Editing 12 Monkeys (section)

=== Development ===
[[File:Terry Gilliam 01.jpg|thumb|upright|''12 Monkeys'' was directed by [[Terry Gilliam]].]]
The genesis of ''12 Monkeys'' came from [[executive producer]] Robert Kosberg, who had been a fan of the French short film ''[[La Jetée]]'' (1962). Kosberg persuaded that film's director, [[Chris Marker]], to let him [[Pitch (filmmaking)|pitch]] the project to [[Universal Pictures]], seeing it as a perfect basis for a full-length science fiction film. Universal agreed to purchase the [[film rights|remake rights]] and hired [[David Peoples|David]] and [[Janet Peoples]] to write the screenplay.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=Chris Nashawaty |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1219922_1,00.html |title=They Call Him Mr. Pitch |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=July 28, 2006 |access-date=2012-04-10 |archive-date=October 16, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131016103131/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1219922_1,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Producer [[Charles Roven]] chose [[Terry Gilliam]] to direct, because he believed the filmmaker's style was perfect for ''12 Monkeys''{{'}} nonlinear storyline and time travel subplot.<ref name="note" /> Gilliam had just abandoned a [[film adaptation]] of ''[[A Tale of Two Cities]]'' when he signed to direct ''12 Monkeys''.<ref name="first">{{cite book |author=Ian Christie |author2=Terry Gilliam |author2-link=Terry Gilliam |title=Gilliam on Gilliam |pages=[https://archive.org/details/gilliamongilliam0000gill/page/220 220–225] |publisher=[[Faber and Faber]] |year=1999 |isbn=0-571-20280-2 |location=London |url=https://archive.org/details/gilliamongilliam0000gill/page/220 }}</ref> Though Gilliam felt the script was "too complex" to take on.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/terry-gilliam-interview-zero-theorem-twitter-12-monkeys/ | title=Terry Gilliam interview: Zero Theorem, Twitter, 12 Monkeys | date=14 March 2014 }}</ref>

The film represents the second film for which Gilliam did not write or co-write the screenplay. Although he prefers to direct his own scripts, he was captivated by Peoples' "intriguing and intelligent script. The story is disconcerting. It deals with time, madness and a perception of what the world is or isn't. It is a study of madness and dreams, of death and re-birth, set in a world coming apart".<ref name="note">DVD production notes</ref>

Universal took longer than expected to approve ''12 Monkeys'', although Gilliam had two stars (Willis and Pitt) and a firm budget of $29.5 million (low for a Hollywood science fiction film). Universal's production of ''[[Waterworld]]'' (1995) had resulted in various [[cost overrun]]s. To get ''12 Monkeys'' approved for production, Gilliam persuaded Willis to lower his normal [[asking price]].<ref name="second">''Gilliam on Gilliam,'' Christie, Gilliam, pp.226–230</ref> Because of Universal's strict production incentives and his history with the studio on ''[[Brazil (1985 film)|Brazil]]'', Gilliam received [[final cut privilege]]. The [[Writers Guild of America]] was skeptical of the "inspired by" credit for ''La Jetée'' and Chris Marker.<ref name="comment" /> Gilliam said that he had not seen ''La Jetée'' when he made ''12 Monkeys''.<ref>''Gilliam on Gilliam'' edited by Ian Christie. Faber and Faber, 1999. Page 73.</ref>