Anthony Magnone II's original script for the film, then titled "Huntsville", was voted to the 2014 Black List, a list of the year's most popular unproduced screenplays. During the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2015, the Coalition Group announced the beginning of development for the film with the casting of Shea Whigham as Hank and Anya Taylor-Joy as Josie. By August 2016, Whigham and Taylor-Joy had been replaced with Dylan McDermott and Sophie Turner, respectively, and Jack Kilmer was also added to the cast. Filming began that same month in Los Angeles. The film's title was changed from "Huntsville" to "Josie" ahead of its premiere at the Mammoth Film Festival. The film's North American distribution rights were acquired by Screen Media Films in January 2018, also ahead of its premiere, with international distribution being acquired by Lightning Entertainment.