The project started a bidding war prior to production, with many rival studios wanting to acquire the picture. Warner Brothers won out in the end, partly due to their commitment to a theatrical release for the film.
Margot Robbie's first collaboration with director Emerald Fennell as an actress. She previously produced Fennell's first two feature films, Promising Young Woman (2020) and Saltburn (2023). They also co-starred in Barbie (2023).
The fourth film of the 21st century shot mostly in VistaVision, after Der Brutalist (2024), One Battle After Another (2025), and Bugonia (2025).
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi previously starred in Luca Guadagnino's short film Chanel N°5: See You at 5 (2024), made for the Chanel No. 5 fragrance campaign in 2024, though they didn't share the screen in that project.