Rob Reiner Almost Directed It
First of all, RIP Carl Reiner. The 98-year-old recently passed away on June 30, 2020. His son, Rob Reiner, almost directed “The Shawshank Redemption.” After writing the script, Darabont sent the screenplay to Castle Rock Entertainment, Reiner’s production company. Castle Rock producer, Liz Glotzer, read the script and called it “the best script she’d ever read.”
The Shawshank Redemption – 1994 Director Frank Darabont. Photo By ITV/Shutterstock
She even threatened to leave the company if Castle Rock didn’t make a move on it. But Reiner himself wanted to direct the film, offering Darabont $3 million to sell his screenplay. Keep in mind that Darabont only made one actual move by then – a made-for-TV movie called “Buried Alive.” But the young director stood his ground, taking a lower paycheck and the directorial duties that went along with it.