- Inspired to go into the movies by the short-lived career of his uncle Rex Richards, a former Welsh rugby international who played King of Wongo in The Wild Women of Wongo (1959)
- In 1990, he received The Thames Telvision Award for Best Fiction Film at the BP Expo - British Short Film Festival for "Queen Sacrifice".
- In 1984, "The Girl That Cried Wolf", an 8mm short he directed aged 17, was televised network in the BBC program "16 & Up Video Showcase".
- In 1988 he was awarded a Special Mention Of The Jury at Tel Aviv Student Film Festival for "Queen Sacrifice". The award was presented by Robert Wise.
- Was hired to direct Panic Button (2011) but left the project in preproduction to direct Shiver (2012).
- In 1992, whilst screening his short film Bad Company at AFI Film Festival, in Los Angeles, Richards attended a mixer at Chateau Marmont Hotel, but found himself at the wrong party. After spotting Terri Garr, Elliott Gould and being served wine by Sofia Coppola, he discovered he had gate crashed the launch of Francis Ford Coppola's Rubicon wine.
- During his interview to direct Freddy Vs Jason for New Line Cinema, Richards suggested a third act twist in which Freddy turns out to be Jason's father. The film was eventually directed by Ronny Yu.
- Aged 21, Richards was presented with a Best Of British Youth Award by Sir Anthony Hopkins at the Ritz Hotel in London. During the event Richards discovered that Hopkins mother lived several doors away from his own parents in the Welsh town of Newport. Richards subsequently visited Hopkins mother through whom he was able to offer the star the role of David Keller in his debut feature Darklands. But Hopkins was busy on Shadowlands and the part was eventually played by Jon Finch.
- In 1997 at Bucheon Fantastic Film Festival in Korea, Richards was approached by Roger Corman who wanted to acquire his debut feature film Darklands for distribution in North America. Unfortunately, Corman and producer Paul Brooks could not agree a price and it took 18 years until the film was eventually released in the USA and Canada.
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