Michael Caine said "Won an Oscar, built a house, and had a great holiday. Not bad for a flop movie." He was paid $1.5 million for seven days work in the Bahamas, and the schedule was so tight that the producers were unable to spare him so he could attend the Academy Awards, and he went on to win the Best Actor in a Supporting Role Oscar for Hannah e suas Irmãs (1986).
Lorraine Gary briefly came out of retirement to reprise the role of Ellen Brody. This film stands as her final acting role to date.
Murray Hamilton was asked to reprise his role as the Mayor in a short appearance at the beginning of this movie, however, he died of cancer before filming started.
A crucial subplot involved Hoagie smuggling drugs onto the island. The scenes were shot, then deleted during post-production, because it took away from the main premise involving the shark. It's fully detailed in the novelization.
Was one of Judith Barsi's (Thea) last movies before her untimely death at the age of 10, one year after this movie's release. Lance Guest, who played her on-screen father Mike Brody, served as one of her pallbearers at her funeral.