The film originally ended with the destruction of the world, but test audiences didn't like it, so a new, happier ending was shot on a soundstage in Burbank.
As a guest on The Chevy Chase Show (1993) on October 4, 1993, Dan Aykroyd tells a story about he and Chase being pursued by a truck full of paratroopers, while on-location in Morocco. Aykroyd had taken a snapshot of the military unit, who then pursued them at high speeds back to their hotel, where they evaded detection by abandoning their Jeep, and hiding inside a van with curtains in the windows. The next day, as a prank, Aykroyd had John Landis tell Chase that he had been arrested, and should expect them to be coming for him next.
The movie was inspired by Bob Hope and Bing Crosby's "Road" movies, thus explaining Bob Hope's cameo appearance of less than thirty seconds playing a round of golf through a tent.
In an interview on Today (1952) (included on the Saturday Night Live: The Best of John Belushi (2005)), Dan Aykroyd stated that the movie that would eventually become "Spies Like Us" was intended to star Aykroyd and John Belushi. Belushi's death shortly after the interview obviously prevented his participation.
The Russian phrase spoken by Dan Aykroyd to the Russian Agents is: "Chem men'she znaesh,' tem loocheh." This translates as: "The less you know, the better."
Frank Oz: The director of several hit movies, including "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" (1988), as well as performing Miss Piggy, Grover, and Yoda, is the FSB test administrator about fifteen minutes into the film.
John Landis: [filmmakers] Appearances by Directors Michael Apted, Martin Brest, Joel Coen, Larry Cohen, Costa-Gavras, Terry Gilliam, Frank Oz, Sam Raimi, filmmaker Ray Harryhausen, Cinematographer Robert Paynter, and Visual Effects Artist Derek Meddings.
John Landis: [See You Next Wednesday] On the recruitment poster behind the desk of the Commander of the Army training post.