Trivia / Out of the Furnace

• Cut Song: Eddie Vedder wrote several songs for the film, but Scott Cooper thought they were too perfect and powerful, which could pull the audience out of the story, so they mutually decided to leave them out of the film and unreleased.
• Dyeing for Your Art: As per norm for Christian Bale, he actually learned how to run a steel furnace and didn't use a double for the furnace scenes.
• No Stunt Double: Christian Bale did his own training to work at the active steel mill, and can be seen working there in the film without a stunt double.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Leonardo DiCaprio was attached to play the lead role with Ridley Scott directing in the early stages of production. In the end, both opted to stay on just as producers. Jeremy Renner was also offered the role.
  • Garrett Hedlund, Taylor Kitsch and Channing Tatum were considered for Rodney Baze Jr.
  • Viggo Mortensen was first approached about the role of Harlan DeGroat. Billy Bob Thornton was also considered.
• Working Title: The original script was called The Low Dweller, but when Scott Cooper was rewriting it, he considered changing the name to Under a Black Sun. While shooting the working title of the film was Dust to Dust. It was Terrence Malick and Sam Shepard who finally convinced Cooper that Out of the Furnace was an apt title for the film.
• Write Who You Know: The character of Russell Baze is based on someone very dear to Scott Cooper.

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