The effort failed after art-house studios balked.

But studios balked at his insistence that he serve as director, because he had never made a film before.

Later the studio balked at a first-time director and suggested that Mr. Singleton take some money and a walk.

In May 2010, Lee and the producer Gil Netter proposed a reported budget of $120 million, at which the studio balked, placing the project's development on hold for a short time.

But after he asked for about $18 million to build a replica of a long-defunct pier on the Pacific Ocean, the studio balked and the director rethought his priorities.

The studio, after failing to find a partner, balked and is making a cheaper version without Mr. Howard and Mr. Crowe.

The studio balked, and he is backing down.

But when he and Mr. Jacobson tried to rework the deal to eliminate the upfront money in exchange for bigger rights to rerun profits, the studio balked, he said.

The studio initially balked, but after a month of arguing, the studio agreed to Ichikawa's request.

The studio balked, and asked him to defer part of his $3 million fee.