spielberg began developing the movie in the early 1980s with walt disney pictures and paramount pictures, which would have followed the storyline seen in the 1924 silent movie and 1953 animated disney movie. it entered pre-production in 1985, but spielberg abandoned the project. hart developed the script with director nick castle and tristar pictures before spielberg decided to direct in 1989. it was shot almost entirely on sound stages at sony pictures studios in culver city, california.