Director Edward Zwick had met with Arab Americans , who suggested that the story be changed to mirror the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing , when Arabs were immediately assumed responsible . This idea was rejected . Zwick noted that '' The Siege '' s villains also include members of the U.S. government , and dismissed the criticism , saying : In a September 2007 interview , screenwriter Lawrence Wright attributed the film 's failure at the box office to Muslim and Arab protests at theaters playing the film , but also claimed that it was the most rented movie in America after the September 11 attacks
Oklahoma City bombing
Oklahoma City bombing
The Siege