Jan Guillou wasn't sold at first on the idea of Carl Hamilton being played by Stellan Skarsgård, who he thought "looked like an asparagus." Skarsgård would end up playing Hamilton three times, more than any other actor, the other two titles being Förhöret (1989) and Den demokratiske terroristen (1992).
Stefan Sauk was offered the lead role but declined. He would later play Hamilton in Vendetta (1995) and Tribunal (1995).
Based on the first novel about Swedish intelligence officer Carl Hamilton.
Debut film of Gustaf Skarsgård as the son of Carl Hamilton's sister. Hamilton is played by Skarsgård's real-life father, Stellan Skarsgård.
Krister Henriksson, who plays Hamilton's colleague Fristedt, would go on to play his mentor DG in Hamilton (2020).