In Rutger Hauer's book "All Those Moments", Hauer mentioned how executive producer Edward S. Feldman settled on Sam Elliott for the role of John Ryder. Hauer states that "Apparently, Elliott was so scary when he came in to audition that Edward S. Feldman was afraid to go out to his car afterward." Sam Elliott had a scheduling conflict and had to back out of the role.
Rutger Hauer did a lot of the stunt driving throughout the movie which amazed the crew and even the real stunt drivers.
C. Thomas Howell admitted that he was actually afraid of Rutger Hauer on and off the set because of Hauer's general intensity.
The original script was long enough to make a three-hour movie. Scenes that were never filmed include: Ryder slaughtering an entire family, an eyeball appearing in a hamburger (this was replaced in a finger in a plate of French fries), a graphic sex scene between "Gal" Galveston (the girl before Nash) and Jim, and a character being decapitated. This movie underwent several re-writes which removed the gorier moments.
While performing the last bit of the windshield stunt, Rutger Hauer knocked out one of his teeth with the shotgun he held in his hands.
Eric Red: The screenwriter can be seen in a cameo role toward the end of this movie as a Deputy Sheriff escorting the prisoner to the transfer bus.