9 Things You Never Knew About 'Moon' on its 10th Anniversary
Ten years ago, newcomer Duncan Jones made a big splash with his directorial debut, "Moon." Not just a promising start to a memorable career, "Moon"is now regarded as one of the best science fiction films of the 21st Century. Relive the strange odyssey of Sam Bell by learning more about the making of "Moon" and its unexpected connection to another of Jones' films.
1. While "Moon" was written specifically with Sam Rockwell in mind, Rockwell was initially unsure about joining the project. Patty Considine was chosen as his potential replacement until Rockwell officially signed on.
2. "Moon" was shot in 33 days on a modest budget of $5 million.
3. In order to cut down on expenses, the crew used several sets that had been built for the canceled "Red Dwarf" movie.
4.Kevin Spacey (ew) didn't sign on to voice GERTY until he was allowed to watch the entire film first, at which point he eagerly recorded his lines in a single day.
5. Sam's plants are nicknamed "Ridley" and "Kathryn," references to acclaimed directors Ridley Scott and Kathryn Bigelow.
6. When it came time to film the scene where Sam is hit on the head, Rockwell's designated stuntman was absent from the set. Producer Stuart Fenegan decided to fill in instead.
7. The rescue team is codenamed "Eliza," which is believed to be a reference to an MIT computer program from the 1960's named ELIZA. This program was designed to mimic bland human conversation when speaking to operators, much as GERTY does when interacting with Sam.
8. Jones' 2018 film "Mute" is actually a spinoff set in the same universe as "Moon." Sam and his surviving clones can be seen in courtroom footage being broadcast on TV.
9. Jones has said he hopes to eventually release a third film in the "Moon" universe to create a trilogy of interconnected films.