The attack on members of the Royal Family at the beginning of the film was inspired by a similar true-life attempt to kidnap Princess Anne on March 20, 1974. She was in her car when a man shot her guard and driver. She was subsequently helped by a passerby who attacked the criminal and saved her.
Due to Harrison Ford's replacing Alec Baldwin, the age of Jack Ryan had to be changed from thirty-five to fifty.
Author Tom Clancy disassociated himself from the production after reading the first draft of the script.
Early in the film, when Ryan gives a lecture at the Royal Naval Academy in London, he tells the audience "In this volatile climate, we can only speculate on the future of Soviet Fleet development." In the foreground, a blueprint of the Soviet submarine "Red October" appears on a computer screen, establishing Ryan's link to La caza al Octubre Rojo (1990).
The line "There's never been a terrorist attack on American soil" was included in trailers for the movie. However, it was left out of theatrical release because it sounded too much like an invitation or dare.