"The Projected Man" was discovered as an unproduced screenplay by film producer Alex Gordon. The script was written by Frank Quattrochi, a Hollywood screenwriter, and was originally set in the United States. Gordon sent it to his brother Richard, also a film producer. Richard enjoyed reading it, but had it re-written to be set in London. He would serve as producer on the film. Ian Curteis was hired to direct "The Projected Man", which would be his first theatrical film, as all of his previous work had been in television. Curteis was hired at the insistence of producer John Croydon, who was confident that Curteis would later become a success.