Trivia / The Italian Job (2003)

• Actor-Inspired Element: Edward Norton chose his wardrobe to make his character a little quirky.
• Contractual Obligation Project: Edward Norton made it clear that his participation is a result of contractual obligation, not choice. He signed a three movie deal with Paramount, of which Primal Fear, his breakthrough movie, was the first. He kept dismissing scripts for the other two, until Paramount coerced him into accepting a role in this film by saying it would count toward both remaining films on his contract. Norton did not hide his misery on the set, clashing with the crew throughout it, and when the producer handed out gifts to the cast over the movie's surprisingly strong box office performance, Norton returned the gift with a note stating "Give this to someone you actually like—or someone who actually likes you."
• Completely Different Title: Released in France as Braquage à l'italienne ("Italian-Style Heist").
• Creator's Apathy: Edward Norton made no secret he was forced to do this film as a contractual requirement with Paramount. This shows in his acting as he really has much of an annoyed expression through most of the film. Thankfully since he's the villain, it works out in the film's favor.
• Deleted Scenes: Originally, the climactic getaway was a much longer sequence, and two sections were cut that appear as deleted scenes on the DVD:
  • The first sequence sees a bullet-wounded Handsome Rob reluctantly hand over the driving to Left Ear, despite the fact that he can't drive a "stick". After narrowly avoiding pedestrians at the Staples Center, getting stuck in traffic in downtown Los Angeles, and driving into a shop window, Rob takes over the driving. There is proof of this sequence still in the movie: at one point, you can see the spot on the right sleeve of Handsome Rob's coat, and when he's turning the car back around after taking out the second motorcycle, he's only using his left hand to steer.
  • In the final cut, there are a few scenes where Stella's red Mini is not shown. This is due to the cutting of a deleted scene where Stella breaks away from the others to draw away a police car that spots them and tries to give chase.
• Development Hell: The planned sequel, The Brazilian Job. It was first announced in 2004 and spent six years in limbo before Seth Green eventually confirmed in 2010 that the film is a no go; apparently its script was repurposed into Fast Five.
• Hostility on the Set: Norton, already in a sour mood over having to do the movie on the cheap due to his contractual obligations, clashed with director F. Gary Gray, whom he had a low opinion of, to an even greater extent than he usually does.
• Missing Trailer Scene: While Charlie Croker's line: "You ready to create the biggest traffic jam in the history of Los Angeles?" appears in the trailer, it doesn't appear in the theatrical release.
• No Stunt Double: The principal actors in the movie did most of the stunt driving themselves. While all of the principals needed stunt driving lessons - Yasiin Bey needed a little more work, because he didn't have a driver's license at the outset of production.
• Recycled Set: The first half of the final heist^note after Lyle identifies the truck until it falls through the street is filmed entirely on a one-block stretch of Hollywood Boulevard (between Highland Ave. and Orange Drive). The distinctive architecture of Grauman's Chinese Theater makes it easy to identify the reused shots.
• Romance on the Set: Jason Statham and Kelly Brook were dating at the time.
• Scully Box: For enhancing his body height, Mark Wahlberg used high heeled shoes throughout the movie. However, in the opening introduction scene and the two basketball scenes, he used normal shoes.
• Stillborn Franchise: There were plans for a sequel set in Brazil called The Brazilian Job, which were scrapped when the film under-performed^note Ironically, the 2003 Italian Job is the remake of a movie which was a Stillborn Franchise too. That script was later retooled as Fast Five.
• What Could Have Been: Jason Statham was not the filmmakers' first choice for Handsome Rob. Originally they intended to cast someone with traditional good looks. Eventually they decided that it would work better if Handsome Rob was not classically handsome, but instead had an attitude and a confidence to him that made him just as attractive. Hence, swaggering action hero Jason Statham.
• Word of God: According to the producers, directors, and actors, the gold everyone's interested in stealing in this movie is actually the cut of the gold hauled away by the Nazis in Kelly's Heroes.
• Write Who You Know: The screenwriters actually have a friend nicknamed Handsome Rob.

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