Don’t Breathe is a 2016 American horror film directed by Fede Alvarez and written by Alvarez and Rodo Sayagues. Let’s see some amazing facts and trivia about it!
1.The film stars Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto and Stephen Lang and focuses on three friends who get trapped inside a blind man’s house while burglarizing it.
2. Fede Alvarez noted that making the film was, in some ways, a reaction to his debut film Evil Dead, specifically the criticisms that the film had too much blood, focused too much on shocking the audience, and was a remake.
3. In contrast, Alvarez decided to make Don’t Breathe, an original story that contained less blood and focused more on suspense over shocking audiences.
4. He wanted to avoid making a film dealing with the supernatural, as he felt that was too trendy.
5. Choosing to make the antagonist blind was a result of deliberately taking abilities away from him; Alvarez explained, “Sometimes you naturally give them powers and make them more menacing than a normal person, so we thought what if we do the other way around and take his eyes out and make him a blind person.
6. On May 1, 2015, Daniel Zovatto joined the cast.
7. On May 22, 2015, Dylan Minnette was cast in the film, and on June 18, 2015, Jane Levy and Stephen Lang joined the cast.
8. Principal photography began on June 29, 2015.
9. Though the film is set in Detroit, it was primarily shot in Hungary; only a few views of Detroit were filmed there.
10. Alvarez estimated that the film cost roughly half as much as Evil Dead, and welcomed the change, as it allowed for less studio interference.
12. The film premiered at South by Southwest on March 12, 2016, and was theatrically released on August 26, 2016, by Screen Gems.
13. As of September 11, 2016, Don’t Breathe has grossed $66.8 million in North America and $20.3 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $87.1 million, against a budget of $9.9 million.
14. Due to its low production budget, the film was considered a large financial success and a sleeper hit.
15. For Sony Pictures, it became their second late-summer surprise hit of 2016, following Sausage Party.
16. Don’t Breathe was met with positive reviews from critics and has a 87% approval rating on review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 155 reviews, with an average rating of 7.1/10.
17. Stephen Lang only has about thirteen lines of dialogue in the whole movie (most of which comes near the end of the film).
18.Stephen Lang wore contact lenses that greatly restricted his vision, particularly in low light.
19. The other actors, in the scene taking place in the dark, wore lenses that made them look like they had dilated pupils but also greatly restricted their vision.
20. This film was originally titled “A Man in the Dark.”
21. The street where the old man lives is called “Buena Vista.” In Spanish? this translates to “Good Sight.” The old man is blind.
22. The dog was played by three different dogs: Athos, Astor, and Nomad.
23. In the trailer, the blind man utters the line, “Now you’re going to see what I see.” In the movie, this line is not said at all.
24. Fede Álvarez got inspiration for this movie on growing up in Montevideo, Uruguay.
25. Jane Levy and Dylan Minnette, both starring in the movie, share the same birthday. (December 29)
26. Dylan Minnette and Daniel Zovatto previously appeared together on an episode of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013).
27. Like in Evil Dead (2013) there’s a Club Atlético Peñarol flag, Álvarez uruguayan football club.
28. Throughout the movie you can see areas in the house where crosses used to be but have been taken down. Later in the film The Blind Man states that men can do anything once they’ve accepted there is no god.
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