For years Kristian Petri was attached to direct the film, being John Ajvide Lindqvist's preferred director. Ajvide Lindqvist wrote on his now defunct old official forum that the film was in development hell due to the production company he signed the rights to wanting to sell them to an American company rather than making the film themselves. Petri eventually gave up on the project and when the rights reverted to Ajvide Lindqvist he sold them to Einar Film.