In 1995, director Terry Gilliam released one of the strangest sci fi movies ever made.

A bleak time travel thriller starring Bruce Willis, Brad Pitt, and Madeleine Stowe, 12 Monkeys blended paranoia, dystopian sci fi, and psychological mystery into a movie that confused audiences but ultimately became one of the most beloved cult films of the 90s.

But behind the scenes, the film had a chaotic journey to the screen. From studio skepticism to Brad Pitt’s career changing performance and Terry Gilliam fighting to keep his bizarre vision intact, the making of 12 Monkeys was anything but straightforward.