7 Movies with Unbelievable Premises: Whether They Succeeded or Crashed and Burned

Premise: To ensure the death of a witness, a gangster releases 30 poisonous snakes on an airplane mid-flight.

How it came about: Considered one of the most Internet-hyped films of all time, Snakes was once a serious screenplay, but garnered a lot of attention during shooting thanks to someone who leaked the working title. Because it sounded so ridiculous, and once Samuel L. Jackson was announced in the lead, message boards were ablaze with speculation. The movie and especially its hilarious title were lampooned on TV shows and in video games even before its release. New Line Studios had no choice but to abandon the formerly serious story and just go balls to the wall.

How it did: While the film didn't make back all of its investment, it solidly established a cult following and is enjoyed by college students around the country whenever it plays in repeats (alas, with Jackson's famous line censored).

Premise: Depressed toymaker on the verge of suicide (Mel Gibson) discovers a ratty beaver puppet and, by talking through it in a Michael Caine-esque growl, saves his job and his family.

How it came about: Screenwriter Kyle Killen originally conceived of The Beaver as a short story for his wife, then pregnant with twins. When he instead wrote a screenplay, it quickly became number one on the 2008 Black List. Then Jodie Foster stepped up to direct, and the project whooshed through development.

How it did: It comes out this Friday, and though reviews have been somewhat scattered, for the most part it's gotten praise for its offbeat humor and true pathos. I'll say that it worked because in a way, art imitated life. Gibson's character started at rock bottom, as the actor himself seems to be, and clawed his way back to the top.

Premise: A U.S. task force infiltrates Guatemala to rescue three presidential cabinet ministers kidnapped by guerilla forces, but instead find themselves facing a lethal alien who has decided to hunt them.

How it came about: After the release of Rocky IV in 1985, Hollywood execs began joking that the only way to make a fifth Rocky film would be to have the boxer go head-to-head with an alien, since he'd exhausted his earthly opponents. Except it was Arnold Schwarzenegger who got the role, not Sylvester Stallone.

How it did: Many critics attacked the movie's thin plot and lack of logic, but Roger Ebert pointed out that it achieves what it set out to do: To be a fun, mindless action movie. This is another favorite for cable re-runs.

Premise: Jazz musician Mickey Rourke wants to take the circus-freak Megan Fox (a girl with an impressive feathered wingspan) to a better life, but must contend with sleazy businessman Bill Murray.

How it came about: From the mind of writer-director Mitch Glazer.

How it did: After languishing in non-release, Passion Play was first going to be released on DVD, then quickly got a very limited theatrical release, starting this Friday. Early reviews from the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival called it "perversely eccentric" and "an absolute car wreck."

Premise: The Hobo (Rutger Hauer) is just minding his own business in a Canadian town and dreams of buying his own lawn mower. But after getting tangled up with a crime boss, The Hobo purchases a shotgun to kill all wrongdoers.

How it came about: Production team Jason Eisener, Rob Cotterill, and John Davies batted around the idea for fun, then submitted a fake trailer (that cost only $150) to a contest run by Robert Rodriguez in 2007 to promote his and Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse. The trailer won and was included, along with other fake previews, in the final cut of the movie.

How it did: Hobo will be released this week, but has already garnered appreciative buzz for its all-out gore and crazy plot. Sundance loved it.

Premise: Arizona, 1873: Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) awakes with amnesia and a strange device on his wrist. While Lonergan is being taken to Colonel Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford), aliens ambush the town.

How it came about: Believe it or not, this is actually based on a graphic novel of the same name.

How it did: No word yet since it comes out July 29, but considering that the screenplay is by Damon Lindelof, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci, we've got high hopes for a strong, exhilarating meeting of two very different opponents.

Premise: Santa Clause is a murderous demon who delights in chowing down on naughty younguns. While the inhabitants of a Finnish reindeer herding town sleep, evil Santa kidnaps the children for his annual meal.

How it came about: Filmmaker Jalmari Helander made a short film on the topic in 2003 about trackers hunting the creature. When the short got acclaim, he financed a full-length feature.

How it did: Most people enjoyed the fresh take on jolly Santa Clause; the movie has an average score of 6.8/10 on Rotten Tomatoes.