Editing Under Siege (section)

=== 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" />