One of the first films to be written, directed, and completed during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
The age difference of 12 years between John David Washington (35) and Zendaya (23) caused some controversy. Zendaya refuted the criticism by saying people are "not ready" to see her as an adult.
The film was shot during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown between 17 June 2020 and 2 July 2020 with the approval of the Writers' Guild of America, Directors' Guild of America, and Screen Actors Guild - American Federation of Television and Radio Artists organizations. The shoot followed strict COVID-19 safety protocols to ensure the cast and crew worked in a safe environment.
Malcolm's intense dislike of an unnamed white female film critic from the LA Times due to an unfavorable review of his previous film is generally perceived to be a reference to LA Times critic Katie Walsh, who wrote a negative review on writer-director Sam Levinson's earlier film Assassination Nation (2018).
One of the few Netflix originals to be shot on 35mm.