History Trivia / Deathwish

* PopCultureUrbanLegend: There's a long-standing rumor that Creator/DenzelWashington made his film debut as a mugger killed by Kersey late in the film. Washington has [[https://www.yahoo.com/news/denzel-washington-shoots-down-rumor-hes-in-1974-death-wish-i-wasnt-even-an-actor-yet-194032164.html debunked this story]], noting that he was still in school and hadn't decided on acting as a career while ''Death Wish'' was filming.

** In the ''Magazine/{{Mad}}'' send-up of ''Series/TheEqualizer'', Robert [=McCall=]] and real life vigilante Bernie Goetz are arguing who should shoot a subway mugger, when Charles Bronson butts in and says he was doing this in ''Death Wish'' years before either of them.

* ReferencedBy: In ''Series/TheLoveBoat'' episode "Second Time Around," Bricker's ex-wife's fake fiancé almost gets in a fistfight with him. Later he tells the ex-wife that he was trying for a combination of Creator/CaryGrant in one of his light comedies and Creator/CharlesBronson in ''Death Wish''.

* DisownedAdaptation: Brian Garfield, the author of the original novel, unsuccessfully sued the filmmakers for twisting the source material (ironically, the point of Garfield's novel was that vigilante tactics ''weren't'' the solution).

* DisownedAdaptation: Brian Garfield, the author of the original novel, sued the filmmakers for twisting the source material (ironically, the point of Garfield's novel was that vigilante tactics ''weren't'' the solution). You can probably guess from the four subsequent sequels that he lost.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:

** One draft ended with Kersey confronting the three thugs who attacked his family and ends up dead at their hands. Detective Ochoa discovers his weapon and considers following in his footsteps. In another, Kersey is wounded and rushed to a hospital. His fate is left ambiguous. Meanwhile, Ochoa has found the weapon and struggles with the decision to use it. His decision is left unclear.

* {{Jossed}}: It has been rumored that Creator/DenzelWashington played one of the alley thugs at around 47 minutes (albeit uncredited). While the actor in the film may bear a resemblance, Washington confirmed in a 2016 interview with Yahoo! that he did not appear in the film nor had he even started acting yet in 1974. Washington also stated in the interview that he saw it added to his Website/{{IMDb}} page.

* BoxOfficeBomb: Averted with the first and second films, but played straight with the three later sequels, each performing worse than the last as the series dragged out.

* CreatorKiller: The fifth film may have been this for 21st Century Film Corporation, killing all plans for a sixth film in the series.

* FranchiseKiller: While most will probably argue it had no business becoming a franchise, it seems that the fifth film was finally the killing blow for the series, failing to break even and then seeing the subsequent departure of Bronson and the studio falling into bankruptcy.
* TooSoon: The remake premiered just a couple of weeks after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida, and as such, much of the criticism towards the remake stems from the fact that such a violent film was released not too long after this horrific incident.

* CreatorBacklash: Brian Garfield, the author of the original novel, sued the filmmakers for twisting the source material (ironically, the point of Garfield's novel was that vigilante tactics ''weren't'' the solution). You can probably guess from the four subsequent sequels that he lost.

* WorkingTitle: Dino De Laurentiis and Paramount originally wanted to call the film ''The Sidewalk Vigilante'' because they thought a movie with "Death" in the title was a deterrent and would put audiences off.

* ItWillNeverCatchOn: Development of this film was turned-down by other Hollywood movie studios due to its contentious, controversial and sensitive subject matter involving vigilantism, pack-rape, and crime.

** The role of Paul Kersey was originally meant for Creator/SteveMcQueen, who turned it down.

* CreatorBacklash: Brian Garfield, the author of the original novel, sued the filmmakers for twisting the source material (ironically, the point of Garfield's novel was that vigilante tactics ''weren't'' the solution). You can probably guess from the four subsequent sequels that he lost

* CompletleyDifferentTitle: In Spain, the film was released as ''El Vengador Anonimo'' (The Anonymous Avenger).

* CompletleyDiferentTitle: In Spain, the film was released as ''El Vengador Anonimo'' (The Anonymous Avenger).

* CompletelyDiferentTitle: In Spain, the film was released as ''El Vengador Anonimo'' (The Anonymous Avenger).