 When Bigas Luna was due to direct the film, Madonna, Javier Bardem  and Dennis Hopper were his first choices to play Perdita, Romeo and  Woody Dumas. Madonna deserted the project and Victoria Abril was  supposed to replace her as Perdita, alongside Johnny Depp as Romeo  and Ray Liotta as Dumas. Then Bigas Luna abandoned the production  and Álex De la Iglesia was set to direct with the definitive cast:  Rosie Pérez, Javier Bardem and James Gandolfini.