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Spike Lee: Warner Brothers ‘Shut Down’ ‘Malcolm X’ Production After I Refused to Shoot in the Jersey Shore Instead of Saudi Arabia

Spike Lee explained why Warner Brothers 'shut down' his 'Malcolm X' production over budget.

The feature, which starred Denzel Washington as the civil rights leader, was “shut down” by Warner Brothers due to budget concerns. One particular sticking point the studio had, according to Lee, was why the auteur wanted to film on location in Saudi Arabia for the Mecca scenes. Those people included Bill Cosby, Tracy Chapman, Janet Jackson, Prince, Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan, and Lee said, “I promised each person, saying that I would go to my grave without saying how much each gift was.”

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