[1] Welles intended the film to be a less personal, more commercially viable project than his past efforts, saying of The Deep: "My hope is that it won’t be an art-house movie.
"[2] Peter O'Toole recalls that he was approached by Welles to play the lead in the film and remembers The Deep as "a script that I thought was beautiful.
It was photographed in color by Belgian cinematographer Willy Kurant, who also shot The Immortal Story for Welles.
He edited trailers and short scenes to help secure financing, and at one point contacted Charlton Heston about recording voice-over narration.
[1] In 1973, lead actor Laurence Harvey died, effectively ending any hope for Welles of finishing the picture.