Trivia for
Robots (2005)

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• When Rodney has just arrived at the Robot City train station, he asks a red robot to direct him to the Bigweld building. The robot starts to dance, and Rodney walks off, but in the background, another robot (in yellow) walks into the crowd. This is a robot version of the sloth character Sid from Ice Age (2002).
  
  
• The BBFC classified two versions with a 'U' rating, a "US domestic version" running 89m 41s and an "International version" running 91m 4s. It is currently unknown what the differences between the two versions are.
  
  
• When Fender and Rodney arrive at the ball to try and get past Tim, we get a glimpse of the guest list. The names featured on the list are Mr. Vandersmelt, Forge, Silvia Goldbot, Cappy, Mme Goldie Van Bot, Ann Droid and Mr. Silverleaf.
  
  

• On the "Map of the Stars' Homes" that Fender tries to sell Rodney, the names of the stars are: Jeremy Irons, Orson Wheels (Orson Welles), Axle Rose (W. Axl Rose), Britney Gears (Britney Spears), Farrah Faucet (Farrah Fawcett), and M.C. Hammer.
  
  
• At the start of the scene where Rodney is at the Rivet Town train station, the "ticket taker robot" can be seen picking his nose and examining his finger behind the booth window. On the commentary of the DVD, one of the commentators states this as being an Easter Egg.
  
  
• The green robot with the jet pack waiting in line during Bigweld's TV show is based on an early version of Rodney.
  
  
• Rodney Copperbottom's design is inspired by an old Evinrude outboard motor in director Chris Wedge's garage, as well as on a Volkswagen van.
  
  
• Originally, Rodney's co-passenger in the cross-town express sequence was an old lady knitting calmly. For some long shots, the old lady is simply colored red rather than replaced with Fender.
  
  
• The original concept for the film was a 1930s-style screwball comedy with musical numbers.
  
  
• Jack Hammer, the hardware store owner, is based on a character from a test short made early in development to test the look the filmmakers wanted. He was a director working on a scene with an actress. Screen shots of the test appear as pictures hanging in Aunt Fanny's house.
  
  
• After Rodney is dumped outside Bigweld Industries by the giant magnet, all the metal shavings from the slogan sign stick to his head, just like the old-time Magnetic Face toys.
  
  
• In the hardware store, the voicebox played by James Earl Jones says "The Force is strong in this one" about Rodney Copperbottom. Rodney is played by Ewan McGregor who plays Obi Wan Kenobi in the three prequel films. James Earl Jones provided the voice of Darth Vader.
  
  
• Chris Wedge reports on the commentary that Robin Williams performed the scene with Fender and Rodney attempting to get past Tim eight times in eight different accents, including as a Polish valet.
  
  
• The tone and look of the boardroom scene was inspired by the boardroom scenes in The Hudsucker Proxy (1994).
  
  
• A special rendering tool was created specifically to randomly place the pips on every domino in Bigweld's workshop.
  
  
• Rivet Town was designed after Watertown, New York, because director Chris Wedge grew up there.
  
  
• At the beginning, when Rodney is building his own robot in his room, we can see on the wall a poster that says: "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em IV: Red VS Blue" with a picture of two boxing robots. This is a reference to the Rock 'Em Sock 'Em toys, as well as to the film Rocky IV (1985) (in which Rocky's opponent is a Communist, i.e. "red"), and also to Red vs. Blue: The Blood Gulch Chronicles (2003) (TV) made with the Halo engine.
  
  
• The filmmakers wanted the music score to sound like it was recorded by the "Robot Philharmonic". To that effect, they hired performance artists Blue Man Group, known for performing on musical instruments made from industrial piping and other found objects, to do special percussion effects.
  
  
• When Rodney first starts fixing the outmodes (after "Who wants to get fixed?"), the 3rd robot he works on (5th in the overall fixit sequence) is a reference to the children's game "Operation". Just as in the game, when Rodney is taking a wrench out of the character's left leg, he touches the tool to the rim of the hole; when he does, the "patient" robot's nose lights up & there's a background buzz.
  
  
• When trying to get into Bigweld Industries, the guard is based on the guard to the Emerald City in the Wizard of Oz.
  
  
• John Powell dropped out of Shrek 2 (2004) to score the film.
  
  
• During the big chase, Bigweld is singing "Daisy" in slow-motion. This is a reference to 2001: A Space Odyssey when HAL9000 is singing "Daisy" while Dave is shutting him off.
  
  
• In the opening scene as Rodney walks in Rivet Town, one of the vendors sells ice cream called "Auntie Freeze". (This is reference to Anti-Freeze, a chemical used in radiators in vehicles in countries which experience low temperature or snowy weather).
  
  
• The net weight of the box in which the baby is delivered is 3.5kg. This would mean that Rodney would have a birth weight of 7 lbs., 11 ounces.
  
  
• In the UK release of the movie some characters were voiced by British celebrities, and not the original US actors cast. Notable instances include Mr Gasket who was voiced by Terry Wogan instead of Lowell Ganz, and Loretta who was voice by Cat Deeley, instead of Natasha Lyonne.
  
  

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