10 Films That Took 10+ Years to Finish (and We Totally Get Why)

10 Films That Took 10+ Years to Finish (and We Totally Get Why)

Making a movie usually takes a couple of years from start to finish, but some films take way longer than that. Imagine working on the same project for decades! These filmmakers faced incredible challenges like money problems, creative struggles, and personal hardships that stretched their productions beyond belief. Their dedication and passion kept these projects alive, and the results are truly fascinating.

1. The King and the Mockingbird (Le Roi et l’Oiseau): 33 Years

French animator Paul Grimault started this animated masterpiece in 1946, but it wouldn’t see its true completion until 1979. The original version was released in 1952 without Grimault’s approval, which devastated him. He spent decades fighting to regain control and remake the film properly.

Money troubles and legal battles kept pushing the project back year after year. Grimault refused to compromise his artistic vision, even when it meant waiting decades. The animation techniques evolved dramatically during this time, but he stayed committed to his original hand-drawn style.

When finally released, the film influenced countless animators, including Hayao Miyazaki. The story of a brave mockingbird helping young lovers escape a tyrant king became timeless.

2. Mad God: 30 Years

Phil Tippett, the legendary special effects master behind Star Wars and Jurassic Park, began this stop-motion nightmare in 1990. He worked on it during weekends and spare moments between his Hollywood jobs. The project became his passion project, a labor of love that consumed three decades of his life.

Stop-motion animation is incredibly time-consuming, requiring thousands of tiny adjustments for each second of footage. Tippett created an intensely dark, dialogue-free journey through a hellish world. His vision was too strange and personal for mainstream studios to fund.

Crowdfunding eventually helped him finish in 2021. The film shocked audiences with its disturbing imagery and meticulous craftsmanship, proving some artistic visions are worth the wait.

3. The Primevals: 29 Years

Director David Allen started filming this monster adventure in 1978, combining live-action with elaborate stop-motion creatures. Financial problems hit the production almost immediately, forcing Allen to pause and restart multiple times. He’d work on other projects to earn money, then return to his passion whenever possible.

The film tells a wild story about explorers discovering prehistoric creatures in the Himalayas. Allen’s incredible talent for creating monsters kept the project alive in his heart. Tragically, he passed away in 1999 before finishing it.

His colleagues refused to let his dream die. They finally completed the film in 2023, honoring Allen’s original vision with the tools he would have used.

4. The Tragedy of Man: 23 Years

Hungarian animator Marcell Jankovics adapted a famous 19th-century play into this philosophical animated epic. Starting in 1988, he faced the collapse of Hungary’s film industry after communism ended. Funding disappeared almost overnight, leaving him scrambling to keep the project breathing.

The story follows Adam and Eve through different historical periods, exploring humanity’s eternal struggles. Jankovics hand-drew thousands of frames himself, maintaining artistic control but slowing progress to a crawl. His perfectionism meant redoing scenes multiple times until they matched his vision.

Released in 2011, the film showcased stunning visual variety. Each historical period had its own unique animation style, making the wait worthwhile for animation enthusiasts.

5. Dangerous Men: 21 Years

Iranian immigrant John Rad began this bizarre revenge thriller in 1979 with big Hollywood dreams. He financed the entire production himself, selling his belongings and working odd jobs to afford film stock. The plot involves a woman seeking vengeance against criminals, but the execution is wildly unconventional.

Rad had no formal filmmaking training, which shows in every frame. He’d shoot scenes, run out of money, then wait years before shooting more. Actors aged noticeably between scenes, creating unintentional continuity errors throughout.

Finally released in 2005, critics called it one of the strangest films ever made. Rad’s unwavering determination turned his movie into a cult classic, celebrated for its earnest weirdness.

6. The Thief and the Cobbler: 20 Years

Animator Richard Williams envisioned the most beautifully animated film ever created, starting work in 1964. His obsessive attention to detail meant spending months on single sequences. Every frame featured intricate patterns and movements that pushed animation boundaries beyond anything seen before.

Williams funded the project through commercial work, including animating Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Studio interference eventually forced him off his own project in 1992. They rushed a compromised version to theaters, breaking Williams’ heart.

Fans have since created reconstruction edits closer to his vision. The film remains a cautionary tale about artistic perfectionism versus commercial reality, though its breathtaking animation still amazes viewers today.

7. 5-25-77: 18 Years

Writer-director Patrick Read Johnson created this autobiographical film about how Star Wars changed his life as a teenage filmmaker. He started in 1987 but couldn’t secure proper funding for years. The deeply personal story meant he refused to compromise or rush production.

Johnson worked on other Hollywood projects while slowly piecing together his dream. The film required recreating 1977 perfectly, from clothes to cars to the excitement before Star Wars premiered. Financial setbacks kept delaying completion, testing his patience repeatedly.

Released in 2007, it resonated with anyone who discovered their passion young. The film captures that magical moment when art transforms your entire worldview, making the lengthy production feel appropriate.

8. Avatar: Fire and Ash: 16 Years

James Cameron announced plans for multiple Avatar sequels immediately after the 2009 original became the highest-grossing film ever. However, developing groundbreaking technology takes serious time. Cameron wanted underwater motion-capture performance, which didn’t exist yet, so his team had to invent it.

Writing scripts for four sequels simultaneously created massive storytelling challenges. The pandemic delayed production further, pushing release dates back multiple times. Cameron’s perfectionism meant nothing moved forward until the technology matched his imagination.

Scheduled for 2025 release, Fire and Ash promises new regions of Pandora and deeper Na’vi culture. Fans have waited patiently, trusting Cameron’s track record of delivering spectacular visuals worth the extended development time.

9. The Evil Within: 15 Years

With zero filmmaking experience, Michael Steinberg learned everything while shooting. The production became notoriously troubled as Steinberg’s mental health deteriorated alongside his obsession with the project.

He built elaborate sets in his garage and shot scenes sporadically over fifteen years. Actors left, forcing rewrites and reshoots with replacements. Steinberg’s perfectionism bordered on madness, constantly tweaking and changing his vision.

Tragically, he died in 2012 before finishing. His family completed post-production and released it in 2017. The film’s disturbing content reflects Steinberg’s troubled mind, creating an unsettling viewing experience that feels genuinely haunted by its creator’s demons.

10. Kill It and Leave This Town: 14 Years

Polish animator Mariusz Wilczynski created every frame of this deeply personal film by himself, starting in 2004. The black-and-white animation explores memories of his hometown and deceased loved ones. Working alone meant complete artistic freedom but incredibly slow progress.

Wilczynski drew inspiration from his childhood, creating surreal, dreamlike sequences that blur reality and memory. He voiced characters using recordings of his late parents, adding emotional weight. Financial struggles forced him to work other jobs while slowly advancing his passion project.

Released in 2020, critics praised its haunting beauty and emotional honesty. The film proves that some stories need time to develop properly, especially when processing grief and nostalgia through art.