Ratatouille's idea came from Jan Pinkava, who developed the concept in 2000 with the original design and core story, but was never formally named director. By 2004 Pixar added Bob Peterson as co-director, but after three months management lacked confidence in the story and turned to Brad Bird, director of The Incredibles. Bird rewrote the story, killing off the chef Gusteau, giving bigger roles to Skinner and Colette and making the rats less human-like. He liked the conflict of a kitchen that feared rats and a rat who wanted to cook, and the physical comedy of Linguini. The film was released in 2007.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.