Martin Scorsese's 'Hugo' and more directors' change-ups

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'Hugo''Alexander' -- Oliver Stone'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' -- David Fincher'The Color Purple' -- Steven Spielberg'Dreamcatcher' -- Lawrence Kasdan'For the Love of the Game' -- Sam Raimi'Wolf' -- Mike Nichols'Music of the Heart' -- Wes Craven'The Golden Compass' -- Chris Weitz'Anonymous' -- Roland Emmerich'The Straight Story' -- David Lynch

For a director most known for baby boomer subjects ("The Doors," "Born on Fourth of July," "Platoon"), political biographies ("W.," "Nixon," "JFK") and spectacles of violence ("Natural Born Killers," "Savages"), a sword-and-sandal epic seemed to come from out of left field. But the director took on "Alexander," the tale of the King of Macedonia, with Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Anthony Hopkins and Rosario Dawson in tow. Though a departure from much of his other material, it shouldn't have been a shock. Political intrigue, war and spectacles of violence were all included in "Alexander" as well. Overall, it made a little over $167 million worldwide, a disappointing haul for a film of this pedigree.

'Alexander' -- Oliver Stone

( Warner Bros. Pictures / November 7, 2012 )

For a director most known for baby boomer subjects ("The Doors," "Born on Fourth of July," "Platoon"), political biographies ("W.," "Nixon," "JFK") and spectacles of violence ("Natural Born Killers," "Savages"), a sword-and-sandal epic seemed to come from out of left field. But the director took on "Alexander," the tale of the King of Macedonia, with Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Anthony Hopkins and Rosario Dawson in tow. Though a departure from much of his other material, it shouldn't have been a shock. Political intrigue, war and spectacles of violence were all included in "Alexander" as well. Overall, it made a little over $167 million worldwide, a disappointing haul for a film of this pedigree.

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