 While War Dogs does get the essence of its story and characters correct, some creative liberties were taken to embellish certain things, namely the drama. This is a common practice in on-screen adaptations of true crime stories. One notable difference, Diverralli shooting a gun off after a deal fell through, as seen in the film's trailer and poster did not occur. This is, of course, a moment that shows Diverralli's obsession with money and power, but he wasn't as reckless in real life. In a similar fashion, none of the actions that take place in War Dogs actually happened either. Pacquiao and Diverralli did find themselves in precarious situations, but it was mostly from behind a computer screen. Phillips makes their job seem far more dangerous than it ever was to heighten the story. When the pair went abroad, it was for gun shows and the like. They never came under fire for transporting arms, and they never even went through Iraq's famous Triangle of Death either.