The word "prestige" originally meant a trick, from the Latin "praestigium", meaning "illusion".
The editing includes one hundred forty-six time jump cuts, in which the next shot either flashes back or skips ahead to another time period of the storyline. This averages to almost one timeline jump per minute of movie.
Nikola Tesla was a world-renowned inventor, physicist, and engineer. For a while, he conducted electrical experiments at his lab in Colorado Springs, where he was also known for his eccentric behavior.
Alfred Borden's infant was played by one of writer, producer, and director Sir Christopher Nolan's children.
Sam Mendes wanted to do this movie as his follow-up to Beleza Americana (1999), which had just been nominated for seven Academy Awards. Another offer came from Newmarket Films on behalf of writer, producer, and director Sir Christopher Nolan, of whom author Christopher Priest had never heard. Priest was prepared to close the deal with Mendes when a VHS copy of Nolan's Seguinte (1998) was delivered to his house by motorcycle (Amnésia (2000) was still in post-production). Priest was impressed, and chose Nolan (in part to also support a new filmmaker over an established one).
Ricky Jay: Milton, a stage magician. Jay, a Guinness record holder, magic historian, and accomplished close-up performer, does not usually perform stage illusions.