The Frighteners
Peter Jackson and co-writer Fran Walsh conceived the idea for "The Frighteners" in 1992, during the script-writing phase of "Heavenly Creatures". Together, they wrote a three-page film treatment and sent it to their talent agent in Hollywood. Robert Zemeckis viewed their treatment with the intention of directing "The Frighteners" as a spin-off film of the television series, "Tales from the Crypt" (which he helped produce). Zemeckis hired Jackson and Walsh to turn their treatment into a full-length screenplay in January 1993. The husband and wife duo completed their first draft for "The Frighteners" in early-January 1994. Zemeckis was so impressed with their script, he decided "The Frighteners" would work better directed by Jackson, executive produced by Zemeckis and funded/distributed by Universal Pictures. Universal green-lighted the film to commence pre-production on a $26 million budget in April 1994. The studio also granted Jackson and Zemeckis total artistic control and the right of final cut privilege.