# The notoriously awful 1985 sci-fi movie Michael Caine wanted nothing to do with

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-notoriously-awful-1985-sci-fi-movie-michael-caine-wanted-nothing-to-do-with/
- Published: 2026-07-24T14:30:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-28T21:49:43+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/1985-sci-fi-movie-michael-caine-wanted-nothing-to-do-with/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Michael Caine reportedly turned down *Lifeforce*.
- The 1985 sci-fi film was a costly box-office disappointment.
- It later gained cult status for its outlandish premise.

## Summary

Michael Caine reportedly declined involvement in the 1985 science-fiction film *Lifeforce*, which has gained a reputation for being notoriously poor despite its ambitious premise and notable creative team. The article presents his refusal as an example of Caine’s selectiveness, contrasting it with the film’s later critical standing and cult notoriety.

*Lifeforce*, directed by Tobe Hooper and based on Colin Wilson’s novel *The Space Vampires*, follows alien beings who arrive on Earth and drain human life energy. It had a reported budget of about $25 million but performed poorly at the box office, taking roughly $11.6 million in the US, and has since become known more for its excesses than its success.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.