Trivia / Meet Joe Black

• Alan Smithee: Martin Brest disowned the television and airline edit, which is credited to Alan Smithee.
• Box Office Bomb: Budget, $90 million. Gross, $44,619,100 (domestic), $142,940,100 (worldwide).
• Creator Breakdown: Brad Pitt was going through a difficult time in his life and thus was unhappy making the film.
• Edited for Syndication: A hugely cut-down version for television and airplane showings runs two hours by cutting out most of Anthony Hopkins' scenes.
• Fake American: Claire Forlani (British) continued her streak in the 90s of only playing American characters. Especially egregious since her father is played by Anthony Hopkins Not Even Bothering with the Accent.
• Preview Piggybacking: Many obsessive Star Wars fans attended screenings of this film just to see the teaser for The Phantom Menace, and left after seeing it.
• Star-Derailing Role: The flopping of this, Mystery Men and Antitrust spelled the end for Claire Forlani's time as a leading lady, not helped by her repeated run-ins with Harvey Weinstein. She turned to television instead, where she enjoyed more success.
• What Could Have Been: Bill's part was originally written for Gene Hackman.

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