History Trivia / TheFastAndTheFurious2001

* WorkingTitle: ''Racer X'', ''Redline'' and ''Race Wars''.

** The main plot is motivated by Dominic Toretto and his crew stealing shipments of DVD players. While it was probably more plausible back when the film released in 2001 (though, like ''Film/OneNightAtMccools'', DVD players were rapidly falling in price by this point), it comes off as over-the-top many years later when the thieves risk life-and-limb by using harpoon guns to steal shipments of low-end consumer electronics in transit, the LAPD has organized a joint investigation with the FBI and Brian O'Connor gives up his career to aid Toretto and the others.

** There's a 1954 Creator/RogerCorman film called ''The Fast and the Furious'' that's also about racing. Corman agreed to licence the title rights.

** Creator/TimothyOlyphant was the studio's initial candidate for the role of Dominic Toretto before Creator/VinDiesel was cast. However, Olyphant turned down the offer due to the film being too similar to ''Film/GoneInSixtySeconds2000''.
** Creator/ChristianBale, Creator/MarkWahlberg, and Music/{{Eminem}} were considered for the part of Brian O'Conner before the casting of Creator/PaulWalker.

* ThrowItIn: All of the actors had significant input on their characters when early drafts of the script weren't up to snuff. Paul Walker and Vin Diesel attended a real illegal street race for research, and really fled down an alleyway together when the cops showed up. They both insisted a similar scene be inserted into the film.

* BillingDisplacement: The movie is best known as a Creator/VinDiesel flick. Creator/PaulWalker actually plays the main character. Downplayed example, as Diesel's character is just as critical as Walker's.

* SimilarlyNamedWorks: There's a 1954 Creator/RogerCorman film called '''The Fast and the Furious'' that's also about racing. Corman agreed to licence the title rights.

* DawsonCasting: Both Toretto and Vince are said to be 24. Creator/VinDiesel was 34, Matt Schulze was 29 by then. Well, Schulze was still in his twenties at least. Diesel, however, passed pretty well for 24-year old Toretto.

** At one point, Jesse demonstrates the schematics of a vehicle to Brian... by putting a floppy disc in a computer and showing him a picture of the vehicle. Most modern software can do this much easier, including [=AutoCAD=] (which had been available for desktop use for a long while at the time the movie was made), Visio and many others.

** Creator/TimothyOlyphant was the studio's initial candidate for the role of Dominic Toretto before Creator/VinDiesel was cast. However, Olyphant turned down the offer due to the film being too similar to ''[[Film/GoneInSixtySeconds2000 Gone in 60 Seconds]]''.

** Creator/ElizaDushku, Creator/NataliePortman, Creator/SarahMichelleGellar, Creator/KirstenDunst, and Creator/JessicaBiel auditioned for the role of Mia Toretto before Creator/JordanaBrewster was cast.

* HarpoDoesSomethingFunny: Creator/PaulWalker and Matt Schulze carefully choreographed the fight scene outside the grocery store, but when it came time to shoot, it didn't feel right. In the end, they just improvised.

* BillingDisplacement: The movie is best known as a Creator/VinDiesel flick. Creator/PaulWalker actually plays the main character. Downplayed example, as Diesel's character is just as critical as Walker's. It's also worth noting that in the more recent films, especially 5 and 6, Dom actually does fit the main character role more than Brian by this point, and looks to be the case permanently considering Paul's untimely death and Brian's subsequent retirement as a character.

* DawsonCasting: Both Toretto and Vince are said to be 24. Creator/VinDiesel was 34, Matt Schulze was 29 by then. Well, Schulze was still in his twenties at least. Diesel, however, passed pretty well for 24-year old Toretto. (Many have jokingly attributed Diesel's younger appearance compared to his real age to his love for ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'').

* DVDCommentary: The commentary by Creator/RobCohen goes to show the depth of insight a director can have about hidden aspects of the movie. Oh yeah, and he likes to [[StuffBlowingUp blow stuff up]] too. And he ''loves'' pounding cars.

** Creator/ChristianBale, Music/{{Eminem}} and Creator/MarkWahlberg were considered for Brian O'Connor.
** Originally, the studio told the producers they would green-light the film if they could get Creator/TimothyOlyphant to play the role of Dom Toretto. Olyphant, who had starred in the previous year's car-themed blockbuster ''Film/GoneInSixtySeconds2000'', declined the role, however. At one point, the studio tried to get Creator/ColinFarrell.
** The role of Mia was written for Creator/ElizaDushku, but she turned it down. Creator/JessicaBiel, Creator/KirstenDunst, Creator/SarahMichelleGellar and Creator/NataliePortman were also considered.
** Rob Cohen's original casting choices were Mario Lopez as Dominick, Mark-Paul Gosselaar as Brian, and Dustin Diamond as Jesse. However, studio execs feared that the reteaming of the ''Series/SavedByTheBell'' co-stars would confuse audiences. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, and Chad Lindberg were eventually cast in the roles.
** Certain versions of the DVD, as well as Blu-Ray copies have what was going to be an alternate ending. Brian is dropped off at the Toretto home, now for sale, to find Mia packing up the garage. Mia tells him to go, before Brian reveals he quit his job as a cop and was hoping for one more chance, before cutting to a wide shot of LA. Given how the following sequel paints Brian as running away to Miami for a new start, it would have been interesting to see the current films if the alternate ending was used.

* CastTheExpert: Owing to the film's limited budget (discussed below), most of the cars in the film were borrowed from actual tuning enthusiasts around Los Angeles, who in turn were often given roles as background extras and consultants.

** Creator/ChristianBale, Music/{{Eminem}} and Creator/MarkWahlberg were considered for Brian O'Connor. At one point, the studio tried to get Creator/ColinFarrell.
** Originally, the studio told the producers they would green-light the film if they could get Creator/TimothyOlyphant to play the role of Dom Toretto. Olyphant, who had starred in the previous year's car-themed blockbuster ''Film/GoneInSixtySeconds2000'', declined the role, however.

* HireTheExpert: Owing to the film's limited budget (discussed below), most of the cars in the film were borrowed from actual tuning enthusiasts around Los Angeles, who in turn were often given roles as background extras and consultants.

* NoBudget: Upon approving the script, Universal Studios were initially planning to give this film a measly $20 million dollar budget. The budget eventually went up to $38 million, but that was still much less than the average action film at the time was getting. Almost every car seen in the film was either rented from their owners in the Los Angeles area, or a cheap replica thereof; there was simply not enough money to make their own custom cars, or to import the newest ones from abroad. For example, O'Conner's Toyota Supra was owned by the film's technical advisor, Craig Lieberman.

** Creator/MichelleRodriguez and Creator/JordanaBrewster didn't have driving licences when they were first cast in the original film; they had one shot to pass their tests, and if they didn't, their roles would have been recast.

* AwesomeDearBoy: Creator/PaulWalker has stated that he did this film because of the movie Donnie Brasco (1997). Because he thought the role of an undercover cop was a cool idea, and he'd like to portray that type of character.