could beryllium utilized during nan film’s awards campaign, according to a root adjacent to nan production. Several months aft Gore’s cancellation, nan streamer bought nan distribution authorities for “Roma” successful April 2018 up of its premiere astatine nan Venice Film Festival successful August of that year. Netflix backed an Oscars run that yet led to nan company’s first Best Picture information astatine nan Academy Awards and later won respective awards, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón.

In nan months and years since “Gore” was finished, updates astir nan movie became much sparse. A 2018 Buzzfeed News article titled “Kevin Spacey’s Last Movie Might beryllium Totally Fucked. Here’s Why” obtained nan screenplay for “Gore” and pointed to respective scenes wherever Vidal speaks brashly astir activity and sexuality that would return connected a darker meaning successful ray of nan allegations against Spacey. 

“I deliberation possibly Michael and Andy were successful nan limbo astir whether this was gonna travel retired and that possibly it mightiness return a year, it mightiness return 2 years, 3 years for nan particulate to settle,” Boswell said. “But intelligibly that’s not nan case.”

A Streaming-Era Pattern of Cancelations

While “Gore” was not nan first vanished movie to spell unreleased, it was nan first successful nan streaming era of entertainment. The workplace took a taxation write-off connected nan $39 cardinal nonaccomplishment from nan costs of nan movie and nan scrapped episodes of ‘House of Cards’. Since then, nan believe has go much common. In 2022, arsenic portion of an effort to hole nan company’s finances aft its merger, Warner Bros. Discovery opted to propulsion nan plug connected respective films, including “Batgirl,” “Scoob! Holiday Haunt,” and “Coyote v. Acme,” and took a taxation write-off for nan losses. Netflix besides stopped post-production of its movie “The Mothership,” starring Halle Berry, successful 2024 aft primitively teasing nan movie for a 2022 release. The logic fixed for nan film’s cancellation was issues successful nan post-production process and nan precocious costs of finishing nan movie done reshoots, according to Netflix’s main contented officer, Bela Bajaria.

But releases for shelved films are not impossible. “Coyote v. Acme” recovered a supplier successful Ketchup Entertainment, which bought nan authorities backmost from Warner Bros. Discovery. “Magazine Dreams,” a movie acquired retired of Sundance by Searchlight Pictures — which later canceled its merchandise aft nan film’s star, Jonathan Majors, was recovered blameworthy of battle — was yet distributed by Briarcliff Entertainment aft Searchlight returned nan authorities to nan filmmakers.

Gore Vidal arsenic seen successful nan documentary ‘Gore Vidal: The United States of Amnesia’©IFC Films/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection

But nan business for “Gore” complicates a imaginable release. Netflix is nan sole financier of nan task and owns nan film. “It would costs you $20 million, $30 cardinal to bargain this movie backmost from Netflix,” Parini said. “You request personification to travel along, immoderate billionaire, to opportunity ‘Free reside has been harmed here.”

For those who worked connected “Gore,” nan film’s cancellation is simply a awesome creator and master loss. 

“Hundreds of group worked connected this. It’s really frustrating that you dedicate a twelvemonth of your life to thing and it doesn’t travel out. You springiness your psyche to thing and personification other decides that it’s not bully enough,” Chandler said. “I make creation for it to beryllium seen. I don’t make creation to beryllium put successful a cupboard.”

“I put each azygous compartment of my assemblage into it, and it ne'er came out. It’s incredibly upsetting,” Toniolo told IndieWire.

Especially for those moving connected a smaller film, nan deficiency of merchandise for “Gore” has perchance greater ramifications. “When I get paid to do a movie, which successful this lawsuit was not a immense sum of money, portion of nan woody is that you are arsenic bully arsenic your past film,” Boswell said. “It’s publicity and to someway beryllium robbed of that possibility, particularly erstwhile you put a batch of imaginative effort into thing you are proud of, that’s a spot of a smack successful nan face.”

Almost each those interviewed said nan cancellation of “Gore” resulted successful a imaginable nonaccomplishment of occupation opportunities. “Everyone would person gotten amended activity had this travel out, 100 percent,” Chandler said.

The Specter of Spacey Hangs Over “Gore”

Actor Douglas Booth declined done a typical to speak to IndieWire for this story. But successful an interview pinch Movie Web successful December 2024, he highlighted nan effect of nan film’s cancellation connected Michael Hoffman and Jay Parini. “For me, it breaks my bosom nan astir for Michael… I tin spell connected and make different movies, and I person done many, but […] Jay Parini, nan writer […] he wrote it pinch Michael, truthful overmuch activity complete years. It’s peculiarly heartbreaking for them, because you can’t conscionable walk 7 years processing something, and it’s benignant of conscionable put successful a safe.”

The specter of Spacey hangs complete nan early of “Gore” arsenic a film. When I first reached retired to Parini successful 2022, he declined to talk nan movie until Spacey’s tests vanished making their measurement done nan New York and London courts. Spacey was recovered not liable successful civilian tribunal for Rapp’s accusations successful New York successful 2022 and was acquitted by a assemblage of several counts of intersexual battle successful 2023. He is still facing respective civilian lawsuits for intersexual battle successful nan UK.

In nan years since Netflix trim ties pinch him, Spacey has not wholly stepped retired of nan nationalist eye. He has continued to enactment successful independent films. He has besides kept a dependable online presence, posting respective videos astir Christmas and being interviewed by Tucker Carlson while acting for illustration his characteristic successful “House of Cards.” Most recently, he was presented pinch an “engagement award” by nan Better World Fund astatine nan 2025 Cannes Film Festival — an quality allegedly orchestrated by nan producers of his movie “The Awakening,” according to Variety, which was being shopped for distribution astatine nan festival’s market.

Kevin Spacey astatine amfAR Gala Cannes 2025 during nan 78th Cannes Film Festival astatine Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc connected May 22, 2025 successful Antibes, France.Michael Buckner/Variety

Everyone IndieWire said to for this communicative conveyed dream that “Gore” would beryllium released successful immoderate shape eventually. Michael Stuhlbarg did not respond to requests for remark done a typical for this article. But successful a 2017 interview pinch The Hollywood Reporter, he said, “Honestly, we each person immoderate dream that perhaps.. Over time, location will beryllium a chance for group to spot it successful nan ray successful which it was meant to beryllium seen.”

“Gore” has not been forgotten by those who worked connected it. On nan film’s IMDb Pro page, nan film’s position was updated to “Completed” successful October 2024. The alteration is accompanied by a statement that says, “I’m nan producer. The movie is finished. Netflix request [sic] to fto it go.” Producer Andy Paterson is nan only personification credited solely pinch nan title of shaper connected nan film.

Paterson provided nan pursuing connection to IndieWire: “I person many times asked Netflix either to show nan movie aliases to springiness maine nan opportunity to find a caller life for it.  They person said that they do not intend ever to merchandise nan Picture aliases waste it to a 3rd party.  I, and galore others successful nan imaginative community, find this an bonzer statement. The assemblage – including nan Netflix subscribers who paid for nan movie – should beryllium allowed to determine if they want to spot it.  Netflix asserts its support for state of creator look yet it will not explicate why this movie should beryllium buried erstwhile they still person nan first 5 seasons of ‘House of Cards’ and respective Kevin Spacey films connected their platform.  Their existent excuse for dismissing my petition is that they took a taxation write-off connected nan film, but that could easy beryllium resolved.  I repetition nan request: if you won’t show nan film, let maine to find different measurement for audiences to spot a powerful and entertaining exploration of galore of nan issues that pass nan statement astir nan intersection of sex, powerfulness and creativity.”  

It is simply a twist of irony that a movie astir Gore Vidal — a writer who perpetually inserted himself into contention and who said retired against firm interests — would person a biopic made by a tech conglomerate that would yet not beryllium released arsenic portion of a determination to debar further controversy. But for Parini, nan shelving of “Gore” represents a larger issue.

“Why fto corporations determine who gets to spot a movie and who doesn’t,” Parini wrote successful his statement. “Art should, moreover must, beryllium democratic, and corporations – aliases governments – should not beryllium successful nan business of censorship.”

Netflix declined done a spokesperson to remark connected allegations of censorship aliases connected nan anticipation of relinquishing nan authorities to “Gore” truthful it tin beryllium released by different party.

“Gore” highlights nan struggle successful nan intermezo manufacture betwixt creation and commerce. For Netflix, nan film’s axing was a financial nonaccomplishment taken to safeguard nan marque from an unwanted relation pinch Spacey and nan allegations against him. For those who worked connected nan film, it’s a imaginative endeavor — for some, nan culmination of years of activity — now locked distant owed to a corporation’s request to protect its marque from only 1 of nan hundreds of group progressive successful nan film’s creation. 

In nan streaming age, erstwhile services are overflowing pinch each benignant of movie and TV imaginable, it’s easy to hide a movie nary 1 wants to dwell on. But for nan individuals progressive successful nan project, nan sound astir “Gore” overshadows nan attraction that went into making nan film.

“PR group make each of nan worldly astir nan star, but a movie is not that,” Boswell explained. “A movie is tons of people’s livelihoods and tons of people’s efforts.”