Trivia for
The Rundown (2003) More at IMDbPro »

• The film's original title was "Helldorado". It was then changed to "Welcome to the Jungle" before being changed again to "The Rundown".
  
  
• Arnold Schwarzenegger's cameo was filmed the same day he filmed his appearance as the Terminator for the Super Bowl. It was completely unprepared. He happened onto the set that day and was asked to make a quick appearance in the film. Fans and movie enthusiasts often cite his saying "Have fun" to Dwayne Johnson as a passing of the torch to an action hero of the next generation.
  
  
• When Christopher Walken is delivering his speech about keeping his eye on the ball, the images that are shown of the gold mine workers are a reference to a series of photos from the 1980s by Sebastião Salgado that were taken at a famous Brazilian gold mine, called "Serra Pelada".
  
  
• According to Seann William Scott the "thunder and lightning" bit was just a joke, but was so entertaining it was kept in the film.
  
  
• According to director Peter Berg, they were scouting a location in the Amazon forest of Brazil when they were held up at gunpoint by three locals and robbed of all cash, computers, and other valuables. After that (probably a joke) the shoot location was changed to Hawaii.
  
  
• When Beck is describing the football team's stats, footage from Vince McMahon's XFL is shown.
  
  
• According to director commentary on the DVD, Christopher Walken had never seen Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) and was therefore reluctant to use the phrase, "Oompah-loompahs" in his final scene. The director provided Walken with a copy of the movie, and after watching it, Walken decided to use the phrase.
  
  
• Hatcher's tooth-fairy speech was a substitution for him comparing the situation to Pooh stuck in the door to Rabbit's house from The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977) after Disney threatened to sue over it.
  
  
• Originally a project for Stephen Sommers to direct.
  
  
• Travis asks Beck what happens to people when he uses guns, and Beck answers, "Very bad things." Very Bad Things (1998) was the first feature film directed by Peter Berg.
  
  
• Both of the film's previous working titles are referenced in the film. After arriving in Brazil, Beck passes a sign that reads "Helldorado", and in the jungle, Travis tells Beck, "Welcome to the jungle..."
  
  
• Body count: around 32.
  
  
• Dwayne Johnson's body double was his cousin. He broke his ankle in the scene where Beck and Travis are tumbling down a hillside with the Jeep.
  
  
• At the end of the film, Jon Gries' character is wearing a scorpion necklace. It's is the same one that Memnon wears in The Scorpion King (2002).
  
  
• Dwayne Johnson's stunt double in this movie, his cousin Tanoai Reed, was nominated for and won the award for Best Overall Stunt by a Man at the 2004 Taurus World Stunt Awards.
  
  
• There are several references to Dwayne Johnson's wrestling persona. He uses his signature wrestling move the Rock Bottom on a thug. The herd of bulls connects with his Brahma bull tattoo. His character (Beck) wants to be a cook at his own restaurant, referencing his catch phrase: "If you smell what The Rock is cooking!" this is also a reference to Robert De Niro's character Jack Walsh, who is doing one last rundown to open his own restaurant in Midnight Run (1988), which is what this film is loosely based on. Also, the monkey scene refers to his monkey jokes (telling people to go suck a monkey's nipple).
  
  
• Tired of not being around them, Dwayne Johnson invited his wife Dany and their daughter, Simone, to the set in order to spend time with them.
  
  
• The rifle that Mariana uses to nearly shoot Travis is a 7.62x39 SKS Sporter edition. The standard SKS had a built in, non-removable 10 round magazine, while the sporter edition took the AK-47 magazines (which replaced the SKS).
  
  
• Christopher Walken's character's full name is Cornelius Bernard Hatcher.
  
  

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