After the release of his previous film "Midnight Express" (1978), Parker signed on to direct the film, and rewrote the script with Gore, aiming for a more dramatic and darker tone.
After the release of his previous film "Midnight Express" (1978), Parker decided to helm the project, as he wanted to shoot his next film in the United States. Parker and Gore rewrote the script, aiming for a more dramatic and darker tone.