10 Directors Who Bounced Back With A Vengeance After Failed Movies

3) Danny Boyle: From The Beach To 28 Days Later

The Failure

Before Leonardo DiCaprio learnt how to do no wrong, there were films like The Beach. With the studio seeking to capitalize on the actor’s recently minted superstar status, Danny Boyle was forced to fire original lead Ewan McGregor and bring in DiCaprio instead. That would be the first sign of trouble, which ultimately proved to be the least of Boyle’s worries – the film’s shoot was uneasy to say the least, and the final product ended up bombing with the critics.

The Comeback

Going back to basics is the best thing Danny Boyle ever did. Not only did the digicam-shot 28 Days Later cleanse Boyle’s palette after the expensive, unwieldy The Beach, but it encouraged the director to experiment. The film looks like a Dogme ’95-inspired horror movie, one for which the lo-fi trappings only increase the sense of urgency and terror. 28 Days made the zombie movie popular again, but it stands most proudly as the film that put Danny Boyle back on the right track.