Trivia: If you happen to have the DVD version of the film, have a look at one of the trailers. In the movie trailer they show the comet hitting the ocean at an almost right-angle. In the actual movie the comet enters the atmosphere at an angle, thus letting the people watch the comet travel to across the sky into the ocean.
Trivia: The film's cover of "Another Brick in the Wall" (Parts 1 and 2) were performed by a band called "Class of '99." The band was a super-group made up of members from prominent 80's and 90's rock bands. (Including members of Alice in Chains, Rage Against the Machine, and Jane's Addiction.) The band was formed exclusively to record the covers for the soundtrack, and disbanded immediately after the film's release.
Trivia: As a gag on set, Bokeem Woodbine, who plays Crunch, stuffed socks into his underwear in the locker room scene before they go to the hit at the beginning of the movie.
Trivia: "Kevin Dunn" is actually also the name of a cast member in the film, the guy who played the pay-per-view TV reporter.
Trivia: In many of the stunt car scenes you can see the actors apparently driving. The producers used British RHD cars and fitted phoney steering wheels on the passenger sides to make it look as if the stars were really driving.
Trivia: This movie set the record for most bullets fired in an American film.
Trivia: Co-star Michael Madsen, whom also appeared in the first film, has stated his distaste with this sequel, especially in comparison to the original. He once referred to it in an interview as a "crock of s***."
Trivia: The original director's cut of the film ran nearly two hours. The studio, however, severely trimmed the movie down to to just over 80 minutes, cutting out much of the character and story development in order to make the plot move faster. The director considered removing his name from the film and going with "Alan Smithee" (the name directors used to use when they are displeased with a film) as he was devastated by all the edits, but ultimately chose not to.
Trivia: The film is loosely based on an ongoing series of novels by Japanese author Koji Suzuki. While the film shares the basic premise of the novels, the details are vastly different. (Notably, the books feature heavy and increasing science-fiction overtones that are absent from the films.) The American remake, "The Ring," is based more directly on this film and its sequel "Ringu 2" than the novels.
Trivia: The role of Mark Sheridan was originally written for Samuel L. Jackson.
Trivia: Spoilers. Originally, the character Pantucci was indeed meant to die in the film. However, test audiences liked the character so much and were so disappointed when he was killed off, that his death scene was dropped and the ending was slightly re-shot to show him surviving in the final theatrical cut of the film.
Trivia: While Mr. Freeze is at Shaugnessy's, when Shaka smacks Dick across the room, he ends up flat on his back, and in the close-up when Dick raises his head, the buttons on his vest switch sides momentarily. Then the buttons revert back (noted in trivia because it's better when clicked through slowly). (00:24:25)
Trivia: Director Gus van Sant has a cameo at the beginning of the movie when Marion enters the office after her lunch break - he is talking to someone looking just like Alfred Hitchcock.