Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Creative background

In the late 1980s, the Columbia company bought the film rights to the novel "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind". The company appointed Jim McBride as the director, but the latter’s chosen lead actor Richard Dreyfuss refused to look at the script, and the filming plan was then decided. Then stranded. In 1997, producer Andrew Lazar bought the copyright from Columbia, and Warner Bros. Pictures began to prepare for the production. In the same year, screenwriter Charlie Kaufman completed the first draft of the script. After Curtis Lee Hanson agreed to sign to direct, the cast led by Sean Penn, George Clooney and Drew Blyth Barrymore was also initially finalized. But Hansen later gave up and director PJ Hogan became a substitute, but he failed to reach a consensus with Warner. In October 2000, Warner Bros. began seeking to transfer the film. After several setbacks, Brian Singer, Russell Crowe, Kevin Spacey, Edward Norton, Ben Stiller and Johnny Depp all missed the film. In the end, Miramax Films agreed to shoot and release the film, and the director was led by George Clooney, who directed the tube.