In 1986, producer Dino De Laurentiis granted Stephen King a three-picture deal and creative control to direct 'Maximum Overdrive,' a science-fiction horror film loosely adapted from King's short story 'Trucks.' The film depicted a world in which machinery and vehicles become sentient and attack humanity. However, King was heavily dependent on cocaine throughout the 1980s and has since admitted he was intoxicated during filming, with crew members reporting he began drinking alcohol at six in the morning and continued throughout the day.

The production descended into chaos due to multiple factors. An Italian cinematographer with minimal English-language skills created communication breakdowns across the crew. Most seriously, cinematographer Armando Nannuzzi was struck in the eye by debris during a lawnmower scene, requiring hospitalisation and resulting in permanent vision loss; he subsequently sued the filmmakers for $18 million. Additional production difficulties included King's dishevelled appearance upon arrival, which initially prevented him from entering the set, alongside various unconventional creative decisions.