Jesse Eisenberg Was Forced to Reshoot This Wes Craven Movie – and It Still Only Got 16% on RT

In the early 2000s, Wes Craven's name was still making waves thanks to the Scream franchise, and Kevin Williamson was considered one of Hollywood's most sought-after screenwriters – their collaboration on Cursed seemed like a recipe for guaranteed success.

Rising star Jesse Eisenberg and established actress Christina Ricci were cast in the lead roles, and the plot promised a fresh take on the werewolf story. However, what was expected to be another hit turned into a disaster.

Perhaps the most eloquent testimony to Cursed's failure came from Eisenberg himself, who, years later, revealed the production details.

Jesse Eisenberg Called Making Wes Craven's 'Cursed' "a Terribly Disappointing Experience"

For Jesse Eisenberg, who was just beginning his career, his involvement with Wes Craven's project was expected to be a significant career milestone. The actor spoke warmly of Craven, calling him "a great director" with an excellent sense of fear and an ability to work with actors.

However, the creative process turned into a nightmare thanks to the studio producers. In an interview with Den of Geek, Eisenberg recalled:

“We filmed the movie two times, because we shot the movie and then they scrapped the whole thing. So, it was a terribly disappointing experience. I don't know what happened, but we were forced to reshoot the thing.”

Eisenberg admitted that he really liked the original script written by Kevin Williamson and thought it was brilliant. However, under studio pressure, he had to rewrite it completely:

“Kevin Williamson is a wonderful writer, and I thought he wrote a great script, the initial script. And he was asked to change the whole thing.”

These rewrites turned the production into chaos: actors had to relearn their dialogue, react to new scenes, and watch the original concept crumble before their eyes.

What Is 'Cursed' About?

The story takes place in Los Angeles, where siblings Jimmy and Ellie fall victim to an attack by a wolf-like beast. After surviving the attack, they begin to notice strange changes in their bodies: they gain incredible strength, supernatural agility, and heightened senses.

Initially, these changes seem like a surprising bonus, but they soon realize that with their newfound abilities comes a terrible secret: they have become werewolves.

They soon discover that they are not the only werewolves in the city. Los Angeles turns out to be a breeding ground for supernatural predators, each pursuing their own goals.

'Cursed' Had No Chance of Becoming a Decent Film Because of Studio Pressure

After the success of Scream and its sequels, Craven and Williamson probably experienced creative burnout, which was exacerbated by studio interference.

The original script, which was praised by Eisenberg, was reportedly bolder and more original, however, the producers, including the infamous Weinstein brothers, insisted on radical changes for the sake of commercial success.

As a result, Cursed lost its identity, becoming a faceless genre product that disappointed even Craven's fans. Cursed's box office gross of $29 million against a budget of approximately $40 million was the final verdict.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Cursed'?

• Cursed has 16% from critics and 30% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 5.1/10.

• On Letterboxd, Cursed scored 2.7/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Cursed'?

Cursed is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video.