The story of Empires of the Deep, a $130 million cinematic project that was meant to rival epic Hollywood films like Star Wars and Avatar, is a striking example of a high-budget production that faced insurmountable challenges and was never released. Conceived by Chinese billionaire Jon Jiang in 2007, this ambitious film was designed to showcase grand underwater worlds and intense narratives between warring merman tribes. Jiang envisioned it as a monumental blend of Eastern and Western cinematic styles.
The project was initially titled Mermaid Island, later renamed to Empires of the Deep, and saw Jiang recruiting screenwriters, including Randall Frakes, an associate of James Cameron, to develop the screenplay, which took nearly four years and 40 drafts to finalize. With lofty inspirations from filmmakers like Cameron, Peter Jackson, and George Lucas, Jiang aimed to create an underwater fantasy epic that could stand toe-to-toe with Hollywood’s greatest productions.
Despite initial momentum, Empires of the Deep faced casting issues and repeated changes in directors. While Jiang initially pursued Monica Bellucci for the lead role as the Mermaid Queen, she declined, followed by Sharon Stone, who also passed. Eventually, Olga Kurylenko, known for her role in Quantum of Solace, was cast, marking her first million-dollar paycheck. The film then experienced a succession of directorial exits. After initial director Irvin Kershner left, he was replaced by Pitof (of Catwoman fame), and later Jonathan Lawrence. However, by 2009, Lawrence departed due to creative differences, leaving Michael French to pick up the pieces. French attempted to shoot scenes in two versions—one for Jiang’s vision and another for his own—resulting in significant delays.
Production woes continued, as unpaid crew members eventually abandoned the project, leaving Jiang to reassemble a team and try for a 2013 release. In a last attempt to salvage the film, Spielberg’s editor Michael Kahn was hired to edit and create a refined trailer in 2016. However, the producer felt that additional reshoots were necessary to improve the film further, but the funds for this were never raised. Consequently, Empires of the Deep was left incomplete and was never released in theaters, on video, or on digital platforms, marking it as the most expensive unreleased film in history.
The story of Empires of the Deep serves as a reminder of the challenges and risks involved in large-scale filmmaking, especially when creative visions clash.