Harvey Keitel is playing a character originally played by Dennis Farina in Manhunter (1986). In Get Shorty (1995), Keitel played Farina's character during the 'movie within a movie'.
Dante Spinotti, who is the DP on this movie, also filmed the movie Manhunter (1986), which was the first adaptation of the novel "Red Dragon".
Director Brett Ratner also made Rush Hour 2 (2001), in which a Casino named "The Red Dragon" can be seen.
Both Sean Penn and Nicolas Cage were considered for the role of Dolarhyde.
Anthony Hopkins, Anthony Heald and Frankie Faison all reprise their roles from earlier films in the series. Frankie Faison is the only one of them to have appeared in all four Thomas Harris "Hannibal" adaptations, having also appeared in Manhunter (1986) (in a different role).
Ralph Fiennes' back tattoo took eight hours to apply.
The Chinese character "zhong" seen in the film doesn't actually mean "Red Dragon". It means "center" or "middle". Red Dragon is an odd translation used just in Mah Jong when played in English; in Chinese the tile is called the "center tile".
The Leeds' house previously appeared in Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
The character of Francis Dolarhyde is loosely based on a serial killer from Wichita who called himself BTK, which stood for Bind them, Torture them, Kill them.
The painting on Byron Metcalf's wall is a portrait of John Wilkes Booth.
Anthony Hopkins was more than 10 years older than the first time he played this role, the film takes place before the first one. To help make him look younger some of his wrinkles and crow's feet were removed digitally for the close-ups.
Ethan Hawke was the first choice to play Will Graham.
Frank Langella recorded lines as the Voice of the Dragon, but his dialogue was later cut.
Michael Bay was offered the chance to direct to the film.
Jeremy Piven auditioned for the role of Dolarhyde.
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