Miss Firecracker (1989) was written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley and is based on her 1984 play The Miss Firecracker Contest. Holly Hunter reprised the role of Carnelle Scott, whom she played in an off-Broadway production of Henley's play.
To prepare for her role, Holly Hunter spent several days working at the Simmons Farm Raised Catfish Factory.
Principal photography was set to begin on May 31, 1988, in Yazoo City, Mississippi, with a budget of $4 million.