 He began making notes on the story in spring 1998, while finishing his film "August 32nd on Earth", but set it aside as "too difficult", given its detached heroine.He began working on the "Maelström" screenplay again later that year, due to his persistent visions of the story.He began pitching the screenplay, and later said some readers told him it gave them nightmares, and that it was "too dark and heavy", though Villeneuve regarded it as nearly comedic.