Michael Fassbender agreed to star in this as part of a two-picture deal. The next film would not be a sequel; instead the studio would fund his Assassin's Creed (2016) project.
The film's main Counselor character remains nameless, as do a few other characters with speaking parts: The Blonde, The Diamond Dealer, The Priest, The Wireman, etc. And no one in the film goes by a complete first & last name.
On August 20, 2012, Ridley Scott halted production of the film due to his brother Tony Scott's death. He canceled that week's shoot in order to travel to Los Angeles to be with his brother's family. Scott returned to London to resume production on September 3, 2012.
Cameron Diaz initially played Malkina with a thick Bajan accent, which tested poorly with preview audiences. 20th Century Fox subsequently requested that Diaz re-dub the majority of her lines, much to her chagrin. As a consequence of the dubbing, Diaz refused to promote the film upon its release.