Jouko Ahola was screen tested for a role but didn't get it because he was too short for it.
Brad Pitt chose to star in this movie because pre-production on The Fountain (2005) was taking longer than expected. Hugh Jackman ended up signing Pitt's role.
Aishwarya Rai was offered the part of Briseis, but turned it down.
Hector was known as the Tamer or Breaker of Horses, yet Eric Bana had never ridden a horse before in his life before taking the role.
The impending war in Iraq forced the production to move from Morocco to Baja California Sur, Mexico in February 2003. The movie was originally scheduled to use Malta as well as Morocco and other African countries for filming.
Director Wolfgang Petersen left the proposed Batman Vs. Superman project to direct, and cast member Brad Pitt left The Fountain (2005).
Many German viewers were annoyed when they realized that in the German dubbed version the dubbing voice of Brad Pitt was changed from his usual one (Tobias Meister) to the voice of Nicolas Cage ('Martin Kessler' ). This was done on personal request from director Wolfgang Petersen.
George Camilleri, a keen bodybuilder who won the title of Mr Malta in 1989, broke his leg while filming an action sequence at Ghajn Tuffieha, Malta on 30 May 2003. He was operated on the following day but suffered complications and died on 17 June 2003.
Brad Pitt, who plays Achilles had a mishap during the production - he tore his left achilles tendon.
While filming in Cabo, Baja California Sur, Mexico, the production had to deal with two hurricanes in less than a month; the last hurricane came the last week of production, when everything was pretty much wrapped.
Warner Brothers rejected Gabriel Yared's score for the movie for being too old-fashioned.
Brad Pitt claimed the filming was torturous for him due to the fact that he had to quit smoking.
Brad Pitt and Eric Bana both did their own fighting scenes. They also made an agreement that they would pay for every hit they accidentally made. The costs were $50 for a lighter blow and $100 for a hard blow. Pitt ended up paying $750 to Bana, who didn't have to pay Pitt anything.
Brad Pitt trained for six months to get into shape for the role. He trained to have his body look like that of Greek statues.
On set, many stagehands would faint from the 100{degree weather.({38 degrees Celsius)
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