- The script, originally titled 'Tonight, He Comes', floated around in Hollywood for over a decade.
- Warner Bros. passed on the chance to make the film. Sony then stepped in.
- The train wreck scene was filmed in San Pedro, CA, in conjunction with Pacific Harbor Line RR. PHL SD18 diesel locomotive #40 was changed by the movie crews to the fictitious Southland & Western RR.
- The movie was shown at a US military base in the Middle East a week before it opened in the United States. The screening was free to all US military personnel on base.
- When Mary gets ready for bed, she is wearing a Macalester College T-shirt. Director, Peter Berg, graduated from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota.
- Brad Leland, who plays "Executive #3" at the beginning of the movie (he is the one who appears to be Ray's boss), was given this small role by director Peter Berg, who had previously cast him on his TV show "Friday Night Lights" (2006).
- Will Smith is a huge fan of professional wrestling. He describes Hancock as Steve Austin, one of his favorite wrestlers, with super powers.
- Dave Chappelle was seriously considered for the lead.
- Shipped to some theaters with the codename 'Hidden from Earth'.
- The original title was "Tonight, He Comes." It was later retitled "John Hancock", then finally retitled "Hancock".
- Will Smith wanted and recommended Aishwarya Rai for the part of Mary Embrey. But she turned down the offer due to scheduling.
- Before the film became a Will Smith vehicle, George Clooney, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio (among others) were all considered for the title character over the years.
- Shipped to some theaters under the name "Speak Publicly".
- Charlize Theron and Jason Bateman play a couple in this movie. They previously acted as a couple in season three of "Arrested Development" (2003).
- Director Cameo: [Peter Berg] The film's director is one of the doctors who works to revive Mary in the hospital.
- Daeg Faerch as Michel, the French boy, did all his own stunts.
- The script was first written by Vincent Ngo in 1996 and it languished for close to 10 years. Later, the script was picked up and rewritten by Vince Gilligan, to be directed by Jonathan Mostow for a 2007 release. Gilligan wrote the second draft when Sony picked up the script in early 2005.
- When Jonathan Mostow pulled out of the project in May 2006, Gabriele Muccino (who previously directed Will Smith in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)) was attached in to direct. But while Pursuit was still under editing, Smith switched projects, working on I Am Legend (2007) first before this. However, by October 2006, Muccino left the project due to an incompatibility to the story. This allowed Peter Berg to come in for the director's job.
- Michael Mann and Tony Scott were also considered for the director's role.
- Peter Berg was quoted that he did this movie for the sake of his young son. While editing The Kingdom (2007), his son's frequent visits in the editing room prompted him to make a comic-book style movie. At that time the script of the film surfaced around for so long and with no director attached, so he jumped at the chance.
- The crew estimated that the number of effects shots before shooting was around 300. The final film contains 525 shots.
- During Ray's first PR meeting, the board members are played by various Hollywood producers. Amongst the collective are Akiva Goldsman and Michael Mann. Both have either directed Will Smith or produced movies starring him.
- In the Special Features section of the DVD, during the segments filmed for the tornado scene, Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz (1939) can be seen running down the sidewalk with her basket in hand. This segment never made it into the final film.
- When we see Hancock flying to the scene of the bank robbery, the soundtrack bass notes are rhythmical identical to the repeated bass notes in the theme from Superman (1978).
- Hancock is called an "asshole" 18 times. He is called "asshole" four times (almost five) by Michel, and twice (almost three times) by Red during the bank robbery.
- Like the TV series "Arrested Development" (2003), Jason Bateman plays a man who becomes romantically involved with Charlize Theron's character (who isn't who he thinks she is), after his wife dies, leaving him with a son. Many scenes are set inside a prison. A key character loses a hand and replaces it with a hook device, and there are various references to incest.
- The original screenplay was originally much darker and intended for a more mature audience. Apart from being a low-life, Hancock was supposed to be sexually frustrated as well because he could never have sex with a women without killing her. The tone of the movie was made considerably lighter for a summer release tailored for a wider audience.
- Hancock's name, John Hancock, is the same name as one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence. Because John Hancock's signature is so prominent on the historical document, someone's "John Hancock" refers to their signature.
>>> WARNING: Here Be Spoilers <<<
Trivia items below here contain information that may give away important plot points. You may not want to read any further if you've not already seen this title.
- SPOILER: The symbol of the eagle would appear to identify Hancock as the Greek god Zeus. This would make the character of Mary Embrey Zeus' wife Hera. According to Greek mythology, Zeus and Hera were not only husband and wife, but also brother and sister; something alluded to, briefly, in the movie. The symbol was also chosen because Will Smith is from Philadelphia, home of the NFL team, the Philadelphia Eagles.
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