This was one of Paramount's highest ever pre-release scoring of a film from test screenings. Paramount was positioning it to be the blockbuster picture of 1977 with many industry insiders predicted the film would be as big a box-office hit as Der weiße Hai (1975). However, the film did not perform as well as expected and instead Star Wars: Episode IV - Eine neue Hoffnung (1977) became the biggest blockbuster movie of 1977.
John Frankenheimer was able to secure permission from Goodyear to use its blimp in the film because of his relationship with the company's public relations department from making Grand Prix (1966). He had to promise that the blimp itself would not kill anybody - for example, that no one would be torn up in its propellers. In addition, the pilot was changed from a Goodyear employee to a freelance pilot only hired by Goodyear. Miami Dolphins owner Joe Robbie got the NFL to allow extensive filming at a real Super Bowl game and the use of copyrighted team names and logos. Additional footage of the stampede at the game was shot at the Orange Bowl after the game with thousands of extras provided for free by The United Way. In exchange for providing the extras, Frankenheimer agreed to direct a short film for them with Robert Shaw narrating it.
Bruce Dern has said that he is proud of his work in this movie but regrets appearing in it because of the dangerous ideas it may give terrorists.
Movie cameras used in filming during the Super Bowl game were disguised as TV cameras with CBS logos.