The outline of the story conceived by the screenwriter Charles Edward Bogle is very similar to Langland's original work, focusing on the gradual process of the protagonist. After determining the script, Cornfield recruited Mel Brooks to co-produce the film and quit in Bogle. After that, Cornfield commissioned Warren Green to rewrite the script, but the latter's story deviated from the direction, so Cornfield had to find Boge to perfect the script.
When Brooks and Cornfield looked for a suitable director for the film, David Cronenberg was their first choice, but Cronenberg was assisting Dino de Laurentius in the preparation of "Total Memories." So Cornfield decided to use the British director Robert Bierman. Bielman quickly flew to Los Angeles to meet with Pog. Just as the pre-production of the film was on track, Bielman’s daughter was killed in an accident, so Bielman could not resume work in a short time, and the two parties had to terminate the contract.
Later, after learning that Cronenberg had given up "Total Memories", Cornfield again extended an invitation to him. Cronenberg agreed to be the director, but only if he had to rewrite the script himself. Cronenberg's revised script is completely different from Warren Green in style, but still retains the basic plot of the original script.
