Trivia for
Tears of the Sun (2003) More at IMDbPro »

• The script was considered as part of the Die Hard (1988) series.
  
  
• (29 October 2002) A stuntman was killed filming a parachuting scene near Oceano, California. Jumping with eight other skydivers from 14,000 feet, the man was supposed to land on the beach, but actually landed about 300 yards offshore and drowned.
  
  
• The title of this movie was the subtitle for a Die Hard 4 project the studio was making. The project needed work and Bruce Willis told the studio he would commit to Die Hard 4.0 (now Live Free or Die Hard (2007)) if he could use the title for this movie.
  
  
• Emerson knives were used in this film. These knives are handcrafted and extremely popular in law enforcement and military communities.
  
  
• The U.S. Navy SH-60B "Seahawk" helicopters used during the filming are from HSL-37 "Easy Riders" stationed at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Oahu.
  
  
• This is the first film to be filmed on the Nimitz Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier, Harry S Truman (CVN-75).
  
  
• During principal photography, all actors who played Navy SEAL characters were required to refer to each other by their characters' names, even off camera, so as to improve interaction among the seals.
  
  
• All the actors who played Navy SEALs had to go through a two week boot camp.
  
  
• Tensions between Director Antoine Fuqua and Bruce Willis emerged soon after principle photography began, ending with each vowing never to work with the other again.
  
  
• Kevin Smith was originally cast to co-star with Bruce Willis as a supporting SEAL team member. Tragically, he died from head injuries sustained from a three story prop tower fall, after his last film Warriors of Virtue: The Return to Tao (2002) wrapped.
  
  
• The story is based on a mission of the Canadian Joint Task Force Two (JTF2) that took place in Colombia. An ex-member of the commando wrote the original story and suggested it when he met the production team of Executive Decision (1996) on a set in Nevada.
  
  

• SPOILER: WILHELM SCREAM: Heard from a soldier as the second explosion occurs during the scene when the rebels discover the body of their informant.
  
  

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