Petrie tells PEOPLE how the changes led to some unforgettable moments with Bullock and the rest of the cast, including Benjamin Bratt, William Shatner, Candice Bergen and Michael Caine.
Speaking with PEOPLE in celebration of the film's 25th anniversary, director Donald Petrie explained that the film was initially in progress with a different director when "creative differences" led that director to depart. Several others were considered before he got the gig.
"I know they interviewed four or five other directors for the job, and when I read it, I must say I didn't care for the script all that much, mainly because it was trying to spoof pageants. I felt that it had been done before, but if you treat a pageant real, it spoofs itself," Petrie tells PEOPLE.
The action-comedy film premiered in theaters on Dec. 14, 2000. Sandra Bullock transformed into Gracie Hart, an FBI agent who goes undercover as Miss New Jersey to stop a dangerous threat against the Miss United States beauty pageant. Bullock, a producer on the film, acted alongside a star-studded ensemble cast, including Benjamin Bratt, William Shatner, Candice Bergen and Michael Caine.
"So when I went in and pitched, I said, 'The movie I want to make is Lethal Weapon, and Sandra, you're Mel Gibson. You're tough as nails, shoot first, ask questions later -- the FBI agent who subjugated every female bone in her body to do this man's work in a man's world,' " he recalled.
The changes to the script came just weeks before shooting, but both the cast and crew were up to the challenge.
"The scene where Benjamin Bratt goes and asks Sandy to go undercover in the pageant was written for her living room, and I basically said, 'Mark, don't change the thing, but I'm going to put it in the FBI gym, and she's taking out her frustrations on a dummy,[using] her martial arts skills,' " Petrie shared.
"Then,I want it to be,'You don't have to change the dialogue,but it's going to be like World Wrestling Federation.I want them slamming each other.'"
Petrie believed the scene better demonstrated,"that Sandra is the last person you'd think of to go in a pageant."
"Indeed,when I talked to Jack Gill,who was the stunt coordinator,I said,'I want this to be World Wrestling Federation,big,flying leaps and jumps,but at some point I'd like to get them so twisted up together,in a leg lock.I want that Benjamin's feet are locked around Sandy's face,'" he recalled.
Then,he relayed that to Bullock,telling the actress,"[He'll] push your cheeks together in a fishy face like that."
"Those are the kinds of moments I was looking for right from the get go," he shares.
Petrie praised Bullock for executing the film better than he could have imagined while being equally involved and dedicated in her capacity as a producer behind the scenes.
"I can't say enough about Sandra Bullock.Sometimes you have a star as a producer on your movie,but they're getting that credit;they're not really earning it.But in Sandra Bullock's case,she earns every penny of that producing credit."
Miss Congeniality is currently streaming on HBO Max,Hulu,and Apple TV,and is available on DVD and Blu-ray.