Steven Soderbergh Turned Down Offer To Direct DEATH BECOMES HER and He Explains Why

Back in the early 90s, director Steven Soderberg was offered the job of directing the playful supernatural dark comedy Death Becomes Her. He was offered the job not long after his breakout hit with 1989’s Sex, Lies, and Videotape, but he ended up turning it down. The movie ended up being directed by Robert Zemeckis and it starred Bruce Willis, Meryl Streep, and Goldie Hawn.

The movie was written by David Keopp who has worked with Soderberg on projects such as the 2022 film Kimi, and the most recent horror film Presence, which premiered at The Sundance Film Festival last week.

During a recent interview with Variety, the filmmaker was asked about any film projects that he passed on and he responded, saying:

“I want to preface this by saying I hate it when people talk about things that they passed on. For whatever reason, I just feel like I am not convinced it’s good form to do that.”

But Soderbergh went on to acknowledge that he was offered a chance to direct Death Becomes Her, and explained why he turned it down:

“I do remember reading it and immediately thinking it was very funny. And also immediately recognizing that this is so far beyond my capability. The technology they were using was intimidating. There was no universe in which I could do it. I knew you needed somebody with a Zemeckis-like technical facility to execute it. It was a hard ‘you got the wrong guy’ is what it was.”

Koepp says of Soderbergh: “I really wanted him to direct it, but he felt like it was a tough leap. I’m stealing a line from Steven, but he really feels like he doesn’t want to do something if it’s not a ‘hell yes.'”

It’s admirable that Soderbergh knew his limitations at the time as a young filmmaker. These days when young filmmakers are offered big directing gigs, they often still take it knowing that they are not qualified or prepared for the job.

Zemeckis ended up doing a great job with the film. I remember watching the film with my friends in the theater and we absolutely loved it! I haven’t watched it in a long long time, but maybe it’s time to revisit it.

The movie follows the story of two lifelong rivals, played by Streep and Hawn, who become entangled in a bizarre and supernatural quest for eternal youth and beauty. After both women consume a mysterious elixir that grants them immortality but also renders their bodies impervious to injury, they embark on a centuries-long journey filled with jealousy, revenge, and dark humor. Willis stars as the hapless husband caught in the middle of their rivalry.

Soderbergh and Koepp are continuing to work together as the pair just sold a spy thriller titled Black Bag, starring Michael Fassbender and Cate Blanchett, to Focus Features.