There's a rumor that Jarmusch bought the rights to Michael Ondaatje's novel "Coming Through Slaughter" in the late 80's, presumably intending to make a screen adaptation. Jarmusch evidently offered a screenplay reading of it at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe in 1994, with a cast including Steve Buscemi, Yvette Hawkins, Seret Scott, Paul Calderon, Delroy Lindo, Michelle Hurd, Terry Alexander, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Clebert Ford and C C H Pounder.
However, in 2006, Variety reported that Ben Ross was adapting Coming Through Slaughter for the screen.