The film had spent seven years in development at Warner Bros. before the rights were shifted to Nu Image/Millennium Films in 2007, with a clause wishing for immediate start on production. Lionsgate and Sony Pictures entered negotiations for distribution, with the film seeing many directors, prominently Brett Ratner, before settling on Nispel in 2009 and subsequently bringing together a cast and crew. Filming began on March 15, 2010 and concluded on June 5, 2010. The film was first released on August 17, 2011 in four countries: France, Belgium, Iceland and the Philippines. It was released in North America on August 19, and received largely negative reviews.