Due to a poorly received test screening, David Ellison, a financier at Paramount, became concerned that the film was "too intellectual" and "too complicated," and demanded changes to make it appeal to a wider audience, including making Natalie Portman's character more sympathetic and changing the ending. Producer Scott Rudin sided with Garland in his desire to not alter the film, defending it and refusing to take notes. Rudin had final cut.
Oscar Isaac filmed this movie and Star Wars: Les derniers Jedi (2017) on adjacent studio lots. He had the same trailer for both films and would often film scenes for both movies on the same day.
Director Alex Garland decided not to re-read the novel "Annihilation." Instead, he decided to adapt it "like a dream of the book."
On December 7, 2017, it was announced that due to the clashes between producer Scott Rudin and David Ellison, a financier at Paramount, and the shift in Paramount's leadership, a deal was struck with Netflix handling international distribution rather than releasing the film in theatres. According to this deal, Paramount would handle the U.S. and China release, while Netflix would begin streaming the film in other territories 17 days later.
This film was based on the first book in the "Southern Reach" trilogy by American writer Jeff VanderMeer.