The nomad who unearths the MARK-13 robot is played by Carl McCoy, lead singer of the goth rock band Fields of the Nephilim, who Richard Stanley had previously directed two music videos and designed an album cover. According to him, McCoy's character in "Hardware" is basically the same as it was in the Nephilim work. The character, then titled Preacher Man, had a prosthetic hand, yellow contact lenses and wore an old black coat with a cowboy hat.
In the original theatrical release, the 2000AD magazine short story "Shok", was not given a "Based on" credit, as the story of the film was based on the short story. On the 2009 DVD release, "Shok" was credited, after the end of the end credits, acknowledging the original story that inspired the film.
"Shok", the short story from the British magazine "2000AD" that the film is based on, was about Mike, a Strato-Bat Pilot, who buys the head of a Shok trooper robot as a gift for his artist girlfriend Lyn who then uses it for her metalwork. The Shok trooper robot reactivates and goes on a rampage in Lyn's apartment.
For his appearance as the cabbie, Lemmy was equipped with a bottle of Scotch and a genuine Magnum revolver. He emptied the bottle and drew the gun out from his shoulder holster. It slipped his hand and sank to the river. Divers were sent to recover it, but they were unsuccessful.