In an effort to promote the opening weekend of this film, director Terry Gilliam crashed the ticket line for The Daily Show (1996). He signed autographs, told jokes, and took photos with fans, holding a sign proclaiming: "Studio-less Film Maker, Family to Support, Will Direct for Food". He is quoted as saying, "This is the state of independent film making. You got to get out on the street and beg again. We have no shame anymore, just out on the streets hustling. The first weekend is everything, if it doesn't do well the first weekend, it dies."
Terry Gilliam directed this film on a very tight schedule, while on a six month break from The Brothers Grimm (2005). He took the break from the Grimm movie because he and Harvey Weinstein were quarreling about the final cut. As they were threatening to recut completely, Gilliam began to refer to the Weinsteins as the REAL brothers Grimm.
The hanten (Japanese-style jacket) that Jeff Bridges wears while "going on vacation" says "kotobuki" in Japanese, which ironically means "long life."
Brendan Fletcher was hired to play Dickens before Terry Gilliam had ever met him. In an interview, Gilliam said he had seen Fletcher's work on tape, and had been impressed enough to cast him.
The mailbox at the house in the country bears the name "M. Cullin", a reference to Mitch Cullin, author of the book that was the basis for the film.