Where to watch American Gangster (2007)

Trivia & production notes

• The screenplay was adapted from a New York magazine article about 1970s heroin kingpin Frank Lucas, initially purchased by Universal in 2000 and titled 'The Return of Superfly'.
• Director Antoine Fuqua was fired just four weeks before filming began in October 2004, prompting Universal to cancel the entire production and write off $30 million.
• The project was revived in 2006 when Ridley Scott decided to direct after screenwriter Steven Zaillian brought it up again, returning the film to Zaillian's original script vision.
• Russell Crowe studied recordings of the real Richie Roberts to prepare for his role, practicing his manner of speaking and body language.
• American Gangster holds the record for the highest number of filming locations in a movie, shot across more than 180 different sites throughout New York.
• Principal photography used over 50 to 60 locations within Harlem alone, with Ridley Scott discovering several building interiors that remained untouched since the 1940s.
• Hand-held cameras were extensively used throughout filming to create a guerrilla filmmaking aesthetic.
• Production designers conducted exhaustive location scouting to find parts of New York that still resembled the early 1970s, as rapid gentrification in Harlem limited filming options.
• Rappers T.I., RZA, and Common were cast in the film to appeal to younger audiences.
• The final budget reached $100 million, exceeding Universal's expectations for a crime drama that was not a high-concept or fantasy film.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article American Gangster (film), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Rewritten for StreamShack; errors are ours — tell us about them.