Editing Under Siege (section)

== Production ==

=== Development and pre-production ===
The film was based on an original [[spec script]] by [[J. F. Lawton]] called ''Dreadnought'' which sold for $1 million.<ref>{{Cite news|author=Kathy O'Malley, &. D. C. |date=Oct 29, 1991|title=O'malley & collin INC.|work=Chicago Tribune|id={{ProQuest|283016657}}}}</ref> Warners wanted Seagal to star in the film but he turned it down at first. Seagal later said he had problems with the role of a character "who is at first a bimbo [[pop out cake|jumping out of a cake]] and gets paired up with me." But he said that in revisions of the script, the role became a character "who gradually reveals her intelligence."<ref name="los">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-10-20-ca-607-story.html|website=Los Angeles Times|first=David|last=Fox|title=Under Siege' Blasts Off for Seagal : Movies: The action-film star credits some 'human moments' and humor for $30.3 million in box-office sales in 11 days|date=October 20, 1992}}</ref>

Lawton said "We are trying to make him [Seagal] more mainstream...getting him out of the pure action genre and into an acting role." The writer added "I'm trying to bring the budget within a reasonable range. The original script was almost irresponsible, with things like battleships getting blown up...the way it was, ''Dreadnought'' would have cost $100 million-plus to make. Now we're looking at the $30 million range... It was Steven's idea to fit the [[USS Arizona Memorial|Pearl Harbor Memorial]] into the film, because all these incredible ships would be there—a spectacular sight."<ref>{{Cite news|author=Beck, M., & Smith, S. J. |date=Dec 10, 1991|title=A bit kinder, gentler steven seagal coming|work=Austin American-Statesman|id={{ProQuest|256190680}}}}</ref>

Director Andrew Davis had previously made ''[[Above the Law (1988 film)|Above the Law]]'' with Steven Seagal. Davis later said "[[Terry Semel]] wanted us to get back together again saying that Seagal was only in the movie 41 minutes. Tommy Lee is in the movie longer than Steven. It was fine, it was fine. It worked out well. We had a nice time down in Mobile and had a lot of fun making the movie, and that was the movie that got me ''The Fugitive'' so it was worth it."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.craveonline.com/site/563385-exclusive-interview-andrew-davis-on-the-fugitive-20th-anniversary-edition/3#q0Sc72he8xidptRH.99|website=Crave Online|title=EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: ANDREW DAVIS ON THE FUGITIVE 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION|first=Fred|last= Topel|date=3 September 2013}}</ref>

In a 2018 interview with ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'', [[Pamela Anderson]] claimed that she was a contender for the role of Jordan Tate, but was dropped after refusing to [[Casting couch|sleep with]] Seagal.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Siegel |first=Tatiana |date=2018-05-02 |title=Playmate to Politico: How Pamela Anderson Became an International Woman of Mystery |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/pamela-anderson-defends-julian-assange-talks-vladimir-putin-more-1107298/ |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> Gary Busey claimed in later interviews that Seagal sexually harassed Erika Eleniak, who co-starred with Anderson on ''[[Baywatch]]'', on set. Eleniak has stated that Seagal never acted inappropriately with her during casting or filming.<ref name=":0" />

=== Filming ===
{{USS|Alabama|BB-60|6}} (serving as a museum in [[Mobile, Alabama|Mobile]]) stood in for many of the ''Missouri'' sequences, and {{USS|Drum|SS-228|6}} (museum ship) portrayed the North Korean submarine.<ref>{{Cite book|title=The Naval War Film: Genre, History and National Cinema|last=Rayner|first=Jonathan|publisher=Manchester University Press|year=2013|isbn=9781847796257}}</ref> The film also featured footage of the real ''Missouri'' sailing in [[Pearl Harbor]], the [[Pacific Ocean]], and [[San Francisco Bay]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=AFI{{!}}Catalog|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59422-UNDER-SIEGE?sid=cda7b513-5e4d-4cd1-919e-3fc5515a649f&sr=1.9546548&cp=4&pos=8|access-date=2021-10-03|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> The war room sequences were filmed inside of a set constructed in a local high school gymnasium.

The film makes extensive use of the [[Introvision]] process, a variation of [[front projection]] that allows realistic three-dimensional interaction of foreground characters with projected backgrounds without the heavy cost of traditional [[Chroma key|bluescreen]] effects.<ref name="introvision">{{cite news |first=Andy |last=Marx |title=Introvision sees the 'Light' |url=https://variety.com/1994/film/news/introvision-sees-the-light-118483/ |work=Variety |date=1994-02-21 |access-date=2013-02-06}}</ref> The technique was also used in the films ''[[Outland (film)|Outland]]'', ''[[Megaforce]]'', ''[[Army of Darkness]]'' and Andrew Davis' later film, ''[[The Fugitive (1993 film)|The Fugitive]]''.<ref name="introvision" />

"Most people are surprised that the film is as sophisticated as it is," Davis said. "It appeals to people who have a point of view about nuclear weapons and the story thrusts you into an incredible situation that is not far-fetched."<ref name="los"/> When the original title ''Dreadnought'' did not test well with audiences, the marketing department wanted to give the film a three word title like other Seagal films and came up with the title ''Last to Surrender''. Lawton and Seagal both hated the title, and Seagal fought to have it changed, and the film ended up with the title ''Under Siege''.<ref>{{cite web |date= 9 October 1992 |last1= Marx |first1= Andy |title= Two-word title twice as nice for Steven Seagal |url= https://variety.com/1992/film/news/two-word-title-twice-as-nice-for-steven-seagal-101248/|website= Variety|archive-date=April 21, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250421093500/https://variety.com/1992/film/news/two-word-title-twice-as-nice-for-steven-seagal-101248/|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Robert Booth Nichols]], a self-described former espionage artist, alleged mob associate, and [[con artist]], was employed by Seagal as a technical advisor.<ref name="Lawson_2012">[[Guy Lawson]] (2012). ''Octopus: Sam Israel, the Secret Market, and Wall Street's Wildest Con''. Crown Publishing, ISBN 0307716074.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lawson |first=Guy |date=2012-06-29 |title=Black-Ops Fixers, CIA Assassins, and Families That Control Global Finance -- New York Magazine - Nymag |url=https://nymag.com/news/features/octopus-sam-israel-2012-7/ |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=New York Magazine |language=en}}</ref> He also appears in the film in a small speaking role.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Weinstein |first=Henry |last2=Feldman |first2=Paul |date=1993-03-21 |title=Trial Offers Murky Peek Into World of Intrigue : Testimony: Presenting himself as a CIA operative, a mystery man sues the LAPD for alleged false arrest that he says cost him his gun permit and millions of dollars. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-03-21-mn-13734-story.html |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=McGovern |first=Joe |date=2024-02-29 |title='American Conspiracy: The Octopus Murders': Why a Chilling Scene About JFK's Assassination Is Key to Docuseries |url=https://www.thewrap.com/american-conspiracy-the-octopus-murders-interview-director-netflix/ |access-date=2024-08-02 |website=TheWrap |language=en-US}}</ref>

Casey Ryback's signature knives were designed for the film by [[Gil Hibben]].