According to Paul Hogan, when he was interviewed about the film, he had been offered the lead role of Sam Wheat in another supernatural film, Ghost (1990), which eventually went to Patrick Swayze. Hogan said he had read the script and it was not funny. He wanted Swayze to play the role of Steve Garner in this film, but Swayze passed and the part went to Elias Koteas.
After Terry Dean robs a bank disguised as country singer Willie Nelson, Det. Bill asks, "Why would Willie Nelson want to rob a bank?" In 1990, Nelson's assets were seized by the Internal Revenue Service, which claimed that he owed $32 million.