Trivia: The movie is set in 1987. This is the same year the original "Transformers" cartoon series ended.
Trivia: The name of the demon, "Valak" can be seen on the playground equipment where we first see sister Irene.
Trivia: Lewis' new friend, Rose Rita, is the main character in other books by John Bellairs, author of the original novel.
Trivia: Sonal Chapelle, who portrays Frankie Stone, is the real-life daughter of Dave Chapelle, the actor who portrays her father "Noodles" Stone.
Trivia: Part of what made the Coen Brothers agree to make the film for Netflix was that the traditional studio system just isn't funding films like "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" the way they used to. Studios are instead focusing much more on big-budget comic-book movies and reboots, or super low-budget ventures like horror films. The Coens found Netflix to be one of the only companies that seemed to understand the project and be willing to fund it. Although co-director Joel Coen did lament that he wishes the film had a traditional theatrical release, as he feels audiences respond to and respect movies in a different way on the big screen.
Trivia: Comics legend Stan Lee, a friend of director Kevin Smith, was originally meant to have a significant role in the film's climactic third act at the "Chronic-Con" convention, but sadly passed away before filming began.
Trivia: When Max insults Will Arnett by calling him a spinning Lego Man, it is an homage to Will's role as Batman in the Lego movies.
Trivia: The American and international versions of the film have different opening sequences. In the American version, Holmes and Watson meet in school. In the international version, Holmes (accidentally) saves Watson from committing suicide.
Trivia: Sandra Bullock speaks German at the Met Gala - she's actually fluent in German, having lived in Germany and Austria for the first 12 years of her life. She gave an award speech in German once: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BK1GlyGdm4.
Trivia: John Travolta had to ironically wear old-age makeup to play John Gotti, despite the fact that Travolta was already 3 years older at the time of making this film than Gotti ever lived to be.
Trivia: Elle and Lee go to prom and the band starts to play Don't You, by Simple Minds, the song that was featured at the end of The Breakfast Club. Lee's mother is played by Molly Ringwald, who starred in The Breakfast Club. (01:25:22)
Trivia: Dennis Quaid's twin children are seen as extras in the dinner scene. His daughter is the little girl who points at him as he falls out of his chair during his medical attack.
Trivia: Don Johnson plays the man who Jane Fonda has a relationship with. Jane Fonda and her Book Club friends are reading the 50 Shades trilogy... the movies of which star Don Johnson's real life daughter, Dakota Johnson.
Trivia: Lars requested (demanded) a "Mustang [Boss] 302" from the police to flee the bank robbery. Lars did not specify what year, but 1969-1972 and, possibly, 1973 are relevant to the August 23, 1973 real-life incident. The Mustang 302 was blue and it might seem easy to identify its shade, but that's not the case. Historically, there have been almost 900 colors for the Mustang's paint and there are a variety of blues. "Grabber Blue" was popular when the Mustang 302 emerged, as was "Acapulco Blue."
Trivia: The way Donna attempts to get the bus stopped is a direct nod to the 1994 movie Speed. The bus driver is even named Sam, the same as the driver in that film.
Trivia: It might seem bizarre to make a movie about a 90-year-old drug mule (transporter), but "The Mule" is actually based on the true story of Leo Sharp who became known as the oldest drug mule in the U.S. Whereas Leo Sharp was a World War II veteran, Earl Stone in the movie was a Korean War veteran - and Clint Eastwood ("Earl") really did serve during the Korean War.
