Editing Colossus: The Forbin Project (section)

==Production==
Film historian Tom Weaver noted, "Early on, they had either [[Charlton Heston]] or [[Gregory Peck]] in mind, but then they changed their mind about that. Stanley Chase insisted on a relative unknown. That's when Eric Braeden came into the picture."{{sfn|Weaver|2009|page=13}} When he was cast, Braeden was still using his birth name, Hans Gudegast. Universal Pictures executive [[Lew Wasserman]] told him that no one would be allowed to star in an American film if they had a German name. Thus, ''Colossus: The Forbin Project'' became the first production in which he started using "Eric Braeden" as his stage name.{{sfn|Weaver|2009|pages=11–12}} Braeden's casting enabled Peck to star in ''[[I Walk the Line (film)|I Walk the Line]]'' and for Heston to take a contractually obligated [[supporting role]] in ''[[Beneath the Planet of the Apes]]''.

When the executives at [[Control Data Corporation]] found out that [[Universal Pictures|Universal]] was planning a major movie featuring a computer, they saw their chance for some public exposure, and they agreed to supply, free of charge, $4.8 million worth of computer equipment and the technicians to oversee its use. Each piece of equipment carried the [[Control Data Corporation|CDC]] name in a prominent location. Since they were using real computers - not just big boxes with a lot of flashing lights - the sound stage underwent extensive modifications: seven gas heaters and five specially-constructed dehumidifiers kept any dampness away from the computers, a climate control system maintained the air around the computers at an even temperature, and the equipment was covered up at all times except when actually on camera. Brink's guards were always present on the set, even at night. The studio technicians were not allowed to smoke or drink coffee anywhere near the computers.

The exterior scenes of the Colossus control center were filmed at the [[Lawrence Hall of Science]] museum at the [[University of California, Berkeley]]. Some scenes were filmed in Rome, Italy.<ref name=AFI/>

The title was changed to ''The Forbin Project'' to avoid any confusion with [[Steve Reeves]] and the ''[[Hercules (1958 film)|Hercules]]'' films.<ref name=preem/>