Trivia for
American Gangster (2007)

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• Antoine Fuqua was originally set to direct this project in 2004 with Denzel Washington and Benicio Del Toro starring, but production was halted one month before shooting after Universal Pictures canceled the film over budget concerns.
  
  
• Dania Ramirez was originally cast in the film when Antoine Fuqua was still directing the production.
  
  
• After Terry George's screenplay was turned down, Steven Zaillian was re-hired to write another draft of his own screenplay.
  
  

• When Terry George was set to direct the film with Don Cheadle in the leading role, Joaquin Phoenix was a definite consideration for the role of Richie Roberts. Phoenix previously co-starred with Russell Crowe in Gladiator (2000), which was also directed by Ridley Scott.
  
  
• Russell Crowe requested tape recordings of Richie Roberts speaking in order to match his voice mannerisms accurately.
  
  
• During the very first stages of production, this film had a number of different titles, such as "Tru Blu" and "The Return of Superfly".
  
  
• Screenwriter Terry George was brought on to rewrite the script in order to downsize the project's budget to $50 million when it was first revitalized in March 2005. George had planned on reuniting with his Hotel Rwanda (2004) lead, Don Cheadle, to portray Frank Lucas, the Harlem heroin kingpin.
  
  
• When director Antoine Fuqua was attached to the project, he pursued Ray Liotta and John C. Reilly for supporting roles. This was one of many budget-related concerns that lead to Universal's cancellation of this production while it was under Fuqua's management.
  
  
• When this project was canceled by Universal, actors Denzel Washington and Benicio Del Toro received their salaries nonetheless. A pay-or-play deal was stipulated in both of their contracts that Universal would pay Washington $20 million and Del Toro $5 million regardless of whether the film was made or not. Once this project was green-lit by Universal a second time, under Ridley Scott's direction, Washington returned to the project without an upfront fee. He also received half of his $20 million salary for the previous year's Inside Man (2006), another Imagine Entertainment production.
  
  
• While filming on-location in the Chiang Mai province of Thailand, Ridley Scott 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.
  
  
• Director Ridley Scott had read the first draft of Steven Zaillian's screenplay before filming Kingdom of Heaven (2005) and instantly became interested in directing it. While filming his next feature, A Good Year (2006), Scott and Russell Crowe extensively discussed the project, which ultimately led to them signing on.
  
  
• Russell Crowe and Brad Pitt were director Ridley Scott and producer Brian Grazer's first two choices to portray Richie Roberts. Crowe was ultimately cast in the role.
  
  
• James Gandolfini was offered the role of Detective Trupo, but turned it down.
  
  
• According to Peter Biskind's book "The Godfather Companion," a 1985 treatment and script for The Godfather: Part III (1990), co-written by Thomas Lee Wright and Nick Marino, included a character based on Nicky Barnes, played in “American Gangster” by Cuba Gooding Jr. When the script was briefly considered, Wright persuaded Eddie Murphy to take the role. Murphy reportedly said, "I would act in The Godfather for nothing."
  
  
• The real Richie Roberts and 'Frank Lucas' were major consultants to director Ridley Scott on the New York set of this film.
  
  
• The basis of the story was a 2000 New York Magazine article written by Mark Jacobson. Author Nicholas Pileggi who knew the real 'Frank Lucas' introduced him to Jacobson. The brought the attention of Brian Grazer who bought the rights on the spot after meeting the three of them with Richie Roberts in Los Angeles.
  
  
• Denzel Washington suggested Ted Levine for the role of Toback, being a fan of Levine's hit series "Monk" (2002).
  
  
• According to Ridley Scott, this was one of the most grueling shoots of his career, logistically integrating 360 scenes over 180 separate locations.
  
  
• Clarence Williams III, who portrays legendary Harlem mobster Elsworth "Bumpy" Johnson, previously appeared in the movie Hoodlum (1997) about "Bumpy" Johnson. In that film, he played a rival thug named "Bubba" Hewitt.
  
  
• Car used by Richie Roberts is a Volkswagen 1600 Variant (Volkswagen Type 3). It was equipped with a dual-carburetted air-cooled engine. The engine was located under the rear trunk.
  
  

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