We Can’t Go Home: 10 Behind-The-Scenes Facts About District 9

Neill Blomkamp immediately established himself as a unique voice in filmmaking with District 9, his sci-fi allegory for the horrors of apartheid. Having grown up in South Africa during apartheid, Blomkamp had first-hand experience that he could base the script on.

Expanded from the fictional world set up in Blomkamp’s six-minute short Alive in Joburg, District 9 is one of the most memorable and original science fiction movies in recent memory, standing alongside such thought-provoking 21st-century offerings as Arrival, Ex Machina, Inception, and Children of Men.

10 District 9 Came Together When A Halo Movie Fell Apart

When Peter Jackson was developing a film adaptation of the Halo video games, his first choice to direct it was Blomkamp. So, Jackson worked closely with Blomkamp to develop the project. The budget ballooned to $145 million, at which point the studio decided it was too risky and scrapped it.

From the ashes of their failed Halo movie, Jackson pledged to secure Blomkamp a $30 million budget to make any movie he wanted with practically full creative control. District 9 grew out of this deal.

9 All The Speaking Alien Roles Were Played By The Same Actor

Apart from the aliens that appear on the operating tables in the lab, all the aliens in District 9 were created using computer-generated effects. Every alien with spoken dialogue was played by the same actor, Jason Cope, who also appears as the news correspondent Grey Bradnam.

The aliens’ dialogue was improvised by Cope, and later dubbed over in the cutting room. Cope had previously appeared in the short film Alive in Joburg, which District 9 was based on.

8 District 9 Was The First “Found Footage” Movie To Be Nominated For Best Picture

The very definition of a “sleeper hit,” District 9 surpassed a whopping $200 million at the worldwide box office and earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture.

This made it the first movie made in the “found footage” style to be nominated for the award. To be fair, it was unlikely that The Blair Witch Project or Paranormal Activity would go on to Oscar glory.

7 The Locals’ Opinions About The Aliens Were Achieved By Asking South Africans About Nigerian Immigrants

The documentary-like style of District 9 includes a few vox pops in which South African locals say disparaging things about the aliens. These interviews weren’t scripted; instead, the crew masqueraded as an actual documentary crew and asked real locals for their thoughts on Nigerian immigrants.

There are tensions between South Africans and Nigerian immigrants living in South Africa, as the latter have been blamed for an increased crime rate. Their statements were later tweaked in post-production to make it sound like they were talking about extra-terrestrials. District 9’s portrayal of Nigerians as criminals and cannibals got the movie banned in Nigeria.

6 The Original Design For The Aliens Had Tentacled Faces

The aliens in District 9 were designed by Peter Jackson’s company Weta. The original design made them large, burly creatures with tentacles on their faces and a leathery texture on their skin. If the producers had gone with this design, the aliens would’ve been played by actors in suits.

When the aliens were redesigned to look like crustaceans – or “prawns,” as they’re called in the movie – they were created using CGI effects. The clicking sounds in the aliens’ language were created by rubbing a pumpkin.

5 Almost All The Dialogue Was Improvised

Blomkamp started shooting District 9 without a complete script. He knew what he wanted to happen in each scene, but since he was going for a naturalistic feel with the documentary style, he didn’t write a lot of dialogue. Instead, he gave the actors timing cues and general directions and allowed them to ad-lib most of their dialogue.

The crew would keep the cameras rolling as the actors tried out a handful of variations on each scene. According to the DVD extras, Sharlto Copley was the cast member with the best improvisational skills.

4 The Script Was Inspired By Neill Blomkamp’s Childhood In Apartheid-Era South Africa

Blomkamp grew up in South Africa during apartheid. His script for District 9 was not based on historical research; it was based on real events that Blomkamp witnessed as a kid. Having grown up in South Africa during apartheid, Blomkamp had a first-hand account of how the restrictive and racist laws could corrupt and mutate a society, much like in his film.

The premise and titular setting of District 9 – and, indeed, a lot of specific plot points – were inspired by District Six in Cape Town.

3 A Sequel Has Been In And Out Of Development For Years

Ever since District 9 became a runaway hit, there have been persistent rumors about a sequel. Blomkamp has always insisted that he’d love to make a sequel to District 9 one day, but that he also has plenty of original ideas he’d like to bring to the screen first.

Over the years, Blomkamp has suggested the possibility of making a prequel to District 9, which would certainly be interesting. In more recent interviews, Blomkamp has referred to the sequel as District 10, suggesting he’s thought about it more and maybe come up with a story he’s happy with.

2 Thanks To This Film, Sharlto Copley Stumbled Into An Acting Career

Sharlto Copley had never acted before Blomkamp asked him to appear in his short film Alive in Joburg, and had never really considered a career in acting. When Blomkamp adapted his short into a feature film, he brought back Copley to star. The immense success of the film led Copley into an acting career he never pursued.

He has appeared in all of Blomkamp’s films since District 9 and has also taken roles in such Hollywood blockbusters as Maleficent and The A-Team, as well as smaller films like Free Fire and Hardcore Henry.

1 Five Alternative Endings Were Filmed

In addition to the ending that appears in the film, five alternative endings were filmed for District 9. One of these endings is apparently so bad that Blomkamp and Sharlto Copley are too embarrassed to provide any details on it.

Blomkamp has pledged that this version of the film’s ending will never see the light of day. All that is known about this ending is that, when it was shot, Copley got really dirty.

About The Author

Ben Sherlock
(3465 Articles Published)

Ben Sherlock is a writer, comedian, independent filmmaker, and Burt Reynolds enthusiast. He writes lists for Screen Rant and features and reviews for Game Rant. He’s currently in pre-production on his first feature (and has been for a while, because filmmaking is expensive). You can catch him performing standup at odd pubs around the UK that will give him stage time. Previously, he wrote for Taste of Cinema, Comic Book Resources, and BabbleTop.

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