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The Original Version of ‘The Truman Show’ Was Much Darker Than the Jim Carrey Movie We Got

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16.07.2026

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The Original Version of ‘The Truman Show’ Was Much Darker Than the Jim Carrey Movie We Got

Early drafts of the Jim Carrey classic were much darker, with a bleaker Truman, a New York setting, and a disturbing Gary Oldman screen test.

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The 1998 Jim Carrey dramedy The Truman Show underwent several changes after beginning life as a spec script in May 1991. Initially titled The Malcolm Show, the earliest treatment described it as a sci-fi thriller set in an alternate version of New York City. It would take a total of sixteen drafts before the story was considered suitable for filming. In the process, they lost Brian De Palma, who had been negotiating to direct before Peter Weir’s involvement.

De Palma reportedly wanted the film to be........

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