History Trivia / Deathwish

* 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.

* RetroactiveRecognition: Creator/JeffGoldblum makes his film debut as Freak #1.
** Creator/ChristopherGuest plays Patrolman Jackson Reilly.

** Creator/BurtLancaster, Creator/GeorgeCScott and Creator/FrankSinatra were offered the role of Paul Kersey, but backed out.

** After the success of ''Film/DirtyHarry'', Creator/ClintEastwood'' was offered the role of Paul Kersey but declined, feeling he would be poorly cast. He also thought that Creator/GregoryPeck would have been right for the part.

* 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.

** After the success of ''Film/DirtyHarry'', Creator/ClintEastwood'' was offered the role of Paul Kersey but declined, feeling he would be poorly cast. He also thought that Creator/GregoryPeck would have been right for the part.

** Music/FrankSinatra, Creator/ClintEastwood and Creator/SteveMcQueen turned down the role of Paul Kersey.
** There were plans for a sixth film with the subtitle ''The New Vigilante''.
** There were plans to bring back Kersey's girlfriend from the second film for a cameo in the third or fourth--to be killed off, of course.

* HeyItsThatGuy: The movie has Creator/JeffGoldblum in his screen debut playing one of the criminals who attack Kersey's wife and daughter. DenzelWashington and Sonia Manzano (''Series/SesameStreet'''s Maria) also have tiny bit parts; as a mugger and a grocery clerk respectively. Creator/ChristopherGuest also appears as a patrolman.

* FilmOfTheBook
* HeyItsThatGuy:
** The first movie has Creator/JeffGoldblum in his screen debut playing one of the criminals who attack Kersey's wife and daughter. DenzelWashington and Sonia Manzano (''Series/SesameStreet'''s Maria) also have tiny bit parts; as a mugger and a grocery clerk respectively. Creator/ChristopherGuest also appears as a patrolman.
** Creator/LaurenceFishburne is one of the main bad guys in the first sequel.
** In ''Death Wish 3'' you get [[BillandTedsExcellentAdventure Bill S. Preston, Esq.]] as a rapist, [[Series/StarTrektheNextGeneration Deanna Troi]], the Female Cenobite from ''Film/HellboundHellraiserII'', [[Film/SupermanIII Brad]] (or, if you prefer, the TropeNamer for ChuckCunninghamSyndrome), and [[Film/{{Aliens}} Private Frost]].
** ''The Crackdown'' has Film/{{Machete}}, [[Series/StarTrekVoyager Tuvok]] and [[Series/TheXFiles Skinner]].
* OldShame: Bronson wasn't happy about the third film, and rarely spoke about it.
* RecycledSoundtrack: Some music in ''The Crackdown'' was taken from ''Film/MissingInAction'' and ''Film/InvasionUSA1985''.
* SameLanguageDub: Some of the extras in ''3'' were dubbed over due to their British accents.
* ViewersAreMorons: Third film's number was supposed to be roman like in the second film, but it was changed because it was believed that Americans don't understand roman numbering.

** Music/IsaacHayes was approached to do the music for the second film.

** As well as plans to bring back Kersey's girlfriend from the second film for a cameo in the third or fourth--to be killed off, of course.
** One of the original drafted scripts for the fourth film was based around a plot involving Kersey playing two rival gangs against each other. Another one involved Kersey being secretly hired by the government to assassinate an international warlord.

** [[BillandTedsExcellentAdventure Bill S. Preston, esq.]] as a small bit rapist and [[Series/StarTrektheNextGeneration Marina Sirtis]] in ''Death Wish 3''.
*** Also in ''3'', the Female Cenobite from ''Film/HellboundHellraiserII'', [[Film/SupermanIII Brad]] (or, if you prefer, the TropeNamer for the ChuckCunninghamSyndrome), and [[Film/{{Aliens}} Private Frost]].
** Creator/DannyTrejo in ''The Crackdown''.

* CaliforniaDoubling: ''Death Wish 3'' was set in New York, but filmed in London.

*** Also in ''3'', the Female Cenobite from ''HellboundHellraiserII'', [[SupermanIII Brad]] (or, if you prefer, the TropeNamer for the ChuckCunninghamSyndrome), and [[Film/{{Aliens}} Private Frost]].

** LaurenceFishburne is one of the main bad guys in the first sequel.

** Creator/FrankSinatra, Creator/ClintEastwood and Creator/SteveMcQueen turned down the role of Paul Kersey.

*** Also in ''3'', the Female Cenobite from ''HellboundHellraiserII'', [[SupermanIII Brad]], and [[Film/{{Aliens}} Private Frost]].

** As well as plans to bring back Kersey's girlfriend from the second film for a cameo in the third or fourth--to be killed off, of course.

** FrankSinatra, ClintEastwood and SteveMcQueen turned down the role of Paul Kersey.
** Isaac Hayes was approached to do the music for the second film.

** DannyTrejo in ''The Crackdown''.

** The first movie has Creator/JeffGoldblum in his screen debut playing one of the criminals who attack Kersey's wife and daughter. DenzelWashington and Sonia Manzano (''Series/SesameStreet'''s Maria) also have tiny bit parts; as a mugger and a grocery clerk respectively. Christopher Guest also appears as a patrolman.

* RecycledSoundtrack: Some music in ''The Crackdown'' was taken from ''MissingInAction'' and ''Invasion USA''.

** The first movie has JeffGoldblum in his screen debut playing one of the criminals who attack Kersey's wife and daughter. DenzelWashington and Sonia Manzano (''Series/SesameStreet'''s Maria) also have tiny bit parts; as a mugger and a grocery clerk respectively. Christopher Guest also appears as a patrolman.

** As well as plans to bring back Kersey's girlfriend from the second film for a cameo in the third or fourth--to be killed off, of course.

** [[BillandTedsExcellentAdventure Bill S. Preston, esq.]] as a small bit rapist and [[StarTrektheNextGeneration Marina Sirtis]] in ''Death Wish 3''.

** The first movie has JeffGoldblum in his screen debut playing one of the criminals who attack Kersey's wife and daughter. DenzelWashington and ''Series/SesameStreet'''s Maria also have tiny bit parts; as a mugger and a grocery clerk respectively. Christopher Guest also appears as a patrolman.

** The first movie has JeffGoldblum in his screen debut playing one of the criminals who attack Kersey's wife and daughter. DenzelWashington and SesameStreet's Maria also have tiny bit parts; as a mugger and a grocery clerk respectively. Christopher Guest also appears as a patrolman.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: FrankSinatra, ClintEastwood and SteveMcQueen turned down the role of Paul Kersey.

** There were plans for a sixth film with the subtitle ''The New Vigilante''.

* HeyItsThatGuy: First movie has JeffGoldblum in his screen debut playing one of the criminals who attack Kersey's wife and daughter. DenzelWashington and SesameStreet's Maria also have tiny bit parts; as a mugger and a grocery clerk respectively. Christopher Guest also appears as a patrolman.

* RecycledSoundtrack: Some music in ''The Crackdown'' was taken from ''Film/MissingInAction'' and ''Invasion USA''.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Frank Sinatra, ClintEastwood and Steve [=McQueen=] turned down the role of Paul Kersey.
** IsaacHayes was approached to do the music for the second film.

* HeyItsThatGuy: JeffGoldblum had his screen debut in the first movie, playing one of the criminals who attack Kersey's wife and daughter. DenzelWashington and SesameStreet's Maria also have tiny bit parts; as a mugger and a grocery clerk respectively.

** LaurenceFishburne in the first sequel.