An ambitious hot-air balloon movie from a horror filmmaker will never see the light of day. The director has now revealed the reason behind its cancellation.
Speaking with the hosts of FanZcene Vids, Frozen director Adam Green explained why his hot-air balloon movie will never be released. Titled The Ascent, the project was announced last year and described in reports as a shark movie with hot-air balloon elements.
However, Green dismissed those descriptions while discussing the scrapped film. “It was never a shark movie,” he revealed. “But we don’t need to worry about it, because it’s never coming out. You’ll never see it.”
Green then named producer Ryan Hamilton as the person responsible for the film’s cancellation. According to Green, Hamilton “stole all the money and just disappeared.” He further accused the producer of mishandling the project, claiming that he was the one who incorrectly announced it as a shark movie. “He should’ve read it. It’s actually a hot air balloon movie,” Green added.
Green revealed that he had already shot the film in Malta before the project was scrapped. “And then we left, got back to LA, and nobody ever got paid,” he recalled.
He further claimed that those responsible had “been on the run,” adding that seeking legal justice becomes difficult when dealing with people in another country. “So. Yeah. That one will never come out,” Green concluded.
What other movies has Adam Green made besides Frozen?
Adam Green has also worked on several other horror projects throughout his career. Besides the 2010 survival thriller Frozen, he is known for the R-rated Hatchet franchise, which began with its first installment in 2007.
The slasher featured an ensemble cast that included Joel David Moore, Amara Zaragoza, and Deon Richmond, among others. The film currently holds a 56% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Green followed it up with his 2010 sequel Hatchet II and 2013’s Hatchet III. However, they also failed to make an impact among critics as well as fans. But the fourth installment, Victor Crowley, proved to be a turnaround for the franchise, earning a more positive reception. Released in 2017, the film currently holds a 67% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Green was also part of 2011’s fantasy horror comedy Chillerama. He co-directed the anthology alongside Joe Lynch, Adam Rifkin, and Tim Sullivan. Beyond filmmaking, Green has also contributed to horror video games. He served as the writer for the 2017 game Friday the 13th: The Game, developed by IllFonic and published by Gun Media.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
