Following the underwhelming box office performances of "Pocahontas" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", studio executives felt that the project was growing too ambitious and serious for audiences following test screenings, and needed more comedy. In early 1997, producer Randy Fullmer contacted and offered Mark Dindal, who had just wrapped up work on Warner Bros.' "Cats Don't Dance", to be co-director on "Kingdom of the Sun". Meanwhile, Allers personally called Sting, in the wake of Elton John's success with "The Lion King" soundtrack, to compose several songs for the film. He agreed, but on the condition that his filmmaker wife Trudie Styler could "document the process of the production". This film, which was eventually entitled "The Sweatbox", was made by Xingu Films (their own production company). Along with collaborator David Hartley, Sting composed eight songs inextricably linked with the original plot and characters.