1985 Film Ranked Among ‘Greatest Cult Classic Movies of All Time’ Almost Never Happened

Some of the most beloved cult movies in Hollywood history began as ideas that sounded completely ridiculous on paper.

That was certainly the case for Clue, the 1985 comedy mystery based on the classic board game that has since become one of the most quoted and endlessly rewatched cult films of its era.

Today, the movie regularly appears on lists of the greatest cult classics ever made. Forbes included Clue on its ranking of the “Greatest Cult Classic Movies of All Time,” praising the film’s cast, multiple endings and campy mystery-comedy formula, while Wealth of Geeks recently named it among the “Greatest Cult Movie Classics of All Time.”

But according to writer-director Jonathan Lynn, the movie almost never happened at all.

Speaking on The Hollywood Reporter’s“It Happened in Hollywood” podcast, Lynn admitted his first reaction to the idea of adapting the board game into a feature film was disbelief.

“I thought it was the silliest idea I’d ever heard,” Lynn recalled.

At the time, several major writers had already turned the project down, including legendary playwright Tom Stoppard, who reportedly accepted the job before later mailing back the check and calling the concept “hopelessly old-fashioned.”

Lynn ultimately cracked the story after realizing the game’s color-themed character names couldn’t possibly be real.

“They all had to be aliases,” he explained. “So they all had something to hide.”

That revelation became the foundation for the entire film.

Released in 1985, Clue featured an all-star cast including Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Martin Mull, Michael McKean, Eileen Brennan and Lesley Ann Warren. The film blended old-fashioned murder mystery storytelling with rapid-fire farce, slapstick comedy and increasingly chaotic plot twists.

One of the movie’s most famous elements was its unusual release strategy.

Different theaters received different endings, meaning audiences could see one of three possible conclusions depending on where they watched the movie. The gimmick confused some moviegoers at the time and helped contribute to the film’s disappointing box office performance.

“The ending is what people remember,” Lynn said. “If you can’t decide what your last two hours has been about, critics tend to say, ‘They couldn’t even make up their minds how to end it.’ So that was a disaster.”

Ironically, the multiple-ending format later became one of the movie’s defining features once all three endings were combined together for home video and television releases.

Over time, Clue slowly transformed from box office disappointment into a genuine cult phenomenon.

The film developed a passionate fanbase through cable reruns, VHS, DVD and streaming, with audiences embracing its endlessly quotable dialogue, theatrical performances and elaborate mystery plotting. Some screenings now even feature live shadow casts similar to The Rocky Horror Picture Show (which also famously starred Tim Curry).

Lynn also revealed several behind-the-scenes stories that have since become part of the film’s mythology.

Carrie Fisher was originally cast as Miss Scarlet before entering rehab days before filming, leading Lesley Ann Warren to join the cast at the last minute. Madeline Kahn’s legendary “flames… flames on the side of my face” speech was largely improvised, while Tim Curry, who played the frantic butler Wadsworth, had actually attended the same English school as Lynn years earlier.

Despite the film’s rocky start in theaters, Lynn said he remains amazed by the movie’s enduring popularity four decades later.

“It’s extraordinary,” he said. “People still apparently love it.”