John Cusack was a big fan of the book, and tried to option the rights when he was still in high school.
In a late 2013 interview, Anjelica Huston described this role as the most challenging one of her career.
The studio, Cineplex Odeon Films, the theatrical off-shoot of Cineplex Odeon Cinemas, wanted Martin Scorsese to direct the film himself, but he personally chose Stephen Frears to do the job, while Scorsese stayed on as Producer.