WRITER: David Koepp.
PRODUCERS: Cean Chaffin, Judy Hofflund, David Koepp and Gavin Polone.
ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: John S. Dorsey.
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Howard Shore.
DISTRIBUTOR: Columbia Pictures.
Burnham: You can't.
Sarah: Say Fuck!
Meg: [on loud speaker] FUCK!
Sarah: Mum! "Get the fuck out of my house!"
Meg: [on loud speaker] Get the FUCK out of my house.
DVD RELEASE DATE: September 17th, 2002 (USA)
BOX OFFICE OPENING: $30.0 million (USA)
BOX OFFICE RESULT: $95.3 million (USA)
BUDGET: $48 million (USA)
PRODUCTION DATES: January 2001 -- May 2001
- Nicole Kidman was originally cast to play the role of Meg Altman, but was forced to back out of the role due to a recurring knee injury. She originally injured the knee during the filming of Moulin Rouge (2001).
- Jodie Foster was pregnant with her second child during filming. Because of this, reshoots had to be made in the autumn of 2001 after she had given birth, as principal photography took longer than planned.
- The perfectionist Director of photography Darius Khondji was fired because the filming was taking too long.
- Maynard James Keenan, the lead singer of Tool, was offered the role of Raoul. He was unable to commit due to the work with Tool.
- The voice of Stephen Altman's girlfriend is actually that of Nicole Kidman, the original frontrunner for this film.
- Hayden Panettiere was originally cast as the daughter, Sarah Altman.
- Jodie Foster was due to be the president of the Cannes Film Festival jury but had to withdraw when she accepted the role in this film. She had only nine days to prepare for the role.
- David Fincher directed three actors on this film who have previously directed movies of their own: Jodie Foster, Forest Whitaker and Dwight Yoakam.
- In Fight Club, Jared Leto's face is completely destroyed. In Requiem for a Dream, his arm has a very bad infection. In this film, his face and his arm are horribly burned.
- There are several possible references to Home Alone which had similar scenarios involving home invasions. Raoul is referred to at one point as Joe Pesci, the actor who played on the burglars in that film. Also, Junior is severely burned by an explosion, reminiscent of the comic assaults on the burglars towards the end of that film.
- The first of two films in as many months to feature screenwriter David Koepp's name in the opening credits, hanging in front of a New York City skyscraper. The second was Spider-Man (2002).
- Sandra Bullock was originally attached to star.
Meg: This whole thing makes me nervous.
Lydia: Why?
Meg: Ever read any Poe?
Lydia: No, but I loved her last album!
Sarah: No, SOS.
Meg: Where did you learn that?
Sarah: Titanic!
Raoul: I'm Raoul.