Face/Off Werb and Michael Colleary tried to sell to a studio from as early as 1990. The first actors who were chosen to play Sean Archer and Castor Troy were Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger respectively but John Woo instead hired John Travolta and Nicolas Cage to play those characters. It took numerous studios, producers and rewrites before John Woo became attached several years later. For the Archer character, Woo considered casting either Michael Douglas or Jean-Claude Van Damme with whom he had worked in "Hard Target". When the film was eventually made, Douglas served as an executive producer. Werb and
This Christmas (John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John album) serving both audiences equally well: it'll brighten the season of fans who take this at face value, and for those looking for a ridiculous dose of celeb Christmas cheer." Amanda Ash of the "Edmonton Journal" gave a less positive review, stating ""This Christmas" is a train wreck would be an understatement. [...] Depressingly devoid of sentiment, Newton-John and Travolta’s duets also sound incredibly awkward." Phil Johnson of "The Independent" wrote that "If Christmas is a slush-fest, here's your soundtrack", despite "John Travolta might act singing rather than sing." "The Guardian" writer Caroline Sullivan commented that "The potential for schmaltz here