Christian Bale stated in an interview that he tried hard to contact Tobe Hooper for the role of Steven Barrows and even personally recorded and sent a screen test of himself, but was never called back. He instead focused on scoring the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in बैटमैन बिगिन्स (2005).
Lucky McKee was originally set to play the part of the killer, but dropped out to work on his own horror film The Woods (2006).
The only film Sheri Moon Zombie has appeared in that was not directed by her husband, Rob Zombie. She accepted the role as a personal favor due to Rob and Tobe Hooper being friends, as she has stated that she will only act in films directed by her husband due to her never having any previous desire to become an actress.