After tiring of attempting to have his controversial Dutch films subsidized by the government, Verhoeven looked elsewhere for funding for "Flesh and Blood", eventually securing most of the budget from Hollywood studio Orion Pictures. However, Orion soon requested changes, feeling that the film needed a love interest; thus, instead of focusing on the relationship between Hawkwood and Martin, Agnes was introduced and attention turned to her romantic entanglement with both Martin and Steven. Verhoeven later said: "The triangular relationship Martin–Agnes–Steven is now the main story line, but in retrospect I think we should have stuck with Hawkwood and Martin. The failure of "Flesh+Blood" was a lesson for me: never again compromise on the main story line of a script."