* AllStarCast: Even minor or outright extra roles are filled with well-known actors.
* BillingDisplacement: A jarring case with Creator/CubaGoodingJr, since he plays a minor role, yet somehow he's billed as fourth, even before the BigBad.
* CastTheExpert: While filming on-location in the Chiang Mai province of Thailand, Creator/RidleyScott hired many extras from the local villages, some of whom were actual participants in the drug-running operation of Frank Lucas during the Vietnam War.
* ContentLeak: A screener was leaked a couple of months before release.
* TheDanza: Creator/NormanReedus as Detective Norman Reilly.
* DawsonCasting: The real Frank Lucas and Richie Roberts were in their late thirties/early forties and early to mid thirties respectively during the events depicted. They're portrayed here by Denzel Washington, who was in his early fifties, and Russell Crowe, who was in his early forties.
* DeletedScene: Plenty, most of which merely extend what's already seen in the movie. The extended version can be found on the Special Edition DVD and has been aired on Creator/{{HBO}} multiple times.
* DuelingStarsMovie: Creator/DenzelWashington vs. Creator/RussellCrowe. Interestingly, this movie reverses the villain and hero roles they played in their previous dueling-stars movie ''Film/{{Virtuosity}}''.
* FakeAmerican: Australian Creator/RussellCrowe as Richie Roberts. Brits Idris Elba and Chiwetel Ejiofor also play Americans.
* SavedFromDevelopmentHell: Antoine Fuqua was originally set to direct this project in 2004 with Creator/DenzelWashington and Creator/BenicioDelToro starring, with Creator/RayLiotta and Creator/JohnCReilly in supporting roles, but production was halted one month before shooting, after Universal Pictures canceled the film over budget concerns. However, Washington and Del Toro received their salaries nonetheless. A pay-or-play deal was stipulated in both of their contracts that Universal would pay Washington twenty million dollars, and Del Toro five million dollars, regardless of whether the film was made or not. Once this project was green-lit by Universal a second time, under Creator/RidleyScott's direction, Washington returned to the project without an upfront fee.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
** Creator/DavidFincher was interested in making the film back when the script was still titled ''Superfly'', but he and the studio could not agree on an appropriate budget for the film.
** When Terry George was set to direct the film, with Creator/DonCheadle as Frank Lucas, Creator/JoaquinPhoenix was a definite consideration for Richie Roberts.
** Creator/BradPitt was the alternate choice Richie Roberts.
** Creator/WillSmith was considered for Frank Lucas.
** Music/FiftyCent auditioned for the role of Huey Lucas.
** Creator/JamesGandolfini was considered for the role of Trupo.
* WorkingTitle: During the first stages of production, this film had a few different titles, such as ''Tru Blu'' and ''The Return of Superfly''.
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