The Wicker Tree tripped over power cables on set. Although very disappointed, Hardy gave the role intended for Lee to Graham McTavish, the actor who had originally been cast as Beame, the Morrisons' butler. Clive Russell plays Beame instead. Lee is still in the film, making a brief cameo appearance as the unnamed "Old Gentleman" who acts as Lachlan's mentor in a flashback. Robin Hardy has stated that fans of "The Wicker Man" will recognise this character as Lord Summerisle, but Lee himself has contradicted this, stating that they are two unrelated characters. Joan Collins was originally set to play Lady Delia Morrison
The Wicker Man Maiden wrote a song called "The Wicker Man," inspired by the film, for their 2000 album "Brave New World". In May 2016, British band Radiohead released the music video for a song named "Burn the Witch", made in stop-motion animation and whose storyline greatly resembles that of "The Wicker Man". A novelization which expanded on the story and bearing the same title, was released in 1978. It was written by Hardy and Shaffer. In 1989, Shaffer wrote a thirty-page film script treatment entitled "The Loathsome Lambton Worm", a direct sequel to "The Wicker Man", for producer Lance Reynolds. It would