I don’t know how many times I’ve rewatched Big Trouble in Little China, but it’s a lot. And, why not? It’s my favorite movie!

Well, on July 2nd, Big Trouble in Little China turns 40 years old, and this upcoming anniversary just makes me think about how much I love Kurt Russell’s character, Jack Burton (who?!), in the movie, because he seriously still rocks, even after all these years.

So, no offense to James Hong’s David Lo Pan, but today, I want to talk about ol' Jack Burton. And, if I’m not done talking about him by dawn…call the president.

For One Thing, Is There Any More Quotable Character In Cinema History Than Jack Burton?

Kurt Russell has played so many great characters (with cool lines) that I’m sure it’s kind of hard to settle upon one in particular. Quite a while ago, I talked about his role in Tango & Cash, which I consider a hidden gem, and just how outrageous he is in that movie, with such funny lines.

Well, despite all of the great, quotable characters Russell has played in his lengthy career, I think one would be hard-pressed to find another character who’s more quotable than Jack Burton. I mean, everything he says is quotable. For example, I use the lines, “I know. There’s a problem with your face.” “Everybody relax. I’m here,” and “Are you crazy? Is that your problem?” at least once a week.

What makes his lines so great is that anybody who hears them will know EXACTLY what movie you’re quoting, especially if you do it in the same cocky manner that Jack Burton always does it in. I mean, there are some movies (such as Schwarzenegger flicks like Commando) that are infinitely quotable, but none that I can think of where EVERY line of dialogue from one character is memorable. That’s something else entirely.

Also, What Other Movie Makes Its “Hero” The Sidekick Without Them Even Knowing It?

When I first saw this movie as a child, it actually scared me. I also didn’t realize that it was meant to be a comedy. When I watched it as an adult, I realized right off the bat that this movie was supposed to be funny, and the clearest indication is that Jack Burton thinks he’s the hero when he’s actually the sidekick to Wang Chi (Dennis Dun).

Throughout the film, Wang is really doing all of the work. Jack gets swept up into this world of magic (“the darkest magic…my soul swims in it.”) and the whole time, he thinks he’s really making a difference, when it’s really Wang handling all of the major issues, mostly through martial arts.

Sure, Jack ultimately kills Lo Pan when he catches a knife, then throws it right back at him (“It’s all in the reflexes.”), but for most of the film, Jack is a big goofball surviving by the seat of his jeans, and we wouldn’t have it any other way.

And, The Best Part Is, He’s Probably More Popular Today Than Ever Before

There are popular cult movies like Office Space, Army of Darkness, and Grandma’s Boy, and then there are SUPER popular cult movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Eraserhead, and Monty Python and the Holy Grail, and I think Big Trouble in Little China now fits comfortably in the latter category rather than the former.

And, it wasn’t always this way. There was a time when I feel like only a select few people had even heard of Big Trouble in Little China, as it was a flop upon release and found its home on regular TV, right alongside clunkers like Howard the Duck and The Garbage Pail Kids Movie. However, whereas those last two films feel like relics of the ‘80s, BTiLC feels more alive than ever.

There have been comics made of it, and I’ve seen plenty of people cosplaying as Jack Burton at many a Comic-Con. Because the thing is, tons of people love this movie now, and Kurt Russell’s portrayal of Jack Burton is the main reason why. So, happy 40th anniversary, BTiLC and Jack Burton! You really shook the pillars of Heaven.

Kurt Russell is the perfect amount of “Hollywood cool” where he can look at a classic modern western like Tombstone and think, “Not as good as it could have been.” He’s obviously a perfect fit for seemingly any of Taylor Sheridan’s original series, but it was the no-longer-a-Yellowstone-spinoff The Madison that swayed him to signing on for his second series hitting the 2026 TV schedule. He’s still a series regular on Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters (though presumably not the spinoff on the way centered on his character).

So what was it that drew him in? I’m sure whatever the payday was didn’t hurt, but Russell shared a couple of other non-monetary reasons why signing on for The Madison was worth his time and attention. Speaking with TV Insider, he shared that he was already aware of Michelle Pfeiffer’s casting as he was reading through the scripts, so it was already an embedded bonus to reunite with his Tequila Sunrise co-star. But the value went even beyond his on-screen love interest. As he put it:

To be expected, the writing and the characters were two of the biggest influences that convinced him to join the project. He didn't appear to rattle off how many of Sheridan's projects he's seen, but I can only imagine he made himself familiar with as much as he thought was necessary to get a feel for The Madison's tone and what its creator is trying to impart with the story.

But even beyond that, Kurt Russell's involvement as family patriarch Preston Clyburn was inherently tied to timing, as the actor's schedule was so busy that he technically wasn't able to take part in the production for Season 1. As he told Entertainment Weekly, filming for Monarch's acclaimed Season 2 (currently streaming via Apple TV subscription) was already in play when the opportunity to join The Madison crossed his path. But not even Godzilla and King Kong combined could keep Sheridan from lassoing Russell in.

Rather than waiting until after the usual between-seasons break, Sheridan shifted the second season's filming forward to immediately follow the first's, which allowed the Escape from New York star to join the Montana-set series to film all of his scenes across both seasons as the rest of the cast and crew were plugging away on the second batch of episodes. As Russell put it:

One can only hope it'll be as much of a pleasure for viewers as it was for him and Michelle Pfeiffer to work on together. Not to mention the rest of the stacked cast, which includes Patrick J. Adams, Mattew Fox, Elle Chapman, Amiah MIller, Beau Garrett, Kevin Zegers, Will Arnett and more.

Fans can find out what's awaiting us at The Madison when it hits the 2026 TV schedule on Saturday, March 14.

The best buddy cop movie of the ‘80s is…Lethal Weapon 2. Full stop. And, look, I’m not going to try to convince you otherwise. There’s a reason why we once called Lethal Weapon the “greatest action franchise of all time.”

It’s also why there have been so many sequels. The mismatched chemistry between Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is second to none. However, there’s another buddy cop movie from the ‘80s that I’m always surprised more people don’t talk about, and that’s 1989’s Tango & Cash starring Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell.

Tango & Cash is a bit by the numbers in a lot of ways. However, when was by-the-numbers ever a bad thing when the overall package is so much fun? That’s what Tango & Cash is. Fun! So, here’s why you should check it out if you haven’t already.

Tango & Cash Is Like If Cobra Met Jack Burton

You know, when you think about Stallone’s career, he sure has played a lot of cops. Of course, he played Judge Dredd in the 1995 version, and he also played Detective Sergeant Deke DaSilva in Nighthawks (which I really have to write about someday). He’s also a cop in Demolition Man, and even played it for laughs (if you can call them laughs) in Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot! My favorite cop movie starring Stallone is Cobra, where he plays the hard-as-nails titular character, rocking dark sunglasses and a bad attitude.

I only bring up this movie because Cobra, while trying to be a badass film, is actually pretty silly. Stallone drops cheesy one-liners, and that’s just like Lieutenant Raymond Tango in Tango & Cash, who plays the straight man to Russell’s jocular character.

In fact, one thing I love about Stallone in this movie is just how much he can poke fun at himself. For example, in one cool scene, a cop asks Tango who he thinks he is, and another cop responds, “He thinks he’s Rambo.” (Get it? Because Stallone is in the Rambo movies). But, Tango responds (in less PC words than I’m putting here, mind you) that Rambo sucks.

Funny stuff. Then, you have Kurt Russell, who plays the rival narcotics detective, Lieutenant Gabriel Cash. Russell is channeling his inner Jack Burton here from one of my favorite movies, Big Trouble in Little China, and it adds a huge dose of humor to the film. But, I think Stallone and Russell are equally funny in this movie, which I’ll get into next.

It’s Probably One Of The Best Buddy Cop Movies From The ‘80s When It Comes To Comedy

Now, here’s the thing about the Lethal Weapon series. All of them are funny, but it’s in 1989’s Lethal Weapon 2, when Joe Pesci arrives, that the series gets really funny. Yes, Glover and Gibson make for a humorous team, but I’d say that the first movie makes for a better action movie than it does a comedy. In fact, I’d say that it’s funny in the same way that Die Hard is funny (and also, I guess, a Christmas movie in the same way that Die Hard’s a Christmas movie)

However, Tango & Cash, which unfortunately only got one movie, is funny from the get-go. I think a great deal of that is because it gives Stallone a more subdued role. I’ll explain. Tango is a rather reserved narcotics detective. He wears nice suits and even does some trading on the stock market. When he jokes, it’s usually with a smile, but it’s also deadpan, which in itself is pretty funny coming from Stallone.

That said, Russell is nothing but manic energy, which is hilarious when juxtaposed with Stallone’s unamused expressions. Russell is also the one who gets some of the best scenes, like when he dresses up as a woman - with a slow pan up his body and everything - in order to escape a club, or, his many scenes screaming his head off, while everybody just looks at him funny (again, channelling that inner Jack Burton).

In the end, what I really love is that this movie never takes itself seriously, even in the action scenes, which are also pretty amazing. Oh, and about them…

The Action Is Really Great, Too!

Back in the ‘80s and ‘90s, there were plenty of action stars, but the two main ones of note were Schwarzenegger and Stallone. Now, personally, I was always more of a Schwarzenegger guy myself, but I would never turn down a Stallone action movie (like Daylight, which more people need to talk about, or Cliffhanger).

We get some of that classic Stallone-action here. From the very beginning, when Tango stands directly in front of a barrelling truck and unflinchingly starts shooting at it, to the end when both cops are facing down the big bad in a hall of mirrors, the whole movie never lets up. Jack Palance plays the main villain, and his underlings (who are in jail) - which I'll get into next - put our leads through the wringer with fights, shoot outs, and tense moments.

Now, is the action as good as in a movie like, say, Commando? Of course not, nothing is as good as Commando. But, does the action keep you invested all the way to the explosive conclusion? You're damn right, it does.

Which is why I'm always surprised that more people don't bring this movie up when they talk about awesome action movies. It might be because it came out in 1989, which was the same year as the already-mentioned Lethal Weapon 2. But, if it had come out in say, 1984 or ‘85 (around the same time as Rocky IV when Sly was at his peak), then I think it would be talked about a lot more today. Oh, well.

It Swerves In Unexpected Places

I've talked about the characters, the humor, and the action, but I haven't brought up the actual plot yet. While that might be secondary in some movies, like Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas for instance, the plot is actually really interesting in this movie, and it’s also full of twists.

Tango and Cash are the best of the best from their respective sides of L.A. As mentioned earlier, Tango is the cool-headed cop, while Cash is the hot-headed cowboy. They hate each other before they even meet since their reputations precede them. However, when they are eventually paired up, Jack Palance’s character, Yves Perret, frames them for murder and has them both thrown in jail. Now, I said in the intro that this movie is by-the-numbers, and it is, but it also swerves in creative ways, and mostly in how the two rival cops become friends.

It’s in prison where the two become allies, but what surprised me was when Cash’s former commanding officer, Matt Sokowski (Phil Rubenstein), is at the prison as well. He's now a warden, and he helps them escape. One might think that a large portion of the film would take place in the prison, but once they're out, there’s quite a bit of film left, as they go out in search of the witnesses who put them in jail.

It’s great stuff, and an excellent buddy cop movie from the ‘80s. So, if you’re a fan of Sly Stallone and Kurt Russell and somehow managed to miss this one, check it out. You won’t be disappointed.

1993’s Tombstone is considered to be one of the best Westerns of all time, and Kurt Russell is one of the big reasons for that. The late Val Kilmer even once said that the Wyatt Earp actor was “solely responsible for Tombstone’s success.” And yet, even with the movie having such an enduring legacy more than 30 years later, Russell’s strong take on what was ultimately delivered to the big screen has me wondering why we’ve never gotten that original version of Tombstone.

These days, Kurt Russell can be seen playing Lee Shaw in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, a role he shares with his son Wyatt Russell (who also has his own Monarch spinoff in the works). While they were promoting the Apple TV subscription-exclusive series to THR, the Escape from New York actor took some time to talk about Tombstone when the interviewer brought up that the elder Russell has said before how he wishes he could look at it through the audience’s eyes because he “can’t help but remember what the movie could have been.” Kurt Russell said to this:

Glory screenwriter Kevin Jarre penned the Tombstone script, and originally the plan was for him to direct the feature as well. However, Jarre was fired a month into principal photography by producer Andrew Vajna because he was falling behind schedule, and Rambo: First Blood Part II’s George P. Cosmatos was hired to take his place. However, Kurt Russell told True West in 2006 that it was really him who handled helming the rest of Tombstone, and that Cosmatos was a “ghost director” because Russell didn’t want to be credited for his behind-the-scenes work.

So with all those additional responsibilities on top of his acting, obviously that made Tombstone an especially stressful time for Kurt Russell. That’s the reason why, according to co-star Michael Biehn, he seems so “angry” in Stargate. When the THR interviewed followed up by asking if he’s been “able to make more peace” with what happened with the Tombstone script, Russell answered:

I’m not saying that Tombstone, which is also one of the best movies of the 1990s, should absolutely be remade, as there’s a lot more that could go wrong than right with such an endeavor. What I do wish is if Kevin Jarre’s unedited screenplay was made available so that we had a better idea of what Kurt Russell is talking about. It’s already a high honor to be considered one of the great Westerns, so for Russell to say Tombstone had the potential to be one of the greatest movies ever has me all the more curious about what we missed out on.

Tombstone can currently be streamed with on AMC+, which can easily be added on to your Prime Video subscription. As great of a Western as it is, I envy the people who live in the universe where the original screenplay was fully realized like Kurt Russell wanted. Russell will also be returning to the genre in the Paramount+ series The Madison, which premieres on the 2026 TV schedule March 14.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiered in 2023 to expand Legendary’s MonsterVerse franchise by further exploring the time between 2014’s Godzilla and its sequel, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. It quickly became one of the best shows on Apple TV, and now Monarch Season 2 is set to hit the 2026 TV schedule. Critics have seen the 10-episode drop, so what are they saying about Season 2’s new threat, Titan X? Does the new chapter fill in some Season 1 gaps?

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 picks up immediately after the Season 1 ending, with some new faces like Amber Midthunder joining the cast. Let’s get to the reviews, as David Caballero of Collider rates Season 2 a 7 out of 10, saying that while it’s far more uneven than the first season, it delivers the spectacle. Titan X is possibly the franchise’s best creation yet, and Keiko’s story remains the most fascinating. Caballero writes:

Tara Bennett of IGN gives it a “Great” 8 out of 10, saying the second season moves at a quick pace, with plenty of Titan set pieces and some major plot twists in both the past and present. The critic writes:

Hunter Ingram of AV Club gives the upcoming Apple TV series’ new season a B-, saying it struggles to stake its claim in a colossal world, often bogging down the fun with too much technical jargon. However, Titan X’s emotional arc is the most effective aspect of the new episodes, and Ingram agrees that Keiko drives the human side of things, writing:

Steven Scaife of Slant, meanwhile, gives the Monarch’s second season just 1.5 out of 4 stars, noting that while Titan X is a “respectable monster design,” there’s not enough Godzilla or Kong in Season 2. In fact, these 10 episodes are even more mired in family feuds and love triangles than Season 1. The critic continues:

Jeremy Mathai of SlashFilm agrees there was an overcorrection in trying to make the human stories more interesting, and in the end, Season 2 both lacks the bite of its namesake Titans and misses the “sheer pulpy thrills” of its big-screen brethren. Mathai rates it 5 out of 10 and says:

If you were a fan of Season 1 and you need to see where all of these stories lead — especially with the addition of Titan X - you can check out Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2 when it premieres Friday, February 27, with an Apple TV subscription. Episodes are released weekly.

Considering Kurt Russell has been acting in Hollywood since the 1960s, he’s seen the myriad of changes the industry has gone through across the past 60 years. Arguably the biggest change of them all lately is the prominence of streaming. (The 74-year-old star even has his own series among the 2026 TV schedule). So, when Top Gun: Maverick showed the big-screen blockbuster wasn’t a thing of the past, he reached out to the man that made it happen: Tom Cruise.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Russell revealed that Tom Cruise gave him hope regarding the future of the movie industry with Maverick. With that, Russell made sure the actor/producer knew about it. In his words:

After a couple of dismal years for Hollywood following the COVID-19 pandemic, Top Gun: Maverick was one of those big movies that helped prove there was still a big moviegoing audience who wanted to leave their homes for a great experience in a cinema. The film made nearly $1.5 billion worldwide during its 2022 box office run. It ended up being the No. 2 movie of that year, behind Avatar: The Way of Water’s $2.3 billion success. And, as of this writing, the Cruise-fronted flick sits at No. 15 of the highest-grossing movies of all time.

The movie also earned six Oscar nominations, winning one for Best Sound. Kurt Russell is just one of many celebrities who have sung Maverick's praises in recent years. Even Steven Spielberg memorably said that Cruise “saved Hollywood’s a–” and that Maverick “might have saved the entire theatrical industry.” It’s great to know Russell took the time to reach out to Cruise to commend him for what he achieved with the high-flying action film.

Both Cruise and Russell starred in Cameron Crowe’s 2001 film Vanilla Sky, and they seem to have a personal relationship, based on other comments Russell shared with EW. The seasoned actor reveled he actually helped Cruise learn how to fly a plane after he initially found that passion on the set of the original Top Gun. With that knowledge in mind, it's fair to say Russell's guidance (eventually) helped Maverick, given Cruise did get to do his own flying in the sequel after not doing any real aerial driving in the original 1986 film.

Tom Cruise is currently working on a third Top Gun movie and is set to star in the black comedy film Digger, which hits theaters this fall as part of the 2026 movie schedule. I'd like to think that Kurt Russell will continue to cheer on Cruise as he continues to bring new experiences to the big screen.

Kurt Russell is making headlines, and it has nothing to do with his packed 2026 movie schedule or his role in the Yellowstone spinoff The Madison. Instead, the longtime Hollywood icon is trending for a reason that somehow makes him even cooler. After decades of being quietly cool, Russell recently shared a story about airplanes, Top Gun, and a behind-the-scenes role he played in helping Tom Cruise become a legitimate, newsmaking, and accomplished pilot.

In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Russell looked back on his extensive history as a pilot and how that passion unexpectedly overlapped with Cruise’s career. After Top Gun launched Cruise into global superstardom, it also ignited a real interest in flying. Russell saw that enthusiasm firsthand and decided to help nurture it. As he explained:

It’s one of those stories that fits both men perfectly. Russell, the effortlessly capable veteran with a surprising number of real-world skills, and Cruise, the endlessly curious overachiever who turns every interest into a full-blown obsession. And Russell wasn’t the only one encouraging Cruise’s aviation journey. Director Sydney Pollack also played a part, famously gifting Cruise flying lessons after working together on The Firm.

From there, Cruise’s path was locked in. He didn’t just learn how to fly; he made it part of who he is. Whether it’s piloting his own helicopter to lunch or pushing himself toward death-defying stunts and extreme wing-walking feats, flying became inseparable from his persona. That commitment eventually carried over to the screen in films like American Made and, most notably, Top Gun: Maverick, where realism and practical flying were a huge part of the film’s appeal. Russell clearly clocked that dedication early on, and when asked about Cruise’s skills, he didn’t hesitate to sing his praises:

What makes this even more satisfying is how the legacy continues to extend outward. Cruise, much like Russell and Pollack before him, has paid it forward. His Maverick co-star Glen Powell has shared that Cruise personally covered the cost of his flight school, helping him earn a pilot’s license and cheering him on throughout the process.

The Once Upon a Time in Hollywood… actor may be grounded these days, but he’s still orbiting the Top Gun universe. He recently teamed up with Maverick director Joseph Kosinski for a high-energy Super Bowl commercial, alongside Lewis Pullman, keeping those aviation-adjacent vibes alive.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just a fun Hollywood anecdote. It’s a reminder that Cruise’s reputation for authenticity didn’t come out of nowhere, and that sometimes the most influential moments happen far away from a movie set. Kurt Russell didn’t just help Tom Cruise go flying, but quite possibly helped launch a passion that would shape an entire second act of Cruise's career.

Kurt Russell will next be seen in The Madison, debuting March 14 on the 2026 TV premiere calendar.

Taylor Sheridan fans have largely been kept in the dark regarding new and expansive details for his latest new western-tinged drama, but Paramount+ has finally unveiled the first look at the star-studded Yellowstone spinoff The Madison. So we finally know what to expect visually from its co-starring Hollywood icons Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell, as well as other regulars portrayed by Patrick J. Adams, Matthew Fox, Rebecca Spence and more. Plus, we finally know when it’ll hit the 2026 TV premiere schedule.

The Madison will be available to stream via Paramount+ subscription starting on March 14, which is a Saturday, bizarrely enough. (It’s unclear whether episodes will drop early in the day, or if this is more of a late-night/early-Sunday release.) So drum up a New York state of mind, at least initially, for the teaser below, which also reveals an unexpected casting reveal.

While the teaser doesn't exactly go hard on delivering story points, we do know from one of the earliest plot reports that Pfeiffer's Stacy Clayburn and her family move across the country to Montana after her husband and brother-in-law are killed in a plane crash. Certainly that could have changed on the way to production, since the teaser above doesn't go hard on tragic emotions, but considering Kurt Russell barely gets any time to shine (and neither does co-star Matthew Fox), I'm going to just assume that character pair won't survive the first episode. Maybe if those plane shots weren't in the teaser, I'd be more optimistic.

Despite still not knowing very much about any of these characters, the teaser does draw a pretty clear line of comparison between Pfeiffer's Stacy and Kelly Reilly's fan-favorite shitkicking protagonist Beth Dutton. They both have masculine AF hubbies, they both appear ready to flip a bitch at the first sign of trouble, and they also both have excellent taste in bathtub choices.

Beth's horse-trough bath early in Yellowstone's first season put that character on the map for her take-no-bullshit persona. So it makes all the sense in the world that The Madison's first look already shows Stacy in her own fancy-looking tub. Maybe this is more of a Taylor Sheridan thing, though, since 1883 also featured that bathtub scene between Tim McGraw and Faith Hill; I guess he just doesn't like standard fiberglass tubs.

Even though Beth didn't lose her husband during Yellowstone's run, she did suffer from grief and depression after Kevin Costner's John Dutton was killed off at the start of Season 5. Though she had others to direct her anger at, while Stacy may not have that kind of outlet.

Also, speaking of differences, Stacy is apparently seeing a therapist, as portrayed by newly revealed cast member Will Arnett. Beth's form of therapy was more shaped like whiskey and cigarettes, so I'm wondering how open Michelle Pfeiffer's character will get in that setting. Also wondering how much we'll see Arnett's character after Stacy moves the family out to Montana.

March will be a big month for Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone follow-ups. Before The Madison hits streaming, Luke Grimes and Breckin Merrill are reprising their roles of Kayce and Tate Dutton for CBS’ more action-oriented drama Marshals, which may or may not be killing off Monica Dutton. And both of those come before Kelly Reilly’s own return as Beth Dutton alongside Cole Hauser for the spinoff commonly referred to as Dutton Ranch. (Yellowstone vet Ian Bohen was recently cast for Season 2 of Lioness, but that hopefully doesn’t exclude his ranch hand Ryan from spinoff returns.)

The Madison will make its long-awaited debut on Paramount+ starting Saturday, March 14.

It’s been two years since Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiered to Apple TV+ subscription-holders, and there’s still no word about when or even if Season 2 will premiere on the 2026 TV schedule. But make no mistake, the next chapter of the MonsterVerse small screen tie-in is coming, with filming having wrapped back in March. Today brings us the biggest Monarch update since then, as it’s been officially revealed that a surprising character will be back in Season 2, and I’m now racking my brain about how this is possible.

Did you think we’d seen the last of Kurt Russell on Monarch: Legacy of Monsters after what happened in the Season 1 finale? Think again! He is confirmed to be reprising the older Lee Shaw in Season 2, as you’ll see in the below video shared on Instagram:

Ok, what’s going on here? When we last saw Kurt Russell’s Lee Shaw in the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 1 finale, he’d sacrificed himself during the escape from Axis Mundi to repair the vehicle that Cate Randa, May and Keiko were aboard so they could get back to the surface. Surely I wasn’t unreasonable for thinking he’d died, right? Well, I guess the rumors of his demise were greatly exaggerated, as the video ends with Russell saying on the Monarch set, “You ain’t getting rid of me that easy.”

Now some of you may point out that perhaps we’ll only see Russell reprising Lee through flashbacks, and I suppose that’s possible. However, the actor is clearly on the set for Skull Island, where Cate, May and Keiko ended up at the end of Monarch Season 1. So if you put the pieces together, not only did Lee survive that fall in Axis Mundi, he somehow managed to make it back to the surface. How did he manage to pull that off on his own? Or did the people at Apex Cybernetics, which has a base on Skull Island at this point in the MonsterVerse timeline, mount an operation to rescue him?

Whatever the explanation is, I’m certainly not complaining about this twist. The more Kurt Russell, the better! We’ll also see more of Wyatt Russell as the younger Lee Shaw in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters Season 2. Given that he was last chronologically seen being placed under house arrest in 1982, where he’d stay for the next 33 years, presumably we’ll look back on him in flashbacks taking place prior to his first trip into Axis Mundi.

Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe and Mari Yamamoto are among the other familiar faces who will be back for Monarch Season 2. Amber Midthunder has also come aboard to play Isabel, who is reportedly an “intelligent and powerful businesswoman.” With this Kurt Russell footage being unveiled, hopefully that means the show’s first trailer, accompanied by the premier date, will be released soon.

Many of the biggest action stars of all time, in the best action movies, got their start in the 1980s and 1990s when action movies really started to dominate Hollywood. Stars like Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie, and Keanu Reeves all started making their mark in those seminal decades in film. This gallery is a tribute to all the action stars who are still making movies today, but began their careers decades ago.

Keanu Reeves

While he broke out in comedies like Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and Parenthood, it wasn't long before Keanu Reeves was starring in big action flicks like Point Blank and Speed. Reeves isn't just an action star, but with the lead in two now-iconic franchises, The Matrix and John Wick, he definitely belongs near the top of any list like this.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie's career started early. She was just 6 years old when she appeared in her first movie in 1982 alongside her dad, Jon Voight. By the late '90s, she was on her way to becoming one of the biggest stars in the world. She got into action movies with films like Gone In 60 Seconds and her biggest franchise, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and while she has always kept one foot in more indie-type movies (including as a director), she's been a steady action star for decades.

Nicolas Cage

It's hard to come up with a Hollywood star with a more diverse acting career than Nicolas Cage. His rage is actually pretty amazing, and that certainly includes starring in some great action movies, like the iconic Con Air and the National Treasure movies.

Scarlett Johansson

Like a lot of actors on this list, Scarlett Johansson can't be pigeon-holed as simply an action star. She is, however, one of the major players in the MCU as Black Widow, and has starred in other action flicks like Jurassic World Rebirth and Lucy.

Wesley Snipes

Most of the biggest box office successes of Wesley Snipes' early career were comedies like Major League, Wildcats, and White Men Can't Jump. In the early '90s he transistioned into action movies with leading roles in the likes of New Jack City, Passenger 57, and Rising Son. He also starred in Demolition Man with Sylvester Stallone, and, of course, as Blade in three movies.

Halle Berry

You might not think of Halle Berry as an action star... until you remember how many superhero movies she's starred in. Not only was she an important part of the X-Men franchise, but she was also Batwoman in 2004 and has also starred in John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, and others.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

This one is a little tricky. Technically, action movie legend Arnold Schwarzenegger had his first role way back in 1970 with Hercules in New York, but that was really a one-off B-movie that was soon forgotten. After he spent the 1970s winning every bodybuilding trophy on Earth, he entered Hollywood properly in 1982 when he starred in Conan the Barbarian. Everything since is action history.

Robert Downey, Jr.

Robert Downey, Jr. doesn't jump off the page as an action star. The Oscar winner has proven he can star in any genre, but as the anchor of the MCU movies for more than a decade, he definitely belongs on this list.

Tom Cruise

There's nothing to be said about Tom Cruise that hasn't already been written, right? One of the biggest stars in Hollywood history, Cruise has starred in action movies like Top Gun and its sequel, a couple of Jack Reacher movies, the Mission: Impossible franchise, and great one-offs like Edge of Tomorrow, War of the Worlds, and Minority Report, to name just a few. Plus, he famously does a ton of his own stunts, which shows just how much he belongs on any list of big action stars.

Milla Jovovich

Milla Jovovich started as a model, but transitioned to movies with films like Return to the Blue Lagoon and Dazed and Confused. Soo,n though, she started popping up in legendary action movies like The Fifth Element and, most notably, as Alice in six Resident Evil movies.

Jean-Claude Van Damme

In the '80s, a whole slew of action-first stars emerged, and one of the most popular was Jean-Claude Van Damme. Van Damme first gained fame in No Retreat, No Surrender, and followed that with hits like Bloodsport and Cyborg.

Linda Hamilton

Director James Cameron can be divisive, but you can't argue that he knows how to create female action star leads with great parts and great casting. Linda Hamilton is a legend from her appearances in the Terminator movies over the years.

Kurt Russell

Okay, we have to acknowledge that Kurt Russell's career started when he was a child star with Disney way back in the 1960s. In the '80s, he fully dove into action flicks in a big way with movies like Escape from New York, The Thing, and Big Trouble in Little China, all directed by one of the decade's best directors, John Carpenter. He's since been in a slew of action movies.

Mel Gibson

With the Mad Max franchise and the Lethal Weapon movies, Mel Gibson would be on this list even if those were his only movies. Of course, he has so much more, like Braveheart, Ransom, and many of the other best action movies of the '90s.

Thandiwe Newton

Thandiwe Newton debuted in 1991's comedy Flirting, and in the '90s and beyond, she's starred in action movies like Mission: Impossible 2, The Chronicles of Riddick, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and 2012. She's also starred in TV shows like Westworld that fit in this genre, too.

Dolph Lundgren

One of the pillars of cheesy (and awesome) '80s action is the great Dolph Lundgren. From fantasy heroes like He-Man in 1987's Masters of the Universe to communist boxers like Ivan Drago in Rocky IV, he's been a staple for decades in lots of action movies, including part of the O.G. cast in The Expendables franchise.

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu kicked off her career in the early '90s, and before too long, she started doing some awesome action movies. Probably the most notable are the Charlie's Angels movies and the Kill Bill movies, but she's also got some less-well-known ones like The Man with the Iron Fists, directed by RZA, and even superhero movies, like Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

Jason Statham

Like other actors on this list, Jason Statham didn't start in true action flicks. His first roles were in the Guy Ritchie films Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, but within a couple of years, he became a full-blown action hero in The Transporter and The Italian Job. Now it seems like he's in all the biggest action franchises, like The Expendables and the Fast & Furious movies.

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is one of the most versatile actresses in Hollywood. She won an Oscar for her portrayal of serial killer Aileen Wuornos in the terrifying true story Monster. She's also been in acclaimed dramas like The Road, Cider House Rules, and Bombshell. Of course, she's starred in a whole slew of great action movies like Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, Æon Flux, and a few of the Fast & Furious movies.

Jet Li

Jet Li started out in movies in Hong Kong in the early 1980s, where he quickly established himself as one of the great martial arts stars in Chinese-language films. After a decade and a half in Hong Kong, he moved to Hollywood in the late '90s, starring first as the villain in Lethal Weapon 4 in 1998. He became such a big action star that he was included in the first three Expendables movies.

Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner might not seem like the typical action star, but he definitely is. Movies like Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, The Postman, and the incredibly underrated Waterworld prove that when he wants to be, he can be a great action hero.

Michelle Yeoh

Like some other actors on this list, Michelle Yeoh starred in martial arts movies in Hong Kong in the '90s. Her breakout film in the West was as Wai Lin in the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies, where she showed the whole world her stage fighting and stunt skills. Since then, she's been in hits like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and, of course, Everything Everywhere All at Once, for which she won the Oscar for Best Actress.

Bruce Willis

There's no way this list would be complete without the great Bruce Willis! Die Hard will always be one of the best action movies of all time and in many ways helps define what a action movie in the 1980s looked and felt like. Only Willis could have pulled off the the wit and charm of John McClane. He's been in a ton of action movies since, of course. He is now retired, due to his health, but he worked right up until he no longer could.

Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz took a long hiatus from acting, finally returning in the 2025 Netflix release, appropriately called Back in Action. While she may be best known for her roles in romcoms like There's Something About Mary and The Mask and dramas like Gangs of New York and Vanilla Sky, she's had her fair share of action hits too, like Charlie's Angels and Knight and Day.

Steven Seagal

It's easy to forget just how huge an action star Steven Seagal was in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He actually sort of dominated the box office with movies like Hard To Kill, Above The Law, Mark For Death, and Out For Justice. He reached the artistic pinnacle of his career with 1992's Under Siege. It's not just a great movie for teenage boys like his first four movies; it's legitimately a great movie, with great performances from Seagal, Tommy Lee Jones, and Gary Busey. Sure, he's not making movies on that level anymore, but he's still been churning out straight-to-video-type releases for decades.

Peter Weller

Peter Weller's breakout came in The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension in 1984, but he really hit the big time with 1987's classic RoboCop. Sure, it was insanely violent, but RoboCop had a unique political message, too. Weller's been going strong ever since.

Robert Patrick

The iconic T-1000 in Terminator 2 became one of the great action villains of the 1990s. Robert Patrick played the role of the callous, cold robot killer perfectly. It established him as a legit action star, and he's been busy ever since.

Mickey Rourke

Mickey Rourke isn't only an action star. In fact, most of his roles have been in serious dramas, starting with movies like The Pope of Greenwich Village and 9½ Weeks in the 1980s, but he's definitely proven his action bona fides with roles in Iron Man 2, Sin City, and The Expendables.

Matt Damon

Anyone who has starred as Jason Bourne in four films deserves to be on this list. Sure, Matt Damon might not be the first actor you think of as an action hero, but come on! You can't deny that he belongs on this list for those films alone. Throw in movies like The Martian and Elysium, and he definitely should be here.

Dwayne Johnson

We're making a slight exception here. Technically, Dwayne Johnson's first movie credit came in 2001 in The Mummy Returns, but he had been quite famous for years for his work in the WWE throughout the 1990s. So while he didn't get his start in movies until later, he was a well-established star years before that. Of course, in the two and a half decades since his first movie role, he's become one of the biggest action heroes of all time.

Zoe Bell

This is another interesting case. Zoe Bell's first acting role in a movie was in Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof in 2007. However, she had already built a legendary career as a stunt woman going back to the 1990s. With the Academy Awards (finally) adding a trophy for best stunts, we're going to include Bell here, because she's been performing in movies for decades.

Will Smith

He started as a rapper, then got into acting with comedy, and in the '90s, Will Smith became a big action star with movies like Independence Day, Bad Boys, and Men in Black. He's proven to be a very versatile actor over the years, starring in every genre of film you can think of.

The new Smurfs movie is the latest of 2025 movie releases, and it makes for another animated film jam-packed with huge talent. Along with Rihanna being highly-publicized for playing Smurfette and having her first song in years in the movie, a ton of other big names are part of the cast. When CinemaBlend spoke to one of them, Poker Face’s Natasha Lyonne, about being among the cast, she had some funny remarks.

Natasha Lyonne plays a fuzzy snooterpoot called Mama Poot alongside the likes of James Corden, John Goodman, Nick Offerman, Dan Levy, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer, Nick Kroll, Hannah Waddingham, Kurt Russell, Xolo Maridueña, Billie Lourd, and Marshmello, and that’s not even the whole cast list. When I asked if there’d be any Smurfs voice cast dinner parties coming up, here’s what Lyonne had to say:

If Natasha Lyonne is asking me why Rihanna isn’t texting her, she’s got a little problem here. Because I definitely don’t have that connection. Anyway, can you imagine sharing a credit with all these incredible actors and not getting a chance to meet them? Natasha Lyonne shared that she has gotten a chance to connect with a couple of them on the press tour, but Rihanna remains an enigma to her. As she continued:

Natasha Lyonne has been booked and busy as of late, between starring in Poker Face Season 2, having a role in Fantastic Four: First Steps and also lending her voice to another summer animated movie, The Bad Guys 2. Lyonne quipped that she was “delighted and surprised” to learn she was wanted for a Smurfs movie, but wouldn’t be playing one. Here’s her character below:

When I asked Lyonne how she might react to being in the same room as Rihanna and Russell should there ever be a Smurfs dinner party, she also shared her thoughts. In her words:

It sounds like Lyonne would really be connecting the whole cast together, and perhaps getting them on new projects together if she really was in the same breath as Rihanna and Kurt Russell. Anyways, the new Smurfs movie follows Corden’s “No Name Smurf” who is just trying to find his thing like the other Smurfs in their village when he suddenly starts noticing magical abilities. However, his new gift leads to Papa Smurf being kidnapped and the Smurfs going on an adventure to rescue him and the universe at large.

You can check out what critics are saying about Smurfs, and see it in theaters now.

Some of the most enduring stars got their starts more than six decades ago, and they are still going strong today. Stars like Harrison Ford, Dame Judi Dench, Jeff Bridges, and even Jodie Foster have been acting their whole lives, and their amazing careers will live on forever. Here is our list of amazing actors who started in the 1960s and are still working today.

Robert Duvall

After cutting his teeth with some television appearances starting in 1959, Robert Duvall made one of the most memorable film debuts of all time as Boo Radley in 1962's To Kill A Mockingbird. Duvall hasn't stopped stealing scenes in the 60+ years since. He's starred in some of the greatest movies ever, like The Godfather, and won an Oscar for Tender Mercies. His most recent credit is The Pale Blue Eye from 2022.

Sally Field

Sally Field is truly America's sweetheart. Her breakout role came on the classic TV show Gidget, and she's starred in some legendary movies and TV shows ever since. With roles in movies as diverse as Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump, and Fried Green Tomatoes, Field has proven she can handle any role she takes on.

Clint Eastwood

There are no bigger legends in Hollywood history than Clint Eastwood. Not much has been said here. His career started in earnest with Spaghetti Westerns, and he's been directing and starring in movies ever since.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Henry Fonda, so it's no surprise that she started her career at a young age. Her first credit goes all the way back to 16960's Tall Story, and she's still starring in movies today, like 2023's 80 for Brady.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman's career really didn't take off on screen until the 1980s (though he had plenty of credits in the '70s, too). He started mostly on stage in the 1960s and kept his focus there until landing a TV gig in 1971 on PBS's The Electric Company. Today, he remains one of America's most beloved stars.

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine made her film debut way back in 1955 and by the 1960s was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Her star has never dimmed in the decades since, either, with memorable roles in Downton Abbey and the live-action The Little Mermaid in 2018.

Dustin Hoffman

When you burst onto the scene in a movie like The Graduate, as Dustin Hoffman did in 1967, it's pretty much a guarantee you're going to be a star. In the 60 years since that seminal movie, Hoffman has won countless awards and starred in everything from comedies like Tootsie to dramas like Rain Man, getting nominated for Oscars for both (and winning his second for the latter).

Faye Dunaway

If you look at a list of the best movies of all time, you'll notice Faye Dunaway in the credits of many of them. Starting with Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, right up until the 2020s. She took a small hiatus in the teens, but has been back working regularly since.

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell's career started when he was just a kid, often starring in Disney projects. It's even Hollywood folklore that Walt Disney's last words were when he scrawled Russell's name on a piece of paper. Though there is no way to know when the note was written. Still, for the better part of seven decades, Kurt Russell has been a Hollywood superstar.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (you know they are important when they get a title like "Dame") started in film in 1966, and that was after having already started acting professionally on stage in the UK. She's never stopped, including starring in the recent hit MobLand on Paramount+

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins' first credited film role came in the Shakespeare adaptation The Lion in Winter in 1968 alongside Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn. He's since become one of the most beloved actors of his generation and has won countless awards and accolades.

Jodie Foster

If you look at Jodie Foster's credits, you might think she started in the 1970s as a teenager, but she was starring in commercials as far back as 1967 when she was just three years old.

Jeff Bridges

When you have a legend for a father like Jeff Bridges with Lloyd Bridges, its not hard to understand how he got his start so young. His amazing career in the decades since can only be credited to his immense talent, charm, and charisma on and off screen. And that's not, like, my opinion, man, it's a fact.

Rita Moreno

Puerto Rican superstar Rita Moreno can do it all. She can act, she can sing, and she can dance, and she's been dancing into our hearts since she first way back in 1950! For those of you counting, that's EIGHT decades of excellence.

Judi Dench

Like Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Judy Dench started in the theater, especially doing Shakespeare plays. Her first professional stage credits date back to 1957, and right up through the 2020s, she's been a favorite of millions. One of the best actors of her generation, it's crazy she's only won one Oscar (for Shakespeare in Love).

Harrison Ford

The first thing you might think of when you think of Harrison Ford is Star Wars or Indiana Jones. It's true that it was those movies in the late '70s and early '80s that made him a superstar, but his career started humbly with roles in movies like A Time for Killing and Luv in 1967.

Sophia Loren

For more than 70 years, Sophia Loren has been a star in Europe and the United States. She started in her native Italy in 1950 before coming Stateside in 1958 when she signed on to star in movies for Paramount. Before long, she was a superstar on both sides of the pond.

Warren Beatty

Like his co-star in Bonnie and Clyde, Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty has been a star in Hollywood for decades. He's also been discerning in the roles he's taken over the years, so he doesn't have a long list of credits like most of the people on this list. That's not because his star dimmed. He's just particular, and that is something we all strive for.

Barbra Streisand

What can we really say about Barbra Streisand? She's a legendary singer and actor, and she's equally well-known for both. There are few stars as enduring and amazing as "Babs."

Robert Redford

Though he is officially retired now, Robert Redford is still one of the biggest Hollywood stars today (and ever). His career started with early roles on shows like The Twilight Zone, and by the time he hung up his cleats, so to speak, the star of The Natural was one of the biggest stars in the history of the industry.

Blythe Danner

Like many on this list, Blythe Danner started her professional career on Broadway and Off-Broadway in the 1960s. Her first movie credit came in 1972, but by then, she was a seasoned pro. She may be best known as the mother of Gwyneth Paltrow these days, but that is selling her way short, as she's been an award-winning actress for decades.

Al Pacino

Famously, Al Pacino entered the American consciousness in 1972's The Godfather, but he'd been working for a few years at that point, mostly on stage. His film debut was in Me, Natalie, alongside Sopranos cast member Nancy Marchand. He has been widely considered one of the best actors of his generation ever since.

Ellen Burstyn

Though her breakthrough didn't come until 1971 with The Last Picture Show, Ellen Burstyn had been picking up small roles on TV shows for years at that point. She has since gone on to win an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe Award. Not too shabby.

Robert De Niro

When you ask someone who the best actor of the last 60 years is, there is a decent chance Robert De Niro will be the name that comes out of their mouth. For many, many decades, De Niro has been stealing scenes and working his tail off to be the best actor he can be. He's gained weight for roles, dropped weight for others, and gotten completely cut for still others. All the while delivering his trademark charm and skills.

Cher

If you could turn back time and you were taking bets in the 1960s that Cher would still be one of the biggest stars in the world in the 2020s, you would probably get pretty good odds that she wouldn't be. She's proven everyone wrong, winning an Oscar for Moonstruck and continuing to wow audiences with her concerts.

Martin Sheen

It's hard to say just what role Martin Sheen will be best remembered for long after he's gone. Will it be Jeb Bartlett on The West Wing? Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Apocalypse Now? Carl Fox in Wall Street? Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg? What is for sure is that Sheen, who landed his first movie role in 1967, will be remembered fondly by millions of fans.

Vanessa Redgrave

English actress Vanessa Redgrave got her star in period pieces like A Man For All Seasons and Camelot in the 1960s. She parlayed that into a decades-long career that is still going, including a role in Cold Storage in 2025.

Ian McKellen

For modern generations, Ian McKellen is known for his roles as Gandalf the Grey and Magneto, but his career is so, so much more. One of the great Shakespearean actors of the last 60 years, he's been starring on stage and screen since the mid-'60s.

Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen found her biggest fame in the 1990s with Murphy Brown, but her career started way back in 1966 in the Sidney Lumet film The Group. She was a model before that, and has turned in role after beloved role on TV and in films.

Ron Howard

These days, Ron Howard is pretty much sticking just to directing, and he's an ace director to be sure. He famously started his Hollywood career as a kid in the 1950s and became a child star in the '60s as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show. He later starred in Happy Days, before getting behind the camera and becoming one of the great directors of his time.

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn first became a household name in 1968 when she starred in Laugh-In. She's been a star ever since, including starring in a slew of box office hits in the '70s and '80s. There is no question she is one of the funniest actors of her generation, and now she's also the mother to some big stars, too, in Wyatt Russell and Kate Hudson. Not a bad legacy to leave.

Patrick Stewart

Like others on this list, Patrick Stewart will be best known for roles that came in the second half of his career, like Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor X in The X-Men series. Of course, his career is much more than those two roles. It's a career that started in TV in the '60s on British shows like Coronation Street and Civilisation.

Having grown up in the 1990s, a decade full of great movies, Tombstone was a major part of my upbringing. With all those iconic quotes, unforgettable characters like Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Johnny Ringo, and some of the best shootouts ever filmed, there are plenty of reasons why this is considered one of the best Westerns of all time.

Until recently, I hadn’t watched the great Kurt Russell movie in years, and in doing so, I realized something I had long forgotten: the movie does one character dirty. No, it’s not Doc, Wyatt, or any of the Earp brothers (or Cowboys, for that matter). Instead, it’s the lawman-turned-proprietor-turned-U.S.-marshal’s common-law wife, who is given the short end of the stick on multiple occasions. Let me explain…

Tombstone Is An All-Time Great Western And Wyatt Earp Is A Great Character

When it comes to iconic Westerns, few movies come close to the magnificence of Tombstone and its story about new beginnings, redemption, reluctant heroes, and righteous vengeance (and great mustaches, but that’s beside the point). From the time I first saw Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday take on the Cowboys behind the O.K. Corral at a friend’s house as a kid, I’ve been mesmerized by the movie, and it honestly gets better with age.

Though Kurt Russell’s characters from John Carpenter movies will always take up prime release in my heart, his take on Wyatt Earp is undeniably iconic (and not just because that’s a first-ballot Hall of Fame mustache he’s rocking). The lines, that reluctance to take on the Cowboys because he knows what it’ll bring, his slapping Billy Bob Thornton, and then later calling folks “curs,” it’s all great. I mean, his transformation from beginning to end is wonderfully powerful, and it’s a journey I never mind taking over and over again.

But The Way He Treats His Wife, Mattie Blaylock, Is Outrageous

I know I just said Wyatt Earp is one of Kurt Russell’s most badass characters, but you know what’s not badass about the historic figure, at least how he is portrayed in Tombstone? Well, the way he treats his common-law wife, Mattie Blaylock (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson), throughout the movie.

I mean, this guy pretty much wants nothing to do with her before they even get to the titular town of Tombstone early in the runtime. Sure, there’s that wholesome shot of the Earp brothers with their brides looking at their reflection in a storefront window, but then he starts harping on her about taking too much laudanum all the time. And it just gets more outrageous from there as he becomes too wrapped up in the goings-on of town and his infatuation with Josephine Marcus (Dana Delany).

He’s off shooting, gambling, going on long horse rides with a famous actress while his wife is lonely at home with nothing to do but be confused about her husband and what he wants out of life.

Mattie Is Treated Like A Cold, Lifeless Junkie Throughout

While Wyatt Earp and his brothers and turning around the fortunes of the Oriental Saloon and making Tombstone an even more bustling frontier town throughout the movie, Mattie is just there on the sidelines doing nothing. Treated like a cold, lifeless junkie who’s so hopped up on pharmaceuticals she can’t keep up with her husband and his happenings, the character seems like an afterthought at times, which is a shame considering she was such a big part of the real Wyatt Earp’s life, at least for a time there.

Whenever something big happens, whether it be the Cowboys riding into town causing mischief, someone getting shot in the street, or Morgan Earp (Bill Paxton) dying on a pool table after being shot in the back, Mattie is just there. I get that the movie is loosely based on historical figures, but there wasn’t anything positive to share about Mattie?

And Wyatt, when he’s not pining over Josephine and trying to find a way to make it work, or slapping the crap out card dealers, constantly belittles his wife about her addictions and treats her more like a child or younger sibling than someone with whom he shares a bed. Instead of helping her or at least asking her what’s going on, Wyatt offers no solutions.

I Just Kept Feeling Sorry For Her More This Time Around

Though I will admit that it seemed like Wyatt and Mattie’s relationship was never on the best of terms, and it seemed like a matter of convenience instead of love, I found myself feeling sorry for her more and more as the movie went on. Just imagine spending years with someone, traveling across the American West with them, planning on making a life with them, and then having them meet and fall in love with another woman as soon as they reach their destination? Like, what is that?

Again, Mattie wasn’t the best person, but Wyatt Earp was pretty much slowly breaking up with her the entire time they were in Tombstone, but wasn’t brave enough to just call it off. Well, he did send her on the train with Virgil (Sam Elliott) and his wife before everything went to hell in town, but honestly felt like a copout to get rid of her and not have it hang over his head.

Then The Movie Ends With Her Having An Off-Screen Overdose. Wild!

The real icing on the cake when it comes to Tombstone doing Mattie Blaylock dirty is in the final minutes of the movie. When the narration is revealing what happened to all the major characters, Mattie’s fate seems like nothing more than a footnote, as it’s revealed she overdosed not long after leaving Tombstone. And what’s being shown on the screen while Mattie’s fate is discussed ever so briefly? Well, it’s just Wyatt Earp and Josephine Marcus dancing and kissing in the snow. Just rub it in, already.

Is the treatment of Mattie Blaylock enough to ruin Tombstone for me or anyone else who watches? No, not really. But it still bums me out that the character was treated with such disrespect and disregard when she clearly needed help or at least some attention.

There is no question that Tombstone is one of the best Westerns ever made, and as this list proves, it's easily the most quotable. If we're honest here, almost every line in the movie is quotable. While we can't just reproduce the script here, we can offer many of the lines we love the most. So, without further ado, our list of quotes that make Tombstone the most quotable Western ever.

"I'm your huckleberry"

You know this one had to be on the list. Doc Holliday in Tombstone is arguably Val Kilmer's best role, and his most famous line has to be when he is facing down Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn) towards the very end of the movie. It certainly scares Ringo.

"You gonna do somethin' or just stand there and bleed?"

Almost as soon as Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell) and his brothers get to the town of Tombstone, Wyatt takes over the faro game at one of the saloons. The man he takes it over for, Johnny Tyler, played wonderfully by Billy Bob Thornton, has a lot to say, but nothing to back it up.

"All right, Clanton... you called down the thunder, well now you've got it!"

Wyatt Earp's revenge ride, at least how it's portrayed in the movie, starts with Wyatt taking out his first few Cowboys on a train platform after his brother leaves town. He leaves one man alive, Ike Clanton (Stephen Lang), so he can carry Wyatt's message back to the rest of the Cowboys.

"Listen, Mr. Kansas Law Dog. Law don't go around here. Savvy?"

Ike Clanton is one of the most memorable characters in Tombstone, and easily his most iconic line comes when the Cowboys first introduce themselves to Wyatt as the former lawman deals cards in the saloon. After Curly Bill (Powers Boothe) explains the situation in Tombstone, Ike backs up the words succinctly. There isn't much law in the mining town.

"Already got a guilty conscience. Might as well have the money, too."

It only takes a few moments for the movie to set the stage. Wyatt and the other Earps arrive by train into Tucson on their way to strike it rich in Tombstone. Wyatt's reputation as a legendary lawman precedes him, but he's not interested in becoming a sheriff again. That much, he makes clear.

"If we're gonna have a future in this town, it's gotta have some law and order!"

Virgil Earp (Sam Elliott) is as no-nonsense as his brother, Wyatt, and his reputation as a lawman was just as legendary at the time. Though he joined his brothers in Tombstone to strike it rich, it doesn't take long before he returns to fighting crime. Wyatt is upset, but Virgil has his reasons.

"I have nothing left, nothing to give you, I have no pride, no dignity, no money, I don't even know how we'll make a living, but I promise I'll love you the rest of your life"

It's easy to forget, among all the machismo in Tombstone, that there is also a pretty love story between Wyatt and Josephine (Dana Delaney) in the movie as well. Wyatt delivers some classic lines in that regard, including laying his cards on the table about how he envisions their life together. Luckily, she's rich.

"I have two guns, one for each of ya."

The real-life Doc Holliday was a legendary gunman and a legendary drunk. In this one life, he pretty much sums up just how confident he is in both those skills. When he's accused of seeing double, he retorts with a classic line that has become one of the most quoted in the movie.

"That's not what he said, you ignorant wretch. Your Spanish is worse than your English."

Johnny Ringo is a stylish bad guy and an associate of the Cowboys. He's also the smartest of the bunch, and in the beginning, after a priest condemns a group of Cowboys after they murder a wedding party, Johnny cuts down when his fellow Cowboys and explains what the priest was saying before Ringo shot him dead.

"I don't think I'll let you arrest us today, Behan."

Johnny Behan, played by The Closer's Jon Tenney, is the corrupt sheriff of Tombstone who aligns himself with the Cowboys. After the most famous moment in the movie, the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, takes place, the sharp-dressed sheriff tries to arrest the Earps. Wyatt disagrees.

"All right, 'lunger'. Let's do it."

Tombstone is filled with great language from a bygone era. "Lunger" is one of those terms you hear and might not understand the context at first. When Ringo calls Holliday a lunger at their showdown, he's making fun of Holliday's health, as Holliday is dying of tuberculosis.

"You're a daisy if you do."

Val Kilmer had a lot of amazing lines to deliver in one of his best roles, and this one is right up near the top. It happens right at the end of the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, when it appears Doc Holliday is out of bullets. As a cowboy takes aim, Doc dares the man to shoot. Of course, that was a bad idea, and the Cowboy should've just let things be.

"Go ahead, skin it! Skin that smokewagon and see what happens!"

"Smokewagon" has to be one of the best ways to say "gun" in the history of the English language. In that amazing confrontation between Johnny Tyler and Wyatt, Tyler starts to draw, then thinks better of it. Wyatt dares him to pull out the pistol, but Tyler relents.

"Remember what I said about people seein' a bright light before they die? It ain't true. I can't see a damn thing."

Morgan Earp, played by the late Bill Paxton, is the youngest and most naive Earp brother. Unlike his older brothers, he's got a more philosophical outlook on life, and, it turns out, death. After he's fatally shot by the Cowboys, he reminisces with Wyatt about what he believed happened when someone died, but tragically, it's not how it turns out to be for him.

"No need to go heeled to get the bulge on a tub like you."

Many people find themselves rewinding over and over to figure out exactly what Wyatt says to Johnny Tyler as their confrontation begins at the faro table. Wyatt immediately insults Tyler, and it only gets worse from that for Billy Bob Thornton's character.

"Why Ed does this mean we're not friends anymore? You know Ed, if I thought you weren't my friend... I just don't think I could bear it!"

The introduction of one of Val Kilmer's best characters comes near the beginning of the movie, and he's playing cards. After being accused of cheating, he takes offense and wonders why his opponent is so upset. All while tickling the ivory handle of one of his pistols. It's hard to believe Kilmer wasn't always the first choice for the role of Doc; originally, Willem Dafoe was who the producers wanted.

"Why Johnny Ringo, you look like somebody just walked over your grave."

The final confrontation between Doc and Ringo is classic Western stuff. Ringo wasn't ready for Doc, but Doc was more than ready for Ringo.

"Look at all the stars. You look up and you think, "God made all this and He remembered to make a little speck like me." It's kind of flattering, really."

There are some moments of sweet levity in Tombstone, and often they come from Morgan Earp, and his philosophical pondering.

"I'm gettin' tired of your gas. Now jerk that pistol and go to work!"

Finally, Wyatt has had enough of Johnny Tyler's "gas" and tells him the fight is on. Tyler is far too scared to draw his pistol, though, and eventually Wyatt hauls him out of the saloon by his ear like a petulant child.

"I'm an oak alright."

This classic line is a throwback to earlier in the movie when Wyatt first sees Josephine in the saloon. He tries to explain to Doc that he's a married man and will stand by his vows. Doc calls him an "oak" when Wyatt rebuffs Josephine. Later, Wyatt sarcastically thinks back to that as he chases Josephine on horseback.

"My dear, you've set your gaze upon the quintessential frontier type. Note the lean silhouette... eyes closed by the sun, though sharp as a hawk. He's got the look of both predator and prey."

Billy Zane has one of the more under-appreciated roles in the movie as a traveling actor alongside Josephine. He does have one glowing moment, however, when he sums up Josephine's type of man by describing Wyatt.

"From now on I see a red sash, I kill the man wearing it. So run you cur. And tell the other curs the law is coming. You tell 'em I'm coming! And Hell's coming with me you hear! Hell's coming with me!"

Wyatt Earp's revenge ride is pretty much the whole third act of the movie, and it all starts when he lays down his threat to Ike Clanton and the rest of the Cowboys after taking some of them out after they killed Morgan and shot Virgil.

"Very cosmopolitan."

One of the funniest lines comes, unsurprisingly, from Doc Holliday. It's subtle, but after listening to Behan prattle on about how sophisticated Tombstone has become, four gunfighters spill into the street and duel it out in front of them all. Very cosmopolitan.

"Oh. Johnny, I apologize; I forgot you were there. You may go now."

Poor Johnny Tyler just can't get any respect. When he returns to confront Wyatt after losing his faro game, Doc dismisses him without giving him any respect.

"Fight's commenced! Get to fightin' or get away!"

Ike Clanton is a despicable character in Tombstone, and he's at his worst when he begs to get out of the gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Wyatt tells him exactly what to do.

"It's like I'm sittin' here playin' cards with my brother's kids or somethin'."

Though he has a pretty small role, Tombstone is still one of Billy Bob Thornton's best movies, and that's because the few lines he does have are priceless. Like when we, as an audience, first meet his character and he's annoyed with literally everything around him, especially the guy smoking next to him.

"You die first, get it? Your friends might get me in a rush, but not before I make your head into a canoe, you understand me?"

The first time Wyatt has a direct confrontation with Ike, Wyatt is outnumbered. Luckily, Ike's cooler head prevails (surprisingly), and when he figures out Wyatt is serious, he backs off with his men.

"Come on boys. We don't want any trouble in here. Not in any language."

Another local lawman, Marshal Fred White, played by legendary Western actor Harry Carey Jr., tries to keep things cool when they get heated between Doc and Ringo. It works at first, but the water between them keeps boiling.

"Why Kate, you're not wearing a bustle. How lewd."

"Big Nose" Kate (Joanna Pacuła) was Doc Holliday's long-time companion, and she was known to be just as tough as Doc, and just as ready for a fight, which is why she wasn't wearing a bustle.

"Forgive me if I don't shake hands."

When Doc first meets Behan, he makes it clear he wants nothing to do with the corrupt sheriff.

"Sure you do. Say goodbye to me. Go grab that spirited actress and make her your own. Take that beauty from it, don't look back. Live every second. Live right on to the end. Live Wyatt. Live for me. Wyatt, if you were ever my friend - if ya ever had even the slightest of feelin' for me, leave now. Leave now... Please."

If ever there was proof that Val Kilmer should have won an Oscar in his career, it's his final scene with Kurt Russell, as he lies dying of tuberculosis. It's masterful.

"Well... bye."

Powers Boothe plays Curly Bill, the de facto leader of the Cowboys, and when he thinks he's finally run the Earps out of town, he only has two words for them. Those two words, "Well, bye," have since become a meme that is useful for so many things. It, like all the rest of the lines on this list, is a true classic.

I’m not going to debate with anybody on what Tarantino's best movie is–It’s Pulp Fiction.

However, when it comes to ranking the rest of his movies, you can start having discussions. While Tarantino has never made a bad movie (Death Proof has its merits!), he has so many good ones that you could make an argument for any movie in his filmography as his next best film.

However, while some flicks always float close to the top–Inglourious Basterds, Kill Bill, and Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood are usually next in line–I, for one, have always felt that his eighth film, The Hateful Eight, is his next best movie after Pulp Fiction, and I don’t think it gets nearly enough credit. Here’s why.

The Movie Does So Much With So Little

By every metric, one might say that The Hateful Eight is rather small in nature. I mean, why wouldn’t they? Taking place almost entirely in one location, The Hateful Eight’s closest cousin is probably Reservoir Dogs when it comes to the size and scope of its setting.

This might be why I love The Hateful Eight, since Reservoir Dogs is my third favorite Tarantino film. The story takes place in a haberdashery in the middle of a terrible storm. In one of his best roles, Tarantino regular Samuel L. Jackson plays a bounty hunter named Major Marquis Warren with three corpses in tow.

By happenstance, he meets up with his old friend, John Ruth - “The Hangman” - played by Kurt Russell, in a stagecoach. Ruth is currently handcuffed to the fugitive “Crazy” Daisy Domergue (played expertly by Jennifer Jason Leigh), on the way to having her hanged, and a new sheriff named Chris Mannix (Played by Walter Goggins) hitches a ride with them. They’re all going their separate ways, but the storm gets so bad that they end up at the haberdashery together, along with four (or so we’re led to believe) others.

And, that’s it. It doesn’t seem like much, but what follows is one of the wildest rides Tarantino has ever taken us on. A lot of this is because the tensions are sky high, as there’s racial tension (Which I’ll get into later), but also the tension of former Confederate soldiers in the same tight space as Northerners.

The events that follow are like a powder keg. And, even though it’s not as bombastic as World War II (Inglourious Basterds), as expansive as slavery (Django Unchained), or one of the best martial arts movies of all time (Kill Bill), it still manages to be Tarantino’s second most thrilling movie for me, right after Pulp Fiction. It’s that good.

It Is Samuel L. Jackson's Second Best Tarantino Character, Right After Jules Winnfield

One could argue that the best role in Samuel L. Jackson’s career was as Jules Winnfield. Effortlessly cool and ruthless, but also the kind of guy who could change, Jackson’s role in Pulp Fiction is the kind of career-defining role that only comes once in an actor’s lifetime…if they’re lucky.

Jackson has found himself in most of Tarantino’s films, but The Hateful Eight is arguably his only leading role (Pulp Fiction comes close, but there are so many moving pieces in that movie that I don’t feel comfortable calling him the main protagonist).

In The Hateful Eight, he plays a conniving bounty hunter who makes friends with white people by showing them a fake letter from Abraham Lincoln. He’s also the kind of guy who would goad a racist into pulling out his gun by telling him an elaborate tale of how he sexually abused and killed his son.

And all the while, you can tell he’s having a good time the whole way through. He’s the kind of character who you feel that Tarantino must have written the role with him in mind, and Jackson delivers each line with the kind of verve and attitude that only he can.

I loved Jackson in Jackie Brown, but I think this is Jackson’s second-best role in a Tarantino film. He’s just so much fun to spend time with.

This Movie Has Some Of Tarantino's Best Dialogue…Though It's SUPER Problematic

I was really upset when I heard that Tarantino’s supposed tenth and final film, The Movie Critic, was canceled. This is mostly because I look forward to every Tarantino flick since it means that we’ll get some of the best dialogue in the business.

And, speaking of some of the best dialogue, I think that The Hateful Eight has some of Tarantino’s finest…but I say that with a caveat. Even though I really love the conversations in this film (you can really hear the different walks of life of every character by the way they speak), I also think this is one of Tarantino’s most problematic screenplays, and it’s mostly because of the racial tension in the film.

Now, look. I get it. This is a film with a Black lead character and racist people from the South. And, with Tarantino’s 7th movie, Django Unchained, we had actors like Leonardo DiCaprio (In one of his best movies) dropping the N-word on more than one occasion. Hell, Tarantino himself dropped the N-word in Pulp Fiction. It’s something he’s been criticized a lot for in the past.

That said, it just feels particularly icky in The Hateful Eight. Maybe it’s because of the context. In Django Unchained, we had a slave who rose up and took vengeance. But, with the Civil War having ended by the start of The Hateful Eight, it just feels a bit worse.

That said, the dialogue is still authentic, even with how uncomfortable it makes me feel (It definitely isn’t satisfying like Django Unchained). Outside of the racism, though, it’s just a joy to listen to, probably more than any other Tarantino film for me.

The Ensemble Cast Is Probably The Best Tarantino Has Ever Assembled

I think there’s something to be said for a director who always seems to have the best actors in their films. One could argue that Tarantino himself just manages to use actors to their full potential (Like, what American even knew who Cristoph Waltz was until he delivered his Oscar-winning performance in Inglourious Basterds?).

That said, I think there’s even more to be said of a director who can not only use the best actors, but also have them work in an ensemble cast. I mean, that takes immeasurable talent, but Tarantino has done it on multiple occasions. Kill Bill, Pulp Fiction, and Jackie Brown all showcase great ensemble casts, and they all work.

Aside from Pulp Fiction, I think The Hateful Eight has the best cast that Tarantino has ever assembled. And that’s because each actor has something to offer. I’ve already talked about Jackson, but Kurt Russell is fantastic as “The Hangman.” He’s both stalwart, but also a little dim. Bruce Dern as a dying Confederate General has a real spark, and Tim Roth worms his way into the story in the best way possible.

As one of the only females in the film, Jennifer Jason Leigh was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance, and it was well-warranted.

I mean, just across the board, everybody’s great, which is important, since this is one of Tarantino’s most challenging films to watch.

It Goes Down As Tarantino's Most Mean-Spirited-But Also One Of His Most Fun-Movies In His Filmography

I just said that The Hateful Eight is challenging to watch, and it is. But, not because it’s not fun, as it's very fun. The scene with the poisoned coffee while Ennio Morricone’s music plays (Did I mention the soundtrack is amazing?!), is one of my favorite moments in any Tarantino film ever.

Even so, The Hateful Eight is a really mean-spirited movie. The abuse Jennifer Jason Leigh’s character goes through is hard to stomach, even despite her evil ways, and the way the film ends on such a down note really doesn’t make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

And, as I already mentioned, the racism is a bit harsh in this film. None of the characters are good people, and to have them all stuck in one claustrophobic environment really does start to wear on you after a while.

So, even though I love this movie, I have to admit that it’s a hard film to sit through. But that also makes it even more interesting since it’s such a pleasure to watch, even when you’re wincing all the way through. What art!

But, what do you think? Are you somebody who also gives The Hateful Eight its flowers? For more news on all things Tarantino-related, be sure to swing by here often.

Considering how many child stars have walked away from Hollywood, it is always so inspiring to see an actor who started early and continues to act to this day. Of course, some of them would walk away from the spotlight or experience a bit of a career hiccup before making an impressive return, either with more acting roles or in a new medium altogether. See for yourself by taking a look at these former child actors who went on to impress us as adults.

Mayim Bialik

After hitting it big as the title character of the hit '90s sitcom Blossom, Mayim Bialik lived a normal life that included earning a neuroscience degree and starting a family. She made her major industry return by joining the Big Bang Theory cast as neuroscientist Amy Farrah Fowler, which led her to lead another sitcom called Call Me Kat and host Jeopardy! for a short time.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

After getting his start in movies like Angels in the Outfield and A River Runs Through It and playing an alien posing as a human teen on the great ‘90s TV show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Joseph Gordon-Levitt never really went away from Hollywood. However, he did experience a moment of relative obscurity before roles in the likes of (500) Days of Summer, a few great Christopher Nolan movies, and his many collaborations with Rian Johnson put him on the A-List.

Jurnee Smollett

Jurnee Smollett made a grand impression in her youth with a recurring stint on Full House and as the title role of the acclaimed Black horror movie, 1997's Eve’s Bayou. Her career would take an astonishing turn toward A-list success in 2020 after her Emmy-nominated turn in HBO’s Lovecraft Country, which was followed by her role as Black Canary in DC’s Birds of Prey, her great performance in Amazon Prime’s The Burial, and more.

Jason Bateman

Following his debut appearance on Little House on the Prairie, his roles on sitcoms like Valerie (later called The Hogan Family after some major casting shake-ups), and his lead part in Teen Wolf Too made Jason Bateman an '80s heartthrob. Years later, playing Michael Bluth in the Arrested Development cast made him a comedy icon before his Emmy-nominated turn as Marty Byrde in Netflix's Ozark cast further proved his remarkable versatility.

Keke Palmer

Keke Palmer – who proved she was an acting powerhouse at 9 years old with her debut role in Barbershop 2: Back in Business before scoring her first lead role in 2006's Akeelah and the Bee – never needed a comeback moment because her notoriety never really stopped. However, it is clear that the multi-talented Emmy winner was never more popular before her scene-stealing performance in Jordan Peele’s 2022 alien invasion movie, Nope.

Josh Brolin

After making his acting debut at 17 in 1985's The Goonies cast, Josh Brolin rarely had another role quite as successful until, at 39, he was cast in 2007's instant classic Western movie, No Country for Old Men, as Llewellyn Moss. The son of James Brolin went on to receive an Oscar nomination for 2008's Milk, was cast as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first big bad, Thanos, and has given commanding performances in various other acclaimed films.

Drew Barrymore

Many forget that, years after 1982's E.T. the Extra-terrestrial made her a sensation at just 7 years old, Drew Barrymore had a few career shake-ups due to personal drama including addiction. Yet, her astonishing performance in the opening scene of 1996’s Scream brought her back to the A-List and earned her roles in blockbusters like Charlie's Angels and TV shows like Santa Clarita Diet before she found later success as a daytime talk show host.

Neil Patrick Harris

Playing the prodigious title role of Doogie Howser M.D. made Neil Patrick Harris a household name, at least for a while. His popularity would skyrocket, however, when he played Barney Stinson in the How I Met Your Mother cast, which opened up many avenues for the now multi-Emmy-winning performer, from working with David Fincher on Gone Girl to hosting award shows and taking the stage on Broadway.

Gaby Hoffman

Gaby Hoffman had an amazing run as a child actor in the late 1980s and early 1990s with roles in movies like Uncle Buck, Field of Dreams, Now and Then, and Sleepless in Seattle. After stepping away to focus on her education, she resurfaced as a sought-after talent with her Emmy-nominated starring role in the Amazon Prime original TV show, Transparent.

Ke Huy Quan

Following his iconic roles in classic '80s movies Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, as Short Round, and The Goonies, as Data, Ke Huy Quan’s role offers began to disappear. That would change decades later when he won an Academy Award for his uplifting performance in A24's acclaimed multiverse movie, 2022’s Everything Everywhere All At Once.

Anna Chlumsky

For years, Anna Chlumsky was best known for her heartbreaking performance as 11-year-old Vada in 1991's My Girl. Years later, she significantly increased her star power with her multi-Emmy-nominated role in the hit HBO series, Veep, as Amy Brookheimer.

Macaulay Culkin

One of the most essential examples of a “former child star” is Macaulay Culkin, who had Hollywood in the palm of his young hands after leading the original Home Alone cast as Kevin McCallister. He still acts from time to time, having shown up in the American Horror Story Season 10 cast or on HBO's The Righteous Gemstones, is in a power couple with Brenda Song, and finally received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023.

Christina Ricci

Christina Ricci would continue to find notable acting roles beyond her star-making turn as Wednesday Addams in 1991's The Addams Family and 1993's Addams Family Values. However, starring in Showtime’s Yellowjackets cast did wonders for her modern notoriety before she revisited her breakout role with a fun part in Netflix’s Wednesday cast, opposite Jenna Ortega.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale owes his fame to starring in Steven Spielberg's 1987 period drama Empire of the Sun and the cult-favorite 1992 musical Newsies but his menacing turn in 2000's American Psycho earned him wide respect as an adult. However, leading Christopher Nolan's live-action Batman movies as Bruce Wayne made him one of the top actors of his generation, leading to his Oscar win for 2011’s The Fighter.

Danica McKellar

Danica McKellar embodied the ultimate girl next door when she was cast in the original Wonder Years as Winnie Cooper from 1988 to 1993. Much later in her career, she would acquire a much different fanbase when she became one of the most prolific stars on the Hallmark Channel with roles in movies like Christmas She Wrote and Swing into Romance.

Cole Sprouse

Cole Sprouse had already acted alongside his sibling, his identical twin brother Dylan, numerous times (such as in Big Daddy) before Disney Channel’s The Suite Life franchise made them teen idols. However, you could argue that Cole was never more popular after he joined the Riverdale cast as Jughead Jones.

Hilary Duff

There were few teen Disney Channel stars who became quite as iconic and as quickly as Hilary Duff after she starred in the title role of Lizzie McGuire. She would find later success in the scene-stealing supporting role of Kelsey Peters on TV Land’s Younger and as the lead protagonist of Hulu's short-lived but well-liked How I Met Your Mother spin-off, How I Met Your Father.

Josh Peck

Josh Peck first rose to fame on Nickelodeon by scoring major roles in kid-friendly comedies like The Amanda Show and Drake & Josh. He would later prove his worth as a versatile actor with more mature roles, such as on Fox's Grandfathered or in Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture Oscar winner, Oppenheimer.

Vincent Kartheiser

Vincent Kartheiser first made a name for himself by appearing in ‘90s teen movies like Alaska and Masterminds. However, he would find later and greater success after starring in AMC's Mad Men cast as Pete Campbell.

Kurt Russell

Following his feature debut in 1963’s It Happened at the World’s Fair alongside Elvis Presley, Kurt Russell continued to have success as the star of light and funny Disney movies like The Strongest Man in the World. In 1981, he reinvented himself as an action movie icon after playing Snake Plissken in John Carpenter’s Escape from New York, which led to plenty more awesome movie roles, such as R.J. MacReady in The Thing and Coach Herb Brooks in Miracle.

Kieran Culkin

Kieran Culkin was previously best known as Macaulay Culkin’s younger brother, who also showed up in the Home Alone movies and played Matty Banks in the Father of the Bride movies. However, he would become one of the more prolific Culkin siblings following his Emmy-winning turn in the Succession cast as Roman Roy and other widely acclaimed performances.

Johnny Galecki

For years, Johnny Galecki was best known for playing the third Rusty Griswold in 1989's National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and David Healy on Roseanne. He would later reprise the latter role on The Conners years after experiencing a career resurgence by playing Leonard Hofstadter on CBS' The Big Bang Theory.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster

Thomas Brodie-Sangster made an impressive feature film debut as Liam Neeson’s onscreen stepson in the 2003 rom-com, Love Actually. The British actor would later surprise audiences with his role as Jojen Reed in the Game of Thrones cast, leading to parts in the Maze Runner movies and Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit.

Tyler James Williams

Tyler James Williams became a bonafide sitcom star by playing a young Chris Rock on Everybody Hates Chris, which led to more interesting roles, such as Lionel in the acclaimed 2014 indie comedy, Dear White People. However, his recurring role on the Walking Dead cast and multi-Emmy-nominated turn as Gregory Eddie on the Abbott Elementary cast earned him wide respect as an adult actor.

Alisan Porter

Alisan Porter only appeared in a handful of movies, including Ron Howard's Parenthood and John Hughes' Curly Sue in the title role, before she walked away from acting when she was still very young. She would later reinvent herself as a talented musician when she competed in and won the tenth season of NBC's hit singing competition show, The Voice.

Ashley Johnson

Ashley Johnson broke into the business when she joined the Growing Pains cast as the Severs' youngest child, Chrissy. She is best known these days as a prolific voice actor who has breathed life into iconic roles such as Gretchen on Recess and Ellie in the hit post-apocalyptic video game The Last of Us, which was adapted into an HBO series that she cameoed on.

Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy became one of the most promising young talents to break through on Nickelodeon, having been cast on iCarly as the charmingly bullish Sam Puckett. However, she became better known and even better respected years later for her acclaimed, revealing 2022 memoir, I’m Glad My Mom Died, which focuses on her life as a reluctant child actor.

Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne began her career early in life – notably appearing on Pee-wee's Playhouse – and seemingly hit her peak in her late teens and early 20s with the American Pie movies and But I'm a Cheerleader before substance abuse caused her career to slow down. Years later, Emmy-nominated turns on TV shows like Orange is the New Black, Russian Doll (which she co-created), and Poker Face and a few acclaimed movie roles reignited her wonderfully versatile career.

Mara Wilson

Following her star-making roles in Mrs. Doubtfire, Miracle on 34th Street, and Matilda, Mara Wilson walked away from the spotlight soon after starring in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. She would later take up minor, infrequent parts after becoming better known for writing about her experiences as a top child actor.

Haley Joel Osment

Haley Joel Osment would never go on to play a role quite as iconic as young medium Cole Sear in, arguably, the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, The Sixth Sense (which earned him an Oscar nomination) at 11 years old. However, his work as an adult – such as recurring roles on hit series like Silicon Valley and The Boys and memorable parts in movies like Kevin Smith’s Tusk – has been nothing short of exciting.

Taylor Momsen

Taylor Momsen made a charming debut as Cindy Lou Who in 2000's How the Grinch Stole Christmas and, in her teens, made an impression on the Gossip Girl cast as Jenny Humphrey. She would later reinvent herself as the frontwoman of a successful rock group called The Pretty Reckless.

Lukas Haas

Following an acclaimed run as one of the most revered child actors of the 1980s for his roles in Witness and Lady in White, Lukas Haas went on to take progressively smaller roles as he grew up. However, much of the projects he has taken in his adulthood – including movies like Inception and Babylon and TV shows like The Righteous Gemstones and War of the Worlds – have been met with great receptions.

Kurt Russell has had some of the most quotable lines in some of the most quotable movies of all time. Movies like Tombstone, Escape From New York, and Big Trouble In Little China are fan favorites that are filled with juicy lines worth remembering. It would be impossible to include everything we love from the Hollywood veteran, after all, his career is seven decades long at this point, but we did our best to include all our favorites in this list of Russell's most iconic quotes.

Call me "Snake." - Escape From New York

There is no more important quote to include here than this simple one from a character of few words. Snake Plissken prefers to let his action speak for itself, but it is important to know what to call him. Call him Snake.

You gonna do somethin' or just stand there and bleed? - Tombstone

1993's Tombstone is full of amazing lines, not juts from Russell, but from the whole cast. The best though, are saved for Wyatt Earp (Russell). Lines like this one that Earp throws down on a hapless card dealer played by Billy Bob Thornton.

There was that time you were working at Burger Boy, and this kid started choking on a French fry, and everybody in the place panicked, including me, except you, you knew exactly what to do. You ran over to the kid and you gave him that Heimlech, you know, and puh! The kid puked up the fry and they named you Burger Boy employee of the month. They put your picture above the cash register and everything. - Overboard

Kurt Russell and his real-life long-term partner Goldie Hawn have had some magical moments together on the big screen, and some of the best come from the '80s classic Overboard.. After Hawn's character tries to "remember" something "good" she's done, Russell lays this ridiculous (and made-up) story out for her.

Listen to me, Hauk. The President is dead, you got that? Somebody's had him for dinner! - Escape From New York

In Escape From New York Snake is tasked with saving the president but when he arrives on scene, he's skeptical that the president is alive and savable, and he lets his handlers know in no uncertain terms.

The Cowboys are finished, you understand? I see a red sash, I kill the man wearin' it! So run, you cur... RUN! Tell all the other curs the law's comin'! You tell 'em I'M coming... and hell's coming with me, you hear?...Hell's coming with me! - Tombstone

The final act in Tombstone begins when Wyatt's brother leaves town and Wyatt surprises one of the Cowboys at the train station, announcing that he's ready to bring the thunder and has the badge to prove it.

Yeah, Warren, that's the problem with old men. You can kick 'em down the stairs and say it's an accident but you can't just shoot 'em. - The Hateful Eight

When you combine an actor like Kurt Russell and a writer like Quentin Tarantino together, as in The Hateful Eight, you just know you're gonna get some classic lines, even if it's something you'd never say in polite company.

Well up here in Elk Snout ma'am see we don't know 'bout them closets, nor bathrooms neither. You're lucky I am house broke. - Overboard

The opening act of Overboard has some of the funniest moments of the movie as Russell's character loses if over the snobbiness of Hawn's rich, aloof character. Like when he just can't keep it in anymore here, right before he quits.

Yeah, I'm an oak alright. - Tombstone

Not every line delivered by Wyatt Earp in Tombstone is meant to show his tough side. Some show his more vulnerable side, like when he gives in after meeting Dana Delany's character by chance on a horse ride.

I promise you... it's unlike any other place you've ever seen. And there... I can explain your very... special heritage. Finally get to be... the father I've always wanted to be... Excuse me. I've gotta take a whiz. - Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

One of the best surprises in the MCU was when Kurt Russell was cast as Ego, father to Star Lord (Chris Pratt). Of course, he delivered some great villain moments with humor.

Like I told my last wife, I says, "Honey, I never drive faster than I can see. Besides that, it's all in the reflexes." - Big Trouble In Little China

With the possible exception of Tombstone, Big Trouble In Little China has to be Kurt Russell's most quotable movie, and it's just like ol' Jack Burton says... well, he says too much to fit everything here.

The only problem is that in this job is there's just no place to hide. It's not like having a bad day selling log cabins. You have a bad day here and somebody dies. - Backdraft

Backdraft is an underrated movie that isn't remembered as fondly, for some reason, but Russell certainly has his moments of strong advice.

My mother always said someday I'd meet a wonderful girl like you. - Swing Shift

1984's Swing Shift was a box office bomb that was marred with production issues. Still, it produced some wonderful moments between Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, like this heartfelt line.

Hey! Uh, leg feels a lot better now, boss. I always been a fast healer, you know. 'Course I believe in Jesus, so that helps. - Captain Ron

Captain Ron is a cult classic for good reason. Russell, who plays the titular character is ridiculous and over-the-top in the best way. But does he really believe in Jesus? Probably not.

Didn't anybody ever tell you about starving kids in Africa? - 3000 Miles To Graceland

While 3000 Miles To Graceland isn't Russell's best movie, it's kinda so insane, that you have to love it. It's got some completely silly lines and few of them work, but this one sure does.

Incentives are important. I learned that in rehab. - Captain Ron

Martin Short's poor family didn't know what they signed up for with the titular Captain Ron. They better give him a lot of incentives if they want to survive the vacation!

Death will remain a stranger to both of us, as long as the light burns within the planet. - Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2

Ego sums up just what Star-Lord can look forward to if they team up together. It's a hard sell, but Star-Lord doesn't buy in, thankfully.

Sooner or later I rub everybody the wrong way. - Big Trouble In Little China

One thing you can count on with Ol' Jack Burton, he's gonna make you mad at some point.

Thanks to your botched Berlin job, you all made Interpol's top 10 most wanted list. - The Fate Of The Furious

Kurt Russell's character Mr. Nobody is one of the best additions to the Fast franchise and it's because of scenes like this when he tells the rest of the crew exactly why they have to rethink their plans after landing on Interpol's Top Ten and are going to have big problems pulling off any crimes...

Well if you ain't so sweet you make sugar taste just like salt. - Death Proof

Russell's character in Death Proof is offensive and endearing. It's a vibe that Russell pulls off every time he does it. This line pretty much sums up how swarmy he can get in the movie.

When some wild-eyed, eight-foot-tall maniac grabs your neck, taps the back of your favorite head up against the barroom wall, and he looks you crooked in the eye and he asks you if ya paid your dues, you just stare that big sucker right back in the eye, and you remember what ol' Jack Burton always says at a time like that: "Have ya paid your dues, Jack?" "Yessir, the check is in the mail." - Big Trouble In Little China

The opening moments of Big Trouble In Little China are chock-full of classic lines and, like this example, hilarious stories and advice.

Lucky for me this place is soundproof. That way nobody gets to hear me beating the truth out of you. - Tango & Cash

when Russell teamed with Sylvester Stallone in Tango & Cash, audiences knew there would be some great banter and the buddy cop movie didn't disappoint.

We did get you out. A lot of people died in the process. I just wondered how you felt about that. - Escape From New York

Of course, Snake pulls off the impossible by saving the president in Escape From New York, but as evident by this line, he's not necessarily happy about it,

I didn't want to destroy the only thing I've got left, those stories about how great I was. - The Best Of Times

Robin Williams and Kurt Russell teamed up for The Best Of Times and it became a cable TV classic, though it's not exactly the most beloved movie in either actor's filmography, there are some inspiring moments.

Now Daisy, I want us to work out a signal system of communication. When I elbow you real hard in the face, that means "shut up"! - The Hateful Eight

Russell's character in The Hateful Eight isn't what you would call the most patient person in the world. He's also pretty violent, to say the least...

All I know is, this Lo Pan character comes out of thin air in the middle of a alley while his buddies are flying around on wires cutting everybody to shreds, and he just stands there waiting for me to drive my truck straight through him with *light* coming out of his mouth! - Big Trouble In Little China

Ol' Jack Burton is the only one who seems to be surprised by the supernatural in Big Trouble In Little China. Of course, it's hard to believe that your foe will light up as Lo Pan (James Hong) does in the movie.

Aw, c'mon, how come yours is bigger than mine? - Tango & Cash

When it comes to guns in the '80s action movies, the bigger the better. Sadly for Cash (Russell) he only gets a little one. That leads to this classic joke that every junior high boy finds hilarious (which is, if we're honest, pretty much all men deep down).

Go ahead, skin it! Skin that smokewagon and see what happens! - Tombstone

That scene towards the beginning of Tombstone between Earp and Johnny Tyler (Billy Bob Thornton) has one amazing line after another and while we'd love to put them all on here, we have to contain ourselves and limit it to just the best ones.

Get ready to fly... - Death Proof

This is what every stunt man says before he jumps a car, right?

Well, excuse me for finding it hard to believe that a town elected you to do anything except drop dead! - The Hateful Eight

Of all the hateful people in The Hateful Eight, Russell's character may be the most hateful.

Why don't we just... wait here for a little while... see what happens? - The Thing

The Thing has turned into one of Kurt Russell's most beloved movies and a big reason why is that amazing line that ends the movie. It's as bleak as the rest of the movie and audiences are not left with any kind of hope, just like the characters in the film.

I have nothing left, nothing to give you, I have no pride, no dignity, no money, I don't even know how we'll make a living, but I promise I'll love you the rest of your life. - Tombstone

It doesn't get more heartfelt than this line delivered by Wyatt Earp at the end of Tombstone when he lays all his cards on the table with Josie (Dana Delany). Thankfully, laying his heart bare worked and it kicked off a love affair that lasted decades, as we learn in the postscript.

Just remember what ol' Jack Burton does when the earth quakes, and the poison arrows fall from the sky, and the pillars of Heaven shake. Yeah, Jack Burton just looks that big ol' storm right square in the eye and he says, "Give me your best shot, pal. I can take it." - Big Trouble In Little China

Some final advice from the great Jack Burton.

Nothing has been confirmed at this point, but judging by the big tease during the Back in Action ending, there's certainly potential for a sequel, especially with the tease at the ending. And while I could go on a long spiel about what I think will happen in the follow-up to the remarkably popular Netflix movie, I instead want to focus on who I think could play Cameron Diaz’s on-screen dad (remember, his existence was teased just before the credits rolled?).

Considering the information provided throughout the movie about Diaz’s character, the fact that Glenn Close played her, and decades of watching all kinds of action and spy franchises, I’ve come up with a list of what I think are the best options. Here are my top picks for Back in Action 2 if the 2025 Netflix movie gets the teased sequel.

Gary Oldman

Gary Oldman is probably the most obvious choice to play Emily’s dad in Back in Action 2, but that doesn’t mean he’s a bad option. With plenty of experience in the world of spies – Slow Horses is one of the best Apple TV+ originals, and his performance in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is underrated – and the ability to balance humor, drama, and action, this Academy Award winner would be tremendous.

I’m just over here imagining not only Oldman’s character and Emily having some kind of reunion after decades apart, but also the potential awkwardness of Matt meeting a father-in-law he never knew existed. Hell, just give me those two on some adventure and I’ll be happy.

Michael Douglas

Even though Emily’s mom, Ginny Curtis, played by Glenn Close, is British in Back in Action, it’s never mentioned if her father is a Brit or an American. That leaves the door open for all kinds of possibilities. One American actor I’d love to see enter the picture is Michael Douglas, who would be absolutely incredible as a long-lost father who probably has more tricks up his sleeves than years away from his daughter.

I'm not saying Back in Action 2 has to be some "what if" sequel to Fatal Attraction, in which Dan Gallagher and Alex Forrest had a daughter, but it would be great to see Douglas and Close share the screen again.

Pierce Brosnan

Pierce Brosnan’s James Bond used some ridiculous gadgets during his tenure as cinema’s most famous spy, and some of us have been waiting more than 20 years to see the beloved actor get back into the spy game. I would love to see Brosnan show up as Emily’s dad in a possible Back in Action sequel because there are just so many places the spy comedy could go.

Imagine this… Back in Action 2: Dads in Action, which would involve Brosnan and Jamie Foxx’s Matt having to team up to save Emily and/or their kids (I’m over here just laughing at a former spy loosely based on 007 coming to terms with being a grandfather). It probably won’t happen, but maybe I can manifest it.

Kevin Kline

Kevin Kline and Glenn Close were amazing together in The Big Chill. While a Back in Action sequel probably isn’t the best way for the two to share the screen again after 40-plus years, it could be a lot of fun, albeit a little absurd. Kevin Kline is one of those actors who can be great in just about anything, even when a movie is a honker like Wild Wild West, and generally seems to have a good time no matter the project.

After watching Kline’s work on Disclaimer, one of my favorite TV thrillers of 2024, I’m convinced he could pull off a British accent if they made the character from across the pond like Emily’s mom; they could also make him more dramatic and deranged like his small-screen character.

Kurt Russell

There are a lot of badass Kurt Russell characters from the actor’s decades-long career, and I think he’d be perfect for a silly spy-action comedy like Back in Action. If a sequel is made, it would be wild to see the man who brought Snake Plisken and R.J. MacReady to life play a spy who has been doing God knows what for the past 30 or so years.

He’s got the action chops, he has great comedic timing, and he’s charming as all hell, which makes Russell one of my top choices for the role of Emily’s dad. I would love to see him trading barbs with Cameron Diaz on screen, flirting with Glenn Close’s Ginny, or having awkward conversations with Nigel (Jamie Demetriou) about who’s the real “granddad.”

Michael Keaton

The list of great Michael Keaton quotes could get a little bit longer if the former Batman actor were brought in for Back in Action 2 (Bat in Action, anyone? No?). The prolific actor has a dynamic range and a mystique that you don’t see all that much, and he has long shown that he can be as crazy as can be whenever needed. That kind of energy would be perfect for a movie like this.

With roles like Beetlejuice, Keaton has proven he can be funny and lovable even when being a little evil and condescending, and all of those traits would mesh well with the characters who have already been introduced so far.

Antonio Banderas

I’m not just including Antonio Banderas as an option because I think it would make for a great Shrek reunion with Cameron Diaz, but I’m not saying that’s not one of the reasons, either. It would be hilarious to see Princess Fiona and Puss in Boots channel some of that energy for a live-action movie ahead of the release of Shrek 5, and I think they could make a funny father-daughter pairing.

Banderas, who has been great in action movies, comedies, dramas, thrillers, and pretty much every genre (yes, even musicals), could add a lot to the cast of the Netflix movie and give audiences a hilarious new character.

Jonathan Pryce

And then there is Jonathan Pryce, who has the acting chops to hold his own when sharing the screen with Glenn Close (as he showed in The Wife). Like Gary Oldman, Pryce has experience in the spy world, with his most recent offering also being Slow Horses. If he could channel that energy and make it a little bit more comedic, it could be hilarious. But on second thought, having Pryce be the straight guy in the mix could be even funnier.

Regardless of the direction the character would take, Back in Action 2 would be a lot better with someone like Pryce being a part of the cast.

Who knows when we’ll see the Back in Action sequel, or who’ll play Cameron Diaz’s on-screen dad? While we wait, there are plenty of great 2025 movies streaming for anyone with a Netflix subscription, with more on the way.

Stream Back in Action on Netflix.

There is nothing more iconic than a good looking leather jacket on a movie star. There are as many styles of jacket as there are stars, which makes looking good easy. From Marlon Brando to Keanu Reeves, leather jackets have been a part of some of the most incredible looking costumes ever. So, here is our list of some of the most iconic leather coats and jackets in Hollywood history.

Marlon Brando In The Wild One

This list wouldn't be complete without including the O.G. leather look on Marlon Brando in The Wild One. The 1953 film about a biker gang was not only a big hit in theaters, but it was a huge influence on society. From the outlaw biker gangs who took inspiration from the look to regular folks who saw the leather jackets as the coolest of cool.

Wesley Snipes In Blade

Wesley Snipes is the coolest-looking superhero in Blade with his iconic look in leather and sunglasses. Everything about the costume and the character oozes cool and defines Blade's renegade nature.

Arnold Schwarzenegger In The Terminator Movies

Leather jackets definitely provide a look for someone to say "Don't mess with me," and nowhere is this more true in Hollywood than when Arnold Schwarzenegger wears one in the Terminator movies. Starting with the first movie, he's usually seen in one and you definitely don't want to mess with him.

Rooney Mara In The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

Leather jackets have always been a symbol of rebelliousness in Hollywood. In The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, it's the perfect look for Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) to portray both her anti-social nature and her tough exterior. You can't imagine wearing anything else.

John Travolta In Saturday Night Fever

In the 1970s, no one was cooler than John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. The strut, the hair, the dancing, and the leather jacket all made that possible. The look is so iconic that people are still imitating it today, five decades later.

Carrie-Anne Moss In The Matrix Movies

It's safe to say that The Matrix movies would not be the same if the characters were dressed in anything but the coolest and toughest-looking leather jackets and coats. From Neo to Morpheus to, of course, Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) in her amazing looking long leather coat. It's just such an amazing bit of costume.

Brad Pitt In Fight Club

Not every leather jacket has to be black to look completely awesome. Tyler Durden's reddish-brown jacket in Fight Club has become one of the most famous looks in Hollywood. Of course, it's easy for Brad Pitt to pull off almost any look, but he might just look his coolest in Fight Club.

Hugh Jackman In The X-Men Films

Leather jackets have been used a lot over the years to depict both heroes and anti-heroes. Nowhere is this more clear than on Logan aka Wolverine, as depicted by Hugh Jackman in the X-Men and now in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Logan is anti-social to an extreme and his leather jacket definitely indicates that you don't want to pick a fight with him.

Olivia Newton-John In Grease

The costumes in Grease are amazing. Of course, the T-Birds' jackets are fantastic, but it's the leather jacket that Sandy (Olivia Newton-John) dons in the last act that looks the most amazing. She completely changes her look and the jacket is what inspires the whole thing.

Keanu Reaves In The John Wick Movies

Keanu Reaves loves to wear leather in his movies, but the brown leather jacket in the first John Wick movie is probably the coolest. It's great because it's cool as heck, but it's not too over the top for the retired assassin. It makes John Wick seem normal, yet completely cool and ready for anything.

Eddie Murphy In Raw

In his standup movie Raw, Eddie Murphy takes the cool leather look to the next level. Not only does he have an amazing purple leather jacket, he compliments it with matching leather pants. It wasn't the first time he wore a leather outfit on stage, he wore a similar red one in his first standup movie, Delirious, but the purple one in Raw tops the red one in every way.

Michelle Pfeiffer in Dangerous Minds

Dangerous Minds isn't the best movie in Michelle Pfeiffer's filmography, despite having an amazing soundtrack, but for an actress who had a whole bunch of iconic looks in the '80s and '90s, her jeans and leather jacket look in the movie is one of the most memorable. It's a costume that tells you so much about the character without saying a word.

Steve McQueen In The Great Escape

It's hard to argue that Steve McQueen isn't one of the coolest stars in Hollywood history. Of course, you can earn that kind of praise without at least one leather jacket. In The Great Escape, McQueen's brown leather bomber jacket is the epitome of cool. Even when he is covered in dirt, he looks great, but it's when he's wearing the jacket that he looks his best.

Tom Cruise In Top Gun

In the '80s, there was no movie cooler than Top Gun and there was no cooler character than Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise. The leather bomber jacket Cruise wore in the movie became so iconic and such a key characteristic of the role that when Top Gun: Maverick released its first teaser, the jacket was a big part of it.

Harrison Ford In Raiders Of The Lost Ark

There is something about a distressed leather jacket that brings authenticity to a character that few other costume pieces can. Nowhere in film history is this more true than with Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) in all of the Indiana Jones movies. The jacket, along with the hat and the whip, completely define the character in every way. Is there any other kind of jacket you could ever see Indy wearing? Of course not.

Uma Thurman In Kill Bill

There are a lot things that make Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill cool, but Uma Thurman's yellow leather motorcycle jacket tops the list. It's become an iconic costume over the years, and while not everyone could pull off the look, Thurman certainly does and everyone loves it.

Mel Gibson In The Mad Max Movies

As distressed leather jackets go, Mel Gibson's in the Mad Max movies is among the best looking. Looking into a dystopian future, it makes complete sense that leather jackets would still be part of the fashion. They are almost indestructible and have that classic look that almost no other piece of clothing has.

Joey Lauren Adams In Chasing Amy

This one flies a little bit under the radar, but it's an amazing look and deserves to be on this list. Alyssa (Joey Lauren Adams) in Chasing Amy has a lot of "rock and roll" to her style and nothing says rock star like leather.

Samuel L. Jackson In The MCU

As Deadpool asks in the post-credits scene in the original Deadpool movie, "Did you expect Samuel L. Jackson in a saucy leather number?" Well, yes, frankly we might have, since Jackson, playing the cooler-than-cool Nick Fury often shows up in a fantastic-looking leather jacket in the MCU. It is something we expect (even if Deadpool wasn't in the MCU at the time).

Tom Hardy In The Dark Knight Rises

Great Villains are often in leather. In The Dark Knight Rises Bane wears one of the greatest leather coats ever. The fur-lined brown leather number is perfect for his character and it's a look that not every villain could pull off, but Bane (Tom Hardy) certainly does.

Halle Berry In Die Another Day

Halle Berry has a few iconic outfits in the Pierce Brosnan-led James Bond film Die Another Day and while her bikini may be the most famous, the red leather jacket she wears for a lot of the movie is one heck of a look too. Sure, the movie isn't the best Brosnan-era Bond film, but you can't deny how great Berry looks in her costumes.

James Dean In Rebel Without A Cause

Seven decades after his death in 1955, James Dean is still the epitome of cool. Though he only starred in three movies, his impact on pop culture is immense. His red leather jacket in Rebel Without A Cause is one reason why. Because Dean's career was so brief, we don't have a lot of "looks" from him, making the jacket that much more iconic.

Kurt Russell In Escape From New York

If you want to look cool and look like you just don't care about anything, a distressed leather jacket can tell a lot of people just how you feel without saying a word. Take the look of Snake Pilsson (Kurt Russell) in Escape From New York. Has anyone ever looked tougher, cooler, and more aloof in an action film? No, not really.

Sigourney Weaver In Aliens

Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is one of the most amazing characters in action movie history. Of course, that means she must look cool as heck in leather, and she does in Aliens. It's not her most iconic look, but come on, you can't deny how awesome it is.

Tom Cruise In Mission: Impossible

Let's be honest, Tom Cruise always looks good in a nice leather jacket, but if you're ranking his costumes by how good looking they are, the jacket he wears in the first Mission: Impossible is at the top. When he is doing his sleight of hand with the disc with the NOC list on it while wearing the jacket is one of the best non-action scenes in the whole series.

Peter Fonda And Dennis Hopper In Easy Rider

If you wanted to be a rebellious hippie in the late 1960s, a leather jacket was a good place to start with your look. Especially if you were on a motorcycle like Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda in Easy Rider. Fonda has a more traditional biker look with his black leather jacket, but Hopper's character goes for a sweet suede jacket with some awesome fringe. Both look amazing.

Anne Hathaway In Get Smart

Get Smart might not be the best movie that Anne Hathaway has ever been in, but her white leather coat looks fantastic in it. It's not the only time Hathaway has shown up in an iconic leather look, who could ever forget her look in The Dark Knight Rises, it is a unique look that you don't see in a lot of movies. Of course, she completely pulls it off.

Matt Dillon In The Outsiders

The greasers in The Outsiders are mostly known for their jean jackets, but one greaser, Dally (Matt Dillion) wears a leather jacket and he looks exactly the part in it. It's not the cleanest jacket in the world, we wouldn't expect it to be, but man it looks so cool!

Laurence Fishburne In The Matrix

Like many of the characters in The Matrix, Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) looks totally iconic in his leather duster. Sure it's not a "jacket," but there was no way we could leave it off of this list!

Jon Voight In Midnight Cowboy

Midnight Cowboy is a little bit of a forgotten movie these days, but it was a massive hit when it was released. Those who know, know. Jon Voight's suede jacket with the long fringe isn't a look everyone can pull off, and even in the movie it's not always the best look, but looking back, it's safe to say it belongs on this list as one of the best in Hollywood history.

Jason Momoa In Fast X

It's not hard for Jason Momoa to look cool, I think we can all agree. Still, in Fast X, that black and white snakeskin-looking leather jacket is simply amazing. It's not a look that anyone can pull off, in fact, many would look ridiculous in it, but not Momoa, not by a longshot.

Emma Stone In La La Land

Red leather is a fantastic look, though not everyone looks good in it. Emma Stone in La La Land isn't just anyone though. Stone just looks fantastic in the jacket and it, along with all the others on this list, has become iconic.

For more than 100 years the Walt Disney Company has made some of the most popular and beloved films of all time. The best Disney animated movies are classics and Marvel and Star Wars have provided numerous modern blockbusters It seems like everybody loves at least the occasional Disney movie and today nearly every film the studio releases is an event unto itself.

But that hasn't always been the case. There have been entire eras in Disney's history where the vast majority of what the studio released was forgettable, and even in years when Disney released great films, they sometimes would also release less than memorable ones. Many of these you can watch with a Disney+ subscription but several are apparently so forgotten even Disney doesn't acknowledge them by making them available.

Dragonslayer

In the history of sword and sorcery films, Dragonslayer tends to get overlooked. Even if you do remember it, there's a decent chance you had no idea it was technically a Disney movie, as it was a far cry from their normal output in the early '80s and thus the Disney name was largely left off the film.

The Island At The Top Of The World

A wealthy industrialist charters an expedition into the Arctic to search for his son who has gone missing from a whaling vessel. The movie has no major stars and is seen by some as an attempt to recreate the magic of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, swapping out the submersible for an airship.

The Adventures Of Bullwhip Griffin

The year before Roddy McDowell appeared in the iconic Planet of the Apes he starred in the much less memorable The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin. As the title character, McDowell plays the butler of a young boy during the California Gold Rush. The movie has some laughs and some music from Disney's intrepid songwriting duo the Sherman Brothers, but it doesn't have songs you'd remember.

Baby: Secret Of The Lost Legend

Baby...Secret of the Lost Legend is a movie where the guy who played The Greatest American Hero discovers a dinosaur that still lives in the modern day. What could go wrong? While everybody loves a good dinosaur movie, Jurassic Park this is not. The dinosaur effects were only possible in the '80s and there's a reason nobody since then remembers it.

The Great Mouse Detective

After Disney's golden era of animation but before the Disney Renaissance of the '90s, there are several films that fall through the cracks. In between the bomb that was The Great Cauldron and the smash hit that was The Little Mermaid, there was The Great Mouse Detective, a movie that wasn't at either extreme and thus tends to get overlooked.

Blackbeard's Ghost

Dean Jones and Suzanne Plushette, who would both make several movies for Disney, co-star in the film about a high school track coach who accidentally finds himself haunted by the ghost of Blackbeard the pirate, played by the great Peter Ustinov. The movie was actually reasonably successful in its day but it's had difficulty surviving the test of time.

The Castaway Cowboy

James Garner plays a man who jumps ship from where he was forced to work and finds himself washed up in Hawai'i. He ends up helping out a woman and her young son who are trying to survive farming the land. Even James Garner has admitted he didn't love the movie, and it seems most agree with him.

Candleshoe

Jodie Foster made several movies for Disney as a child actor. Most notably the original Freaky Friday. Candleshoe, in which Foster cons her way into a wealthy household, is far less iconic. The most notable thing about is that it is the film that prevented Jodie Foster from taking the role of Princess Leia in the original Star Wars

Condorman

Decades before Disney bought Marvel, the studio's first superhero movie, Condorman is about a comic book writer who fashions a functioning flying suit as part of the creation of his new hero character. He then ends up involved in a real espionage plot where finds himself in over his head and eventually has to rely on his superhero alter ego to escape. There's a reason this one didn't become a franchise.

Emil and the Detectives

Child detectives foiling a bank robbery is just the sort of movie that you would expect from Disney in 1964. However, the movie is based on a German novel, and thus would not have been that well known to most American audiences. Perhaps that's why this film was largely forgotten.

The One And Only Genuine Original Family Band

The second consecutive Disney live-action musical to star the duo of Leslie Ann Waren and John Davidson, The One And Only Genuine Original Family Band, is mostly known for a really long title and being the last movie that The Sherman Brothers worked on as employees of Disney. Unfortunately, the music is a far cry from Mary Poppins.

The Happiest Millionaire

The Happiest Millionaire is one of the last films that Walt Disney himself produced before his death. It was meant to be the movie that might follow in the footsteps of Mary Poppins as a major awards contender. But the movie is very long, and only has one memorable song in its entire three-hour run time.

Third Man On The Mountain

The only claim to fame that Third Man on the Mountain has is that it allegedly inspired the Matterhorn Bobsleds roller coaster at Disneyland. Unfortunately, chronology makes that claim dubious. Even so, the fact that most people don't know the story is just another reason this film remains largely forgotten.

North Avenue Irregulars

Old ladies in church versus organized crime. That's the elevator pitch for North Avenue Irregulars and it's a perfect example of a late '70s live-action Disney movie. Utterly inoffensive, and utterly forgettable.

Now You See Him Now You Don't/TheStrongest Man in The World

It's possible that you do remember The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, the Disney movie that starred frequent Disney movie star Kurt Russell as a college student who gets a computer-like brain. But did you know that Russell's character from that film Dexter Riley, appeared in two sequels? I didn't think so.

Ride A Wild Pony

There comes a point when you get the feeling that Disney just threw darts to decide what their next movie would be. The only questions were which cute animal would be involved and what semi-exotic location would be included in a story with what sort of children. Ride a Wild Pony fills in those blanks with a story about a boy and girl fighting over a pony in Australia.

So Dear To My Heart

While you've certainly heard of Disney's controversial film Song of the South even if you've never seen it, you're less likely to know So Dear to My Heart. It's a sort of spiritual sequel as it came out a couple of years later and also combines live-action sequences with animation. It tells the story of a young boy's attempts to raise a lamb. The movie was well-loved by Walt Disney himself, but few others have given it much thought since its release.

Unidentified Flying Oddball

A twist on Mark Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. This one follows a NASA astronaut and android duplicate back in time. It's not as much fun as that sounds.

The Watcher In The Woods

One of the last film roles for screen icon Bette Davis, The Watcher in the Woods was actually pulled from theaters so its wild ending could be reshot. It didn't help and the movie was still panned, which is a shame because it's about as close to a horror movie as Disney ever got.

The Moon-Spinners

Haley Mills made six movies for Disney, including the original Parent Trap, but this is one of the films you probably weren't aware of. Mills is old enough to be a romantic lead in this one and it's an unusual film in that regard as the film is devoid of kids, animation, or cute animals. It's a straight mystery drama, though it's still designed for younger viewers. Maybe it needed a cute animal.

The Adventures Of Huck Finn

There have been numerous adaptations of The Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn over the years. The one made by Disney in the 1990s is notable if only because the title role is played by a young Elijah Wood, but that's about the only thing that is memorable about it.

The Story Of Robin Hood

The animated version of Robin Hood made by Disney with anthropomorphic animals in the '70s is a film you're likely aware of. However, decades earlier Disney's second-ever life-action film was also a Robin Hood story, though one that made considerably less impact.

The Sword And The Rose

One of Disney's early live-action films was a costume drama telling a heavily fictionalized version of the life of Mary Tudor, a sister of Henry VIII. Even today this one seems like an odd choice for a Disney movie and based on the fact that it's a movie even Disney doesn't talk about it much, it seems maybe the studio agrees.

Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue

You may be familiar with the Rob Roy movie that came out in the 1990s and starred Liam Neeson and got Tim Roth an Oscar nomination. You are likely less familiar with Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue, a version of the story of the Scottish folk hero that Disney made in 1953. The Liam Neeson version is much better.

Tonka

Tonka is the story of a horse, a stallion who is tamed by a Native American boy, played by an American of Sicilian descent. Perhaps it's the fact that the casting from 1958 hasn't aged well that has led to this one being completely overlooked.

Greyfriars Bobby

Many Disney movies that have stood the test of time are focused on animals rather than people. Greyfriars Bobby is the story of a terrier that will not leave the grave of its deceased master. It's a more interesting story than that sounds, but Greyfriars Bobby certainly isn't among the most well-remembered Disney animal characters.

The Misadventures Of Merlin Jones

The Misadventures Of Merlin Jones was an early case of a project originally designed for TV getting a theatrical release instead. Unfortunately, the movie, about a teen who attempts to read people's minds, probably didn't deserve such treatment. Ironically, the sequel The Monkey's Uncle, is actually a more well-known movie thanks to a banger of a title song, written by the Sherman Brothers and sung by Annette Funichello and the Beach Boys.

The Ugly Dachshund

The Ugly Dachshund is about as paint by numbers for a 1960s live-action Disney movie as you can get. It stars Dean Jones and Susanne Pleschette, who both appeared in many Disney films of the era, and focuses on a funny animal. In this case, it's about a dog, a Great Dane, who is raised by a Dachshund mother and thus grows up believing he is one.

The Million Dollar Duck

The Million Dollar Duck, a film about a duck that lays golden eggs, was so bad that famed film critic Gene Siskel is reported to have walked out of it before it ended, one of only three films that ever caused him to do that. Knowing that it's not hard to guess why this one doesn't get talked about anymore.

The World's Greatest Athlete

Disney has made many iconic sports movies over the years, from Remember the Titans to Miracle. The World's Greatest Athlete is not one of them. It's basically "What if Tarzan ran track?" It's about as good as that sounds.

No Deposit, No Return

Don Knotts style of comedy worked well in family-friendly Disney movies like The Apple Dumpling Gang and Hot Lead And Cold Feet. Those are movies that people of a certain generation at least will likely remember fondly. However, No Deposit, No Return, about two kids who stage their own kidnapping, is not nearly as successful.

Treasure of Matecumbe

Treasure of Matecumbeis a classic adventure story about set in post-Civil War America that follows four people on a quest for a lost treasure. National Treasure this is not.

Let's be honest, I’ve been confused about the future of Yellowstone and its upcoming series since the day rumored drama was first reported about Kevin Costner and the announcement of the spinoffs 1944 and 2024 happened. Now, it’s been reported that 2024 will be called The Madison and it will star Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell and Patrick J. Adams. While that casting, title and story news are so exciting, it’s also left me deeply confused about whether Matthew McConaughey will still be in the series and how/if it will be connected to Taylor Sheridan’s flagship Western.

The Information About The Yellowstone Spinoff That Confused Me 

A little over a year ago, as Yellowstone cancellation rumors swirled and the reported drama between Kevin Costner and Taylor Sheridan heated up, a sequel series potentially starring Matthew McConaughey was announced. Now, the Oscar winner was never officially connected to the show, and with this new news from TVLine, his potential role in the series became more blurred, as it was reported:

So, this brings up two confusing questions that we’re about to break down: Will McConaughey be involved? And will the show be connected to Yellowstone? Both are vital and need answers, especially with The Madison reportedly going into production later this month.

So, Will Matthew McConaughey Be Involved?

Since Matthew McConaughey was never confirmed to be part of this series, I will not be shocked if he’s not in the show. In fact, I’ll be more surprised if he does end up being part of the cast. However, all this considered, we need some clarity on where he stands with this project.

Back in January, there were reports that McConaughey’s Yellowstone series might be in trouble, and, before this news about Pfeiffer, Russell and Adams was announced, it was rumored that the Dangerous Minds star would take his place as the lead. The TVLine report also speculated that it’s possible Russell could be taking over the character the Interstellar star was set to play.

All around, I’m confused by Matthew McConaughey’s connection to this project, and I need some straightforward clarity about whether he’ll be in this show or not.

Is This Show Going To Be Connected To Yellowstone Or It’s Own Thing?

For a while, this new series, now apparently called The Madison, was called 2024, and it was assumed that it would be a sequel to Taylor Sheridan's first modern Western show.

With the final episodes of Yellowstone airing in November on the 2024 TV schedule, there were reports that actors from the flagship show could be in it and that there was drama when it came to Luke Grimes, Cole Hauser and Kelly Reilly signing contracts for it.

I was under the assumption that this new spinoff would be a continuation of sorts and be connected directly to Sheridan’s OG series. Now, I’m not so sure.

The rumored plot details for the series that’s now reportedly named The Madison suggest that we’ll follow a family as they move from New York City to Montana. Other than the fact that the (formerly) Kevin Costner-led show takes place in Montana, I see no other direct connections between the two shows.

Back when it was named 2024, it fit in with the numbered titles of the other Yellowstone spinoffs – 1923, 1883 and so on – and I was ready to see the Dutton’s present story continue. However, now, with a name like The Madison, I’m confused about whether that will happen or if we’re just getting an entirely new show that is simply the same genre as the Western we all know and love.

All around, we really need details about this new spinoff. There’s a lot we don’t know about it, and I think many of us are desperate to find out if those rumors about Matthew McConaughey are true and if this show will still focus on the Duttons.

With production reportedly set to start soon, hopefully, clarity will come with it. In the meantime, let’s focus on what we do know, the final episodes of Yellowstone will begin airing on the Paramount Network on November 10, and in the meantime, you can stream the first five seasons with a Peacock subscription.

After about a year of waiting, we finally have details on the long-awaited Yellowstone spinoff that was tentatively titled 2024. That's right, reports claim that Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell and Patrick J. Adams will be leading the cast of the project rumored to be titled The Madison. While that's thrilling news, it's the story details that have me super excited.

Let's start with the casting. According to TVLine, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kurt Russell and Patrick J. Adams are "nearing deals" to star in this Yellowstone spinoff. Along with them, Beau Garrett is expected to join the show too. Previously, word on the street was Matthew McConaughey would possibly lead this series with some of the Yellowstone cast. However, that appears to no longer be the case, and we don’t know where McConaughey’s reported involvement stands or how/if this show is directly connected to the flagship Western.

Along with this big casting news, the report also revealed the basic premise of the upcoming Yellowstone series, explaining:

I'm so into this idea! Yellowstone is all about a family who has owned the same ranch for generations trying to keep it. The notion that this will be about a family leaving New York City to move to Montana flips the script the other way, and it will give us a whole new perspective on modern Western life.

Now, don't get me wrong, these big names excite me. However, we've come to expect casting news like this from a Taylor Sheridan show. From Kevin Costner to Harrison Ford to Helen Mirren to Nicole Kidman to Jeremy Renner to even Morgan Freeman, he has a reputation for reeling in massive names to headline his shows. So, the trio of Pfeiffer, Russell and Adams is exciting, but that caliber of actor was expected.

Personally, I can’t wait to see these three on-screen playing out this story. It’s an unexpected trio, and I love the idea of Pfeiffer presumably leading it all. Plus, not only am I stoked to see powerhouses like her and Kurt Russell as leads, I’m also excited to see Patrick J. Adams in a new kind of show. He’s best known for Suits, and I never thought I’d see him in a Western. However, as Cole Hauser, Wes Bentley, Luke Grimes and Kelly Reilly have proven, these shows can totally transform a career and really highlight an actor's range.

However, again, what really makes me excited here is the story. It seems like this show will move away from the Dutton’s tale, and will show a family in modern times moving West. I’m also intrigued by these deaths that lead to the move and the idea of seeing these folks acclimate to rural life. All around, these tiny but mighty details we’ve gotten about The Madison have increased my excitement for it tenfold.

According to TVLine, production on The Madison is expected to start later this month, and they’ll film in New York, Montana and Texas. It appears that the series will premiere sometime next year, after Yellowstone’s final episodes drop – those will begin airing on the 2024 TV schedule on November 10.

As we learn more about this star-studded series that is apparently now called The Madison, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. When it comes to what you can do, you can go back and stream the first five seasons of Yellowstone with a Peacock subscription, and check out Taylor Sheridan’s catalog of other shows with a Paramount+ subscription.

Some actors are best known and even defined by a single character that has captured the hearts of audiences all over the world. However, in many cases, said iconic character does not necessarily reflect the performer’s strongest performance, which they often tend to save for the role that they hope will earn them an Academy Award nomination or, at least, challenges them the most. The following is our attempt to distinguish the most iconic roles from our choices picks for the absolute best roles of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Chris Evans

The role that skyrocketed Chris Evans to the A-list and the one he will always be most famous for is Steve "Captain America" Rogers from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, his talents are even better utilized in his scene-stealing performance in the Knives Out cast as the hilariously smug and conniving Ransom Drysdale.

Amy Adams

The world first fell in love with Amy Adams when she absolutely nailed the Disney Princess schtick as Giselle in 2007’s Enchanted. Yet, she is truly a captivating, commanding, and heartbreaking force to be reckoned with in Denis Villeneuve’s powerful 2016 alien invasion movie, Arrival, as linguistics expert Louise Banks — which, surprisingly, is not one of the six roles that earned her an Oscar nomination.

Kurt Russell

For many people, when they see Kurt Russell, they see the dystopian anti-hero Snake Plissken in Escape from New York from 1981 or helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in another great John Carpenter movie, 1982’s The Thing. Yet, even the actor’s biggest fans might agree that those performances pale in comparison to his acclaimed portrayal of Wyatt Earp in the 1993 Western movie classic, Tombstone.

Margot Robbie

Margot Robbie first captivated audiences everywhere as Naomi Lapaglia in 2013’s The Wolf of Wall Street and her portrayal of Harley Quinn in the DCEU immediately became one of the Batman villain’s most essential iterations. However, the Australian actor gave, arguably, her most captivating and essential performance as infamous figure skating champion Tonya Harding in the 2017 biopic, I, Tonya, which also earned her her first Oscar nomination.

Nicolas Cage 

Nicolas Cage is at his most iconic when he is at his most unhinged and few characters define that better than Castor Troy — a ruthless terrorist who switches faces with FBI agent Sean Archer (John Travolta) in Face/Off. Of course, it is Cage's performance as severe alcoholic Ben Sanderson in Leaving Las Vegas that earned him an Oscar win.

Julia Roberts 

Having been referred to as the Queen of rom-coms, it would make sense to call Julia Roberts’ strongest contribution to the genre — Vivian Ward from 1990’s Pretty Woman — the most iconic of her career. Yet, her strongest contribution to cinema might actually be her Academy Award-winning performance in the title role of 2000’s Erin Brockovich, which is based on the true story of a legal assistant’s crusade in a California water pollution scandal. 

Tom Hanks

Our choices for both the most iconic role and the best role of Tom Hanks’ career each earned him an Academy Award. While the lovable title hero of 1994’s Forrest Gump is easily the more famous, the actor is at his most gripping and moving as gay, HIV-positive lawyer Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia from the previous year.

Ryan Gosling

Playing Noah in 2004's romantic instant classic The Notebook broke Ryan Gosling into the mainstream and playing the nameless wheelman protagonist of 2011's Drive showed his action star potential. The first time critics and audiences truly began to notice his strengths as a versatile performer, however, was when he played a teacher wrestling with his vices in 2006's Half Nelson.

Robert Downey, Jr.

There was no better choice to play Tony "Iron Man" Stark — the role that effectively resurrected Robert Downey Jr.'s career — in what would become the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Yet, has the actor truly ever been better than when he played Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer cast in 2023? Just ask the Academy.

Jennifer Lawrence

Jennifer Lawrence breathed refreshing new life into the cinematic version of YA dystopian novel hero Katniss Everdeen in the Hunger Games movies. She especially breathed refreshing life into the already beautiful story of love and self-acceptance at the center of Silver Linings Playbook with her Oscar-winning performance as the widowed Tiffany Maxwell.

Jim Carrey

The one role that best represents Jim Carrey’s one-of-a kind erratic style of physical comedy is the ceaselessly goofy title hero of 1994’s Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. There are certainly traces of that persona in unwitting TV star Truman Burbank from 1998’s The Truman Show, but the performance brought out a certain emotional depth and devastating earnestness we had not yet seen from the actor.

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson was already a top A-lister when she was cast as Natasha “Black Widow” Romanoff for the MCU — a role that, arguably, became bigger than the actor herself. Yet, her infectious, Oscar-nominated performance in 2019’s Jojo Rabbit as Rosie — the mother of a young aspiring Nazi who is secretly hiding a young Jewish woman — is the heart and soul of Taika Waititi’s dazzling World War II-era satire.

Matt Damon

Is there anything better than watching Matt Damon kick butt in the Jason Bourne movies as the titular amnesiac spy? How about watching him pour out his heart and soul as a young and brilliant, but emotionally troubled custodian in 1997’s Good Will Hunting, which he also co-wrote the Academy Award-winning screenplay for?

Jamie Lee Curtis

Playing Laurie Strode in Halloween may have made her the ultimate horror Scream Queen and playing IRS inspector Deirdre Beaubeirdre in Everything Everywhere All at Once may have finally earned her an Oscar, but neither reflect her absolute best work in our opinion. Her Golden Globe-winning role as Helen Tasker — a woman who discovers her husband (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) is a spy — shows the extent of her versatile range and is easily the performance from 1994’s True Lies.

Michael Keaton

When you think of Michael Keaton, the first character you picture could be Bruce Wayne from Tim Burton's live-action Batman movies or the title role of another Burton classic called Beetlejuice. Yet, the actor's defining role might really be the one that earned him his first Academy Award nomination: down-and-out actor Riggan Thomson in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).

Adam Driver

Typically, any Star Wars actor can call their role in the celebrated sci-fi franchise the most famous character they have ever played and Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren is certainly no exception. His performance as the Sith Lord is an essential highlight of the sequel trilogy, but his rich, emotionally devastating, and uniquely funny performance as Charlie Barber in 2019’s Marriage Story — his second Oscar-nominated role — really proved he was a force to behold.

Clint Eastwood

The Mount Rushmore of Western Movie Stars undeniably includes Clint Eastwood, whose own carving into the monument would probably be dressed like his three roles from Sergio Leone's "The Man with No Name" or "Dollars" Trilogy — made of up A Fistful of Dollars, For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. Well, forgive us, but we believe that coldblooded-killer turned mild-mannered family man William Munny from 1992’s Unforgiven — which he also directed — is his stronger and deeper contribution to the genre.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams is transcendent as the ultimate ruthless teen queen, Regina George, in the 2004 high school movie classic, Mean Girls. Yet, she is at her most grounded and most captivatingly understated in her Oscar-nominated portrayal of Boston Globe investigative journalist Sacha Pfeiffer in 2015’s Spotlight.

Tom Cruise 

Among Tom Cruise’s many iconic roles — especially Maverick in the Top Gun movies and Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible movies — we are not sure that we would include Ron Kovic in that least. Yet, we do believe the actor has never been better than in his impassioned, Academy Award-nominated portrayal of the real-life Vietnam vet-turned-war-protester in Oliver Stone’s Born on the Fourth of July.

Emma Watson

Most people — especially Harry Potter fans — still see Hermione Graigner whenever they see Emma Watson. However, one role that came closest to replacing the talented wizard as the British actor’s most celebrated work is Sam Button from the tender 2012 coming-of-age drama, The Perks of Being a Wallflower.

Harrison Ford

Harrison Ford is the face of two of cinema’s most iconic action movie heroes: Indiana Jones and Han Solo from the Star Wars movies. Yet, we have seen the legend give a performance as intense, grounded, and human as Detective Captain John Book in Witness, which also earned him his sole Academy Award nomination.

Jeff Bridges

Jeff Bridges had already achieved a storied and widely acclaimed career by the time he landed his definitive role as freewheeling burnout, The Dude, in Joel and Ethan Coen’s 1998 cult favorite comedy classic, The Big Lebowski. It would take another 12 years before he gave his definitive performance as disillusioned country singer Bad Blake in Crazy Heart, which made him an Oscar winner.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jack Dawson from James Cameron’s high-grossing Best Picture Oscar winner, 1997’s Titanic, remains the one role Leonardo DiCaprio is most often associated with despite winning his Oscar for 2015’s The Revenant. However, it is his remarkable portrayal of Howard Hughes, from his rise as an inventive aristocrat to his falls as a disturbed recluse, that earns the highest praise from us. 

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman has an extraordinary collection of unique characters under her belt, but none are quite as distinct or recognizable as Satine in Baz Luhrmann’s 2001 musical smash, Moulin Rouge! Yet, the following year saw her give a transformative, Oscar-winning performance in The Hours as renowned author Virginia Woolf during a dismal time in her life.

Christian Bale

Christian Bale had audiences floored by his performance as Bruce Wayne in Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight Trilogy, which solidified him as one of the best Batman actors in cinematic history. However, we believe we already saw him at his best in 2000’s American Psycho, giving a brilliantly nuanced performance as a strangely compelling sociopath named Patrick Bateman.

Natalie Portman

Rewatching the Star Wars prequel trilogy is made easier for even its harshest critics by Natalie Portman’s empowering, grounding, and ultimately heartbreaking performance as Naboo’s queen-turned-senator, Padmé Amidala. Yet, we have it on good authority that even those fans of a galaxy far, far away would rather rewatch 2010’s Black Swan and experience her unsettling, bravura, Academy Award-winning turn as Nina Sayers — a ballerina driven mad by her devotion to the lead role of Swan Lake.

Daniel Radcliffe 

Daniel Radcliffe certainly made for a great “The Boy Who Lived” in the Harry Potter movies, but even some of the franchise’s biggest fans might agree that the English actor has only gotten better since exiting the Wizarding World. In fact, some might say he has gotten better as the roles got weirder, and none have been weirder than when he starred in 2022’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story as a hilariously exaggerated version of the legendary musical parodist.

Kate Winslet

Much like Titanic made Leonardo DiCaprio a star, starring in the blockbuster historical tragedy as Rose Bukater turned Kate Winslet into one of the top actors of her time. In spite of her wonderful performance there, many would agree the role mainly paved the way for even better opportunities, such as her Oscar-winning performance in 2008’s The Reader as Hanna Schmitz.

Oscar Isaac

Oscar Isaac was certainly on the path to achieving A-list status before joining the cast of 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but playing the charming resistance pilot was his one-way ticket across the bridge. That same year, however, he delivered a captivatingly complex and intriguingly layered performance as tech innovator Nathan Bateman in Alex Garland’s classic A24 sci-fi drama, Ex Machina

Reese Witherspoon

As Elle Woods in 2001’s Legally Blonde, Reese Witherspoon brings warmth, humor, and authenticity to a character who could have easily been an annoying, one-note stereotype. As June Carter Cash in 2005’s Walk the Line, she absolutely steals the show from Joaquin Phoenix’s Johnny Cash with her powerful, Oscar-winning portrayal of the legendary singer.

Henry Cavill

Being, essentially, the spitting image of Clark Kent made Henry Cavill an ideal choice to play Superman in 2013’s Man of Steel, but not quite the perfect choice. The English actor’s signature charm, charisma, and sense of humor shine through much stronger as American secret agent Napoleon Solo in Guy Ritchie’s The Man from U.N.C.L.E., which we think is gleaming proof of his 007 material.

Brie Larson

You could say that Carol Danvers has become such a popular character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe because Brie Larson is the one portraying her in Captain Marvel and subsequent films. For that, we can likely thank her magnificent, heart-wrenching, Oscar-winning performance in 2015’s Room as a single mother held captive with her son.

There are the characters we cherish and the performances we adore. Both are equally important reasons for why we love our favorite actors.

As one of the best action movies to have ever graced the big screen, Kurt Russell and John Carpenter’s Escape from New York remains an all-time classic. As a major influence on Hideo Kojima’s equally iconic PlayStation game Metal Gear Solid, the resemblance between that pixelated protagonist and his flesh and blood namesake has always been so uncanny. So much so that it’s been rumored Russell was offered the role of Solid Snake back in the day. 

Whether or not that’s totally true, the legendary actor’s reason for turning down projects such as that is another reason why we love Mr. Kurt Russell. During an interview for GQ’s YouTube video breaking down Kurt’s iconic roles, the rumor of his services being recruited for Metal Gear Solid were raised in conversation. Politely side stepping the subject, the man was a total champion when providing this initial reasoning for why he’d passed on this hypothetical opportunity: 

That singular mindset has seen Kurt Russell build an impressive resume of projects, Escape from New York included. Just imagine how many of his John Carpenter collaborations wouldn’t have happened if he’d taken every gig looking for a “Snake Plissken type.” That excitement for the future and new opportunities also fed into another concern that arose from course of this chat.

While he’s certainly not afraid to tackle something that recalls previous roles, like a Monarch: Legacy of Monsters moment reminiscent of The Thing, it sounds like the major caveat that had Kurt Russell shying away from Metal Gear Solid was that it was just too similar. Not to mention, as he also included in further remarks on the matter, one key contributor would have been missing from the picture: 

To reprise Snake Plissken without John Carpenter at the wheel wouldn't have interested Kurt Russell. As always, his loyalty to his frequent collaborator and that curiosity fueled work ethic is something The Thing's mythic lead has always held near and dear to his heart. 

History still turned out pretty nicely when it came to Solid Snake and his adventures on the PS1, as eventually actor/X-Men screenwriter David Hayter would be cast as Metal Gear Solid’s lead. This in turn saw him playing Solid Snake across multiple games and variations on that character. 

If Hideo Kojima ever wanted to ask Kurt Russell to join in on one of his original projects, like the upcoming Death Stranding 2 or the Jordan Peele-produced OD, one would think the odds would be a lot better that he might accept.

Although it wouldn't hurt to ask self-admitted gamer John Carpenter, as one could imagine the hype that the internet would engage in, were that to happen. Just imagine the playground of nightmares those two could come up with? In the meantime, you can currently catch Kurt Russell in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The entire first season is now streaming for those who have an Apple TV+ subscription and a taste for Titan-packed adventure in the MonsterVerse. 

1993 and 1994 were some particularly big year when it comes to the best Kurt Russell movies. The former saw him starring in Tombstone as Wyatt Earp, and then he followed that up with playing Colonel Jack O’Neil in Stargate. Of course, if you’re familiar with some of the Tombstone behind-the-scenes facts, you know that this wasn’t the easy production to take part in, and Michael Biehn, who played Johnny Ringo in the Western, thinks Russell’s experience on that movie is what led to him seeming so “angry” in Stargate. 

For those unaware, about a month after Tombstone began production, Kevin Barre, who wrote the screenplay and was supposed to make his directorial debut on the movie, was fired, and George Cosmatos took his place. However, it’s been rumored over the years that Kurt Russell was actually the movie’s secret director, and in 2017, co-star Val Kilmer said Russell was “solely responsible for Tombstone’s success.” During his recent appearance on Inside of You with Michael Rosenbaum, Biehn clarified that Tombstone was ultimately put together by a “committee,” but he believes that the rocky process of shooting that movie influenced his performance in Stargate shortly thereafter. As Biehn recalled:

Rosenbaum then questioned if Russell’s demeanor stemmed from his Tombstone experience, and Michael Biehn said he suspected as much, noting how he’d “never seen him so grumpy before” when they were shooting the Western together. We can’t say with 100% certainty this was the case, but Russell certainly couldn’t be faulted for feeling this way since he and the rest of the cast and crew went through so much on Tombstone.

Honestly, the grumpy demeanor enhanced Russell’s performance as Jack O’Neil, a member of the Air Force whose son died after he accidentally shot himself. Between that tragedy and leading the mission through the title wormhole-creating device to visit another planet, it’s no wonder he’d come across as grumpy and angry in Stargate. Funny enough though, while Russell played O’Neil rather humorlessly, the character became more of a wisecracker when Richard Dean Anderson took over the role for the TV series Stargate SG-1, which ran for 10 seasons.

If you’re now in the mood to watch Tombstone and/or Stargate, the former can be streamed with a Hulu subscription, and the latter can be viewed on MGM+, which can be added on to your Amazon Prime Video subscription. If you’re looking for something more current from Kurt Russell, use your Apple TV+ subscription to watch Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, the MonsterVerse franchise’s first live-action TV show.

A lot of great speeches come from sports movies, but that's not the only genre that can make us want to run through walls. Some speeches are so good it has us rooting for the bad guys. Most are by the good guys though, and we'll follow those good guys anywhere. Here is our list of the most inspiring speeches in film history. 

Independence Day - President Witmore

President Thomas J. Whitmore's (Bill Pullman) speech in Independence Day has become one of the most iconic film moments of the last 50 years. While the movie can be polarizing, some people can't get enough of it, others hope to never see it again. Still, it's hard to find anyone who truly hates the speech and that moment in the film. If you ever find yourself fighting against annihilation by a bunch of E.T.s, this is the speech for you. 

The Hunt For Red October - Captain Ramius

If you thought you could never get fired up about the Soviet Union picking a fight on the United States during the Cold War, check it out. When Captain Marko Ramius (Sean Connery) tells his crew that the salad days of the Cold War are not behind them, and the United States will "tremble again - at the sound of our silence," it makes you want to stand up and fight for communism. At least for a brief moment. 

Any Given Sunday (Coach D'Amato)

It's used at almost every professional football game in America, almost every Sunday, because in Any Given Sunday, Coach D'Amato implores his team and the rest of us to claw for every inch we can. It might not be Pacino's most award-winning role, but that scene... that scene is some of his finest and most enduring work. 

Gladiator (Maximus)

"My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius." If those words don't immediately fire you up, it's time to check for a pulse. Audiences spend most of Gladiator waiting for Maximus (Russell Crowe) to finally get his revenge on that conniving Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) and finally we get it. Maximus will have his vengeance, in this life or the next.

Friday Night Lights (Coach Gaines)

In Friday Night Lights, Coach Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) tells us how to be perfect. It has nothing to do with the final score, or winning. It's about how we treat each other and ourselves. It's about telling the truth and not letting anyone down. Live in the moment, "with joy in your heart." That's what makes us perfect. The swelling music by Explosions in the Sky only adds to the drama of the moment. 

While he doesn't say "Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose," (that comes from the TV show), he does mention his clear eyes and his full heart and afterward, none of us lose. 

Henry V (Henry V)

It's not just one of the most inspiring speeches in film history, it's one of the most famous speeches in human history. When William Shakespeare wrote the words to the famous St. Crispin's Day Speech in Henry V, he could not have known that it would be used for centuries afterward to inspire men. For we few, we lucky few, we can watch the speech brilliantly delivered by Kenneth Branagh in one of his finest roles, in his film version from 1989. 

Animal House (Bluto)

"Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" Of course it wasn't! Bluto (John Belushi) does a lot to inspire the brothers of the Delta house in Animal House but nothing more so than his speech after "Wormer dropped the big one" and suspended the fraternity. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, the men of Delta are inspired to have the best time of their lives, and Wormer? He's a dead man! Marmalard? Dead! Niedermeyer...

Gone With The Wind (Scarlett O'Hara)

Scarlett O'Hara (Vivien Leigh) is not the most sympathetic movie character of all time. In fact, she ranks close to the bottom in that category, but you can't deny the power of her speech just before the end of the first part of the movie. Her family's plantation, Tara, is in shambles, her mother is dead, and her father has lost his mind. When all hope is lost, she promises herself she will fix it, and she will "never be hungry again."

Barbie (Gloria)

It's truly a show-stopping moment in Barbie when Gloria (America Ferrera) lays out what it's like to be a woman in today's world. The entire essence of the movie's message is summed up in that brilliant speech. It makes everyone want to jump up on their feet and applaud. It's a moment that will forever live in cinema history. 

Good Will Hunting (Sean Maguire)

It's not just the words that matter. It takes a special actor to deliver a speech like Sean Maguire's in Good Will Hunting. Thankfully there was the great Robin Williams. In a speech that is meant to devastate and inspire Will (Matt Damon), Williams tells him everything he is doing wrong but manages to show him how he can fix it, and open up an entirely new world for himself. It's cutting and loving. And brilliant. "Your move, chief."

Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King (Aragorn)

Like so many other battle scenes in movies, Aragorn's (Viggo Mortensen) speech at the Black Gates in Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King has us willing to fight to the death with our fellow soldiers. There is nothing like a leader riding back and forth on horse inspiring his troops. 

Braveheart (William Wallace)

Always remember, that no matter how badly you are treated by a tyrannical English king, he can never take your freedom! William Wallace (Mel Gibson) brilliantly reminds us of that in Braveheart. While it's easy to mock the poor history telling in the movie (and we argue if it was really one of the best movies of 1995), you can never say that the speech Wallace gives before the biggest battle in the movie won't have you ready to take on the entire British Empire. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (Elizabeth)

Speeches made by leaders to inspire men in battle aren't unique in movies. What makes the speech unique in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End is that the speech is made by a woman. Elizabeth's (Keira Knightly) speech isn't a lot different than a lot of its ilk, but it's more inspiring to hear it from a woman because we've never heard that before. So hoist the colors! 

Stripes (John Winger)

John Winger (Bill Murray) is the biggest misfit in a platoon filled with them in Stripes. He's the least likely to inspire the rest with a razzle-dazzle speech firing them up, yet that's exactly what he does before their graduation from boot camp. Bill Murray has some of the best lines in movie history, and this speech is near the top of them. 

Miracle (Herb Brooks)

"Great moments are born from great opportunity." That is something we can all stand to remember. In Miracle, Herb Brooks inspires his rag-tag team of college kids to defeat maybe the greatest hockey team ever assembled in the Soviet National Team at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The movie is based on a true story and while it's impossible to know exactly with the real Brooks said, if it was anywhere close to what Russell delivers, it's no surprise we all believe in miracles today. 

Rocky IV (Rocky Balboa)

The Cold War inspired a lot of movies, even sports movies like Rocky IV. Early in the Rocky series, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) wasn't a man of many words, but at the end of Rocky IV, he finds some of the most inspiring words of the whole series, imploring all of us to get along, despite our differences. 

Swingers (Trent)

What's a good friend if not someone to pep you up when you're feeling low? That's exactly who Trent (Vince Vaughn) is to Mike (Jon Favreau) in Swingers. Not only does he take him to Vegas for a night of fun, on the way home, after the trip doesn't pep Mike up as much as it should, Trent explains exactly why Mike is so money, and he doesn't even know it. 

Network (Howard Beale)

It's scary just how much a movie like Network, released almost 50 years ago is still so relevant. We don't need Howard Beale (Peter Finch) to tell us just how bad things are, we just need to him to inspire us to go to the window, open the window and yell to the world that we're not going to take it anymore! 

The Goonies (Mikey)

"The Goonies never say die!" When all seems lost in the Goonies quest to rescue their neighborhood from developers, Mikey (Sean Astin) reminds them all exactly how far they've come in the quest for One-Eyed Willie's gold. We don't get a lot of inspirational speeches from kids, but when we do, we love them. 

Clueless (Cher)

When Cher (Alicia Silverstone) compares her garden party to a refugee crisis, your inclination is to think she's an airhead. But like so many before and after her, there is kind of a subtle brilliance to her thought process. She takes what she knows and uses that to find the emotion we should all feel for her side of the argument. 

Milk (Harvey Milk)

Milk, based on the true story of Harvey Milk (Sean Penn), is inspiring in and of itself, but Milk's speech on the steps of San Fransisco City Hall at the Gay Pride Rally is a masterpiece. 

Troy (Achilles)

In another classic example of a military leader inspiring his troops, Achilles' (Brad Pitt) speech reminding his men that they are lions, is enough to get anyone to storm the beaches of Troy. There's a reason the story has been told for thousands of years. 

Norma Rae (Norma Rae)

The best thing about Norma Rae's (Sally Field, in one of her best roles) speech in Norma Rae is that the most important word isn't spoken at all. She simply holds up a sign that says "Union" in the middle of her sweatshop. That's all she needs to "say" to get everyone in the textile mill to agree. It's brilliant. 

We Are Marshall (Jack Lengyel)

We Are Marshall tells the tragic and heroic story of the 1971 Marshall University football team. At the end of the 1970 season, a plane carrying most of the team and its coaches crashed in North Carolina. Before the start of the next season, the new coach, Jack Lengyel (Matthew McConaughey) makes a speech at a memorial for some of the lost players and what he says about never forgetting the past but looking to the future will bring a tear to anyone's eyes.

Legally Blonde (Elle Woods)

More than 20 years after the first Legally Blonde movie was released Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) continues to inspire us. With an address like the one she makes at the end of the movie, as she's graduating, it's easy to see why. "You must always have faith in people. And most importantly, you must always have faith in yourself."

Avengers: Endgame (Captain America)

In a room full of superheroes, leave it to Captain America to make the hype speech. In Avengers: Endgame, that's exactly when Cap (Chris Evans) psyches the cadre up for their mission to reverse the Snap. "Whatever it takes."

Hoosiers (Norman Dale)

When tiny Hickman High School makes it to the Indiana State Basketball Finals, they are facing a huge school, in a huge arena. Coach Norman Dale (Gene Hackman) takes only a minute or so to lay out what will make them successful, and a minute is all he needs. It's why Hoosiers one of the best sports movies ever made. 

Rudy (Rudy)

The speech in Rudy is a little different. Rudy really has no audience, save for one person, but that doesn't stop him from delivering a first-rate speech that any Notre Dame alum gets goosebumps when they hear it, including the parts he lifted from the great Knute Rockne.

Juno (Mac MacGuff)

When Juno MacGuff (Elliot Page) is wondering what her future holds, her father Mac MacGuff (J.K. Simmons) explains simply and succinctly, "The best thing you can do is find a person who loves you for exactly what you are." We couldn't have said it better ourselves. 

Stand And Deliver (Jaime Escalante) 

Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) is a no-nonsense math teacher who is determined to get the most from his students. He decides he needs to raise the level of expectations inside and outside of the classroom and he starts by breaking down when he is going to be so hard on his students, to get the most out of them. All they need is ganas – motivation. 

Rocky Balboa (Rocky)

Leave it to Rocky to make a speech in 2006's Rocky Balboa meant to inspire his son to inspire all of us together. It's pure Rocky, leave it all out, don't accept things you don't like, and never make excuses, no matter how hard it is. And it seems like this was advice he took to heart when it became a struggle to make the film. 

300 (Dilios)

Dilios (David Wenham) fires up the Spartans like no other person could. It's truly one of the great hype speeches in film history. It's exactly what you would expect from a civilization of warriors. Whether it really happened or not is irrelevant. The message is the same, "Remember us."

From sports to war, love to education, and beyond, a great speech raises goosebumps like nothing else in film can. These examples are some of the best speeches we've used to inspire us. 

Warning: SPOILERS for the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters episode “Terrifying Miracles” are ahead!

Up until the release of “Terrifying Miracles,” the latest episode of the Apple TV+ show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Elisa Lasowski’s Duvall had been a loyal employee of the Monarch scientific organization, working alongside Joe Tippett’s Tim to track down Anna Sawai’s Cate Randa and the other main protagonists looking into Hiroshi Randa’s disappearance. However, this episode’s 2015 storyline kicked off with Duvall breaking Kurt Russell’s Lee Shaw out of custody and joining him in his quest to stop another Titan emergence. Lasowski opened up to CinemaBlend about this twist concerning her character, as well as discussed why it was “absolutely amazing” working with Russell.

Duvall and Lee are now tied quite closely together within the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast, as the former decided to free the latter from his Monarch transport because she feels the organization is failing in its efforts to prevent more Titan attacks around the world. . Sadly, this means that Duvall and her partner Tim have now gone their separate ways, and when I asked how it was for her and Tippett shifting from the ally dynamic to being on opposite sides, she answered:

Duvall has a personal stake in the Titans beyond working for Monarch, as she revealed to Lee Shaw before they hightailed it out of the convoy that her late sister Sandra worked in at Janjira, i.e. the nuclear power plant in Japan that collapsed in 1999, as depicted in 2014’s Godzilla. While Duvall didn’t clarify if Sandra worked at the plant before it collapsed or at the facility set up in its wreckage to monitor a gigantic, mysterious chrysalis, it’s likely the latter given the former’s age and the fact that it was one of the MUTOs that destroyed the facility once it’s hatched. In any case, Duvall and others within Monarch feel it’s time to adopt a change in tactics with these giant monsters, and she believes Lee is the one to guide them.

Tim, on the other hand, decided to remain with Monarch, and when I inquired with Joe Tippett about his feelings on Tim and Duvall’s partnership fracturing, in addition to expressing his sadness about spending less time with Elisa Lasowski, he said he found himself “legitimately sad” that these characters “were pulling away from each other.” The silver lining is that Lasowski got to spend a lot of time with Kurt Russell, and she described her experience working with him as follows:

Duvall and Lee later reconnected with Cate, Kentaro and May and traveled to the Algerian desert, which is where Hiroshi Randa was believed to be located. That was true, but our old friend Godzilla was also in the area, so naturally that ignited a wave of pandemonium that resulted in the helicopter Joe was aboard crashing and Hiroshi disappearing again. Now Lee and Duvall are on a new mission to somehow “help” Godzilla, and and Cate, Kentaro and May want nothing to do with their plans. So now we have wait to see just what these two and their followers have cooking.

New episodes of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters premiere Fridays to Apple TV+ subscribers. With just a few weeks to go until 2023 is over, look through our 2024 TV schedule to figure out what shows you’ll watching in the coming year. Also remember that the MonsterVerse will pick back up with the release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire April 12 on the 2024 movies calendar.

Ever since it was announced that the forthcoming reboot Superman: Legacy will star David Corenswet as DC Comics’ Man of Steel and Rachel Brosnahan as a perfectly-cast Lois Lane, the Legacy cast list has become amazingly stacked. And yet, there have been a few casting rumors for the upcoming DC movie that writer/Director James Gunn has taken time to debunk, one of which involves Kurt Russell. After reading the filmmaker’s explanation, I completely get why the Escape from New York actor hasn’t been cast in this particular role.

In case you missed it, Russell, who can currently be seen as a member of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ cast, was rumored to be playing Jor-El, Superman’s biological father, in Superman: Legacy. Russell was even listed for the role on IMDBPro, and the actor expressed interest in playing the Kryptonian scientist. When a fan inquired with Gunn on Threads about if this casting was true, here’s what the man who’s also co-running DC Studios with Peter Safran said:

To be fair, both Marlon Brando and Russell Crowe previously played Jor-El, with the former being 53 when Superman: The Movie came out, and the latter being 49 when Man of Steel was released. Yes, Kurt Russell’s current age of 72 is a big leap ahead of those other two actors, but still, I don’t blame some for thinking he’d be a reasonable choice for Jor-El. But alas, James Gunn has set the record straight that Russell is not involved with Superman: Legacy. Fortunately, he already has some superhero movie experience under his belt from Sky High and the  Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2., the latter of which was also written and directed by James Gunn.

It is worth noting that while other classic Superman characters like Jimmy Olsen and Lex Luthor are set to appear in Superman: Legacy, there’s no guarantee we’ll see Jor-El or Lara-El, Superman’s biological mother, in this first movie on the DC Universe Chapter One slate. Remember, Legacy won’t show Superman’s origin story, meaning we won’t revisit baby Kal-El being launched in a rocket by his parents off of Krypton right before it’s destroyed. However, that doesn’t necessarily take seeing Jor-El and Lara-El completely off the table, as we could still see them in flashbacks to other periods of their lives, or holographic copies of their consciousnesses could be contained within the Fortress of Solitude.

In any case, if it’s officially announced that someone has been cast as Jor-El in Superman: Legacy, we’ll let you know. The reboot flies into theaters on July 11, 2025, and if you have an Apple TV+ subscription, you can see Kurt Russell playing Lee Shaw in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters now.

There’s no shortage of the best Kurt Russell movies, with some of the best entries on that list including Escape from New York, Big Trouble in Little China and Tombstone. And then there’s 1982’s The Thing, the John Carpenter-helmed adaptation of John W. Campbell’s Who Goes There? that saw Russell’s R.J. Macready and his cohorts dealing with a shapeshifting alien in Antarctica. More than 40 years after that flick’s release, and while speaking with CinemaBlend, Russell dug into how one of the action sequences in his new show Monarch: Legacy of Monsters reminded him of The Thing.

Russell was one of the first actors to be added to the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast, with Apple TV+ subscribers watching him place Lee Shaw in the 2015 storyline, while his son Wyatt plays Lee during the 1950s. Episodes 3 and 4, titled “Secrets and Lies” and “Parallels and Interiors,” saw Lee and his new, young friends in Alaska fleeing from the Frost Vark, which was the “most challenging” Titan to design for the show. I asked Russell what his experience was like shooting that sequence, and he answered:

There may have been snow everywhere when Kurt Russell was acting out the Frost Vark sequence alongside Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons and Ren Watanabe, but the temperature difference was noticeable enough when compared to when he was working on The Thing. Still, one can’t fault the man for thinking of that 1982 movie given the similar surroundings. Of course, both The Thing and Monarch also both spotlight monsters, although obviously the Titans far surpass the former movie’s title creature in size.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also marks Kurt Russell’s return to TV for the first time since he played Elvis Presley in the 1979 TV movie Elvis, for which he earned an Emmy nomination. The TV landscape has changed a lot since then, so I was inquired with the actor about what it was like not just jumping aboard a small screen project over 40 years later, but one that’s on a similar scale to his blockbuster movies from recent years. Here’s what he had to say:

While the honor of first MonsterVerse TV show goes to the animated Skull Island, which can be viewed with a Netflix subscription, Monarch is the franchise’s first live-action, small screen offering. Granted, this series places more of a focus on the humans since it’s delving into the history of the Monarch scientific organization, but there’s no shortage of Titan-fueled action, including a fight between the Mother Long Legs and MantleClaw in the first episode that John Goodman’s Bill Randa got caught in the middle of, as well as Godzilla, who’s been enhanced from the 2014 MonsterVerse-launching movie, popping up across both time periods. So even though this is Kurt Russell’s first TV show in decades, the experience of working on it felt like he was working on a lot of big movies in swift succession.

We’re now at the halfway mark with Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which drops news episodes on Friday. Keep visiting CinemaBlend for more coverage on the latest MonsterVerse installment, and remember that the franchise is also delivering Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire to the 2024 movies schedule on April 12.

The superhero genre continues to be a powerful force in the entertainment industry, and DC has been going through a ton of wild changes. Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran are crafting a new shared universe that will debut with the upcoming DC movie Superman: Legacy (which Gunn is also directing). Superman: Legacy’s cast is being assembled, and there are a number of rumors about who might be bringing the story to life. And actor Kurt Russell recently addressed chatter that he’s playing the title character’s father Jor-El. 

What we know about Superman: Legacy is limited, but the pressure is on for the project to deliver and kick start the new DCU. But while many of the leads have been revealed, there are still a handful of characters from the lore that fans are expecting to see on the big screen. That includes Kal-El’s father Jor-El, with a popular name being thrown around online being Kurt Russell. He spoke to ComicBook about that chatter, and seemed down to join the forthcoming blockbuster. As he put it,

Well, there you have it. While he’s seemingly not attached to star in Superman: Legacy, he seems down to clown and reunite with James Gunn in the process. Clearly they had a good time working together in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription), where Russell played Star-Lord’s father Ego. Although he ended up becoming a villain, unlike Jor-El.

Russell’s comments are sure to quickly go viral, and increase fan chatter about him possible playing Superman’s late father in Legacy. Clark Kent’s story on screen typically begins with the destruction of Krypton, with Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van sending their baby off into space before the planet blows up. We’ll just have to see if Gunn is adapting that scene, and who he ends up casting as the parents.

In his response, Kurt Russell name-checked Marlon Brando, who played Jor-El in 1978’s Superman. In addition to sending Kal into space before Krypton’s destruction, Brando also appeared to give guidance to his son via the Fortress of Solitude. So if Russell does end up cast in this role, he’ll have some pretty big shoes to fill.

Of course, James Gunn and company have been keeping their cards close to the chest regarding exactly what’s going down in his upcoming DC movie. But the casting announcements have definitely turned heads, especially the news that Superman: Legacy will include a number of other DC heroes besides its title character. 

All will be revealed when Superman: Legacy hits theaters on July 11th, 2025. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

The phrase “former child star” is most often associated with someone who was famous when they were much younger, but is not quite as well-known — or, perhaps, does not even act anymore — as a grown-up. Yet, for every starlet who has risen and fallen, there are just as many who have beaten the odds and have gone onto bigger and better things as adults, like these beloved celebrities.

Macaulay Culkin

The first person you might think of when you think of “former child stars” could be Macaulay Culkin, who was on top of the world when he led the original Home Alone cast as Kevin McCallister. While his notoriety would slow in subsequent years, it is always a treat to see him show up in ensembles like the American Horror Story Season 10 cast or Kid Cudi’s Entergalactic cast.

Lukas Haas

Lukas Haas was one of the most acclaimed young actors of his time with leading roles in 1985’s Witness, opposite Harrison Ford, and the underrated ghost story, Lady in White, from 1988. He has since made a living taking smaller roles in otherwise big movies like Inception and Babylon, plus he's shown up on TV shows like The Righteous Gemstones and War of the Worlds.

Jurnee Smollett

With an Emmy nomination for HBO’s Lovecraft Country, a scene-stealing role in DC’s Birds of Prey, and a stellar turn in Amazon Prime’s The Burial, Jurnee Smollett has established herself as one of the strongest talents of her time. However, that was already clear with her recurring role in Full House and her astonishing performance in 1997’s acclaimed Black horror movie, Eve’s Bayou, when she was still a child.

Jason Bateman

From his debut role on Little House on the Prairie to his years on the sitcom Valerie (which would become The Hogan Family), Jason Bateman showed great versatility as a performer in his younger years. He has upheld that reputation ever since, as seen by his Emmy-nominated work leading the Arrested Development cast and, later, the Ozark cast. His ability to shift from starring in funny movies like Horrible Bosses to dramas like Air is remarkable.

Dakota Fanning

Racking up more than 20 credits before she turned 10, Dakota Fanning was everywhere in the early 2000s — catching the attention of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg for War of the Worlds and holding her own against actors like Robert DeNiro in Hide and Seek. Save her age, nothing much has changed for the actor, who appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood cast and reunited with her Man on Fire co-star, Denzel Washington, in 2023’s The Equalizer 3.

Ryan Gosling

A 13-year-old Ryan Gosling entered show business as a Mouseketeer, paving the way for him to star in back-to-back scary anthology TV shows for kids (Are You Afraid of the Dark? and Goosebumps), lead Young Hercules, and more. Leading 2004’s The Notebook cast paved the way for him to be an action hero in Drive and Blade Runner 2049. On top of all that, he also earned Oscar nominations for Half Nelson and La La Land, and made us laugh as part of the The Nice Guys ensemble and the Barbie cast as Ken.

Brie Larson

After some faux ads on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show marked her debut at 9, Brie Larson went on to star in a family sitcom with the late Bob Saget (Raising Dad), was in a YA novel adaptation (Hoot), and she even had a singing career in her teens. Now, she is a comic book movie star (for appearing in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and playing the MCU’s Captain Marvel), and she has an Oscar for Room from 2015.

Kenan Thompson

On All That — Nickelodeon’s answer to Saturday Night Live — one of the young cast’s most prominent breakouts was Kenan Thompson, who went on to co-lead his own kid-friendly sitcom with Kel Mitchell, aptly named Kenan & Kel. The Emmy winner went on to break the record for longest-running SNL actor and lead his own adult sitcom, Kenan.

David Krumholtz

After making his debut playing a child actor in 1993’s Life with Mikey, David Krumholtz became a prominent child actor with roles in Addams Family Values as Wednesday’s love interest and Tim Allen’s head elf, Bernard, in The Santa Clause. The crime procedural, Numb3rs, earned him greater recognition, leading to a career that includes lending his voice to Sausage Party, appearing in the Oppenheimer cast, and reprising Bernard on Disney+’s series, The Santa Clauses.

Neil Patrick Harris

Playing a kid genius on Doogie Howser M.D. made Neil Patrick Harris a household name, which he acknowledged when he later played himself in Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. Of course, the five-time Emmy winner is better known today as Barney Stinson from the How I Met Your Mother cast, Count Olaf on Netflix’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, and so much more.

Josh Brolin

At 17, first-time actor Josh Brolin immediately made his mark on pop culture as part of the Goonies cast in the role of Brand Walsh. However, he really got heads turning at 39 when he starred in one of the best movies of the 2000s, No Country for Old Men. The son of Hollywood veteran James Brolin has an Oscar nomination for Milk and multiple comic book movie roles under his belt (Jonah Hex, MCU’s Thanos, and Cable in Deadpool 2), among other great achievements. 

Haley Joel Osment

After debuting in Forrest Gump and starring on The Jeff Foxworthy Show, Haley Joel Osment’s Oscar-nominated performance in, arguably, the best M. Night Shyamalan movie, 1999’s The Sixth Sense, made him a sensation. He went on to earn leading parts in Pay It Forward and Steven Spielberg’s A.I.: Artificial Intelligence. More recently, Osment has been known to pop up in the most unexpected places — Kevin Smith’s Tusk, a guest role on The Boys, Netflix's animated fantasy series Dogs in Space, to name a few — but always with grand results.

Ethan Hawke

After debuting in Joe Dante’s Explorers at 15, Ethan Hawke only grew in prominence in his later teens and throughout his 20s by starring in Dead Poets Society, Reality Bites, etc. He went on to earn Academy Award nominations for Training Day and Boyhood. He completed Richard Linklater’s Before Trilogy with 2013’s Before Midnight, became a Scream King with great horror movies like Sinister, and he's done a fair amount of work behind the scenes, too.

Abigail Breslin

Just four years after M. Night Shyamalan gave 6-year-old Abigail Breslin her big break with Signs, her role in the Little Miss Sunshine cast made her one of the youngest Oscar nominees of all time. As she matured, so would her roles — such as a teenage murder suspect in Stillwater or a vigilante in the Accused cast for Fox.

Mayim Bialik

Mayim Bialik stole the show from the Big Bang Theory cast as Amy Farrah Fowler and later led Fox’s Call Me Kat in the title role. However, the Jeopardy! host’s status as sitcom royalty dates back to the ‘90s as the star of Blossom.

Brenda Song

Perhaps Brenda Song’s most iconic character is London Tipton from the Suite Life franchise — which is just one of the roles that made her a prominent Disney Channel star. Beyond the children’s cable giant, she was in one of the best David Fincher movies, The Social Network, led Netflix’s Secret Obsession, and had a main role in Hulu’s Dollface.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Despite being removed for disruptive behavior when making his show business debut on Romper Room at 3 years old (as he revealed to David Letterman), Leonardo DiCaprio went on to lead a winning child actor’s career that included a season on Growing Pains and an Academy Award nomination for What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? Things would only get better as he grew up, earning even more Oscar nominations — and one win for The Revenant — and becoming as important to Martin Scorsese’s filmography as his This Boy’s Life co-star, Robert DeNiro, whom he reunited with in 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon.

Tyler James Williams

Tyler James Williams started out appearing on Sesame Street before landing the title role of Chris Rock’s autobiographical sitcom, Everybody Hates Chris. Following an acclaimed indie comedy (Dear White People) and a recurring role on the Walking Dead cast, the actor became sitcom royalty again when he joined the Abbott Elementary cast, which earned him multiple Emmy nods.

Kurt Russell

Former Disney star Kurt Russell made his feature debut in 1963’s It Happened at the World’s Fair alongside Elvis Presley, and he went on to play him in a made-for-TV biopic and Forrest Gump. Several great movie roles later, Russell is one of the top action heroes of all time, and now he's working with his family by joining the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters cast alongside his son, Wyatt, who is playing his younger self.

Jodie Foster

After getting her start on TV at a very young age (the first gig being The Doris Day Show), Jodie Foster got a head start on the more mature roles she would become known for when she appeared in Taxi Driver at 14. The two-time Academy Award winner (for The Accused and Best Picture Oscar winner The Silence of the Lambs) would continue to work from both in front of and behind the camera.

Johnny Galecki

In 1989, 14-year-old Johnny Galecki appeared as Rusty in the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation cast, and he also starred in another holiday classic, Prancer. I would not be surprised if many did not realize that Leonard from The Big Bang Theory was the same actor, but they were likely more hip to that fact by the time he reprised his role from Roseanne, David Healy, on The Conners.

Miranda Cosgrove

Even with Jack Black in the lead, Miranda Cosgrove stole the show in 2003’s School of Rock, and she went on to do the same thing as the evil Megan in the Nickelodeon sitcom, Drake & Josh. One of her most notable credits as an adult was a Paramount+ exclusive revival of iCarly — another Nickelodeon show she led as a teen.

Keke Palmer

Her bombastic debut role in Barbershop 2: Back in Business made it clear that then-9-year-old Keke Palmer was a powerhouse talent. The Emmy winner would continue to demonstrate her skill as the lead of Akeelah and the Bee and much later in life as part of Jordan Peele’s Nope cast.

Mark-Paul Gosselaar

While Zach Morris from the Saved by the Bell cast is still the role he is best known for — he even reprised it in a Peacock exclusive revival — Mark-Paul Gosselaar managed to prove his versatility in later years. He had a successful stint as a detective on NYPD Blue, played a rebellious lawyer on Franklin & Bash, and an abusive captor in NBC’s Found.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Before starring on the great ‘90s TV show, 3rd Rock from the Sun, Joseph Gordon-Levitt made multiple TV appearances and starred in classic movies like Angels in the Outfield and A River Runs Through It. These days, he is best known for his many collaborations with Rian Johnson, his Golden Globe-nominated turns in (500) Days of Summer and 50/50, and running the creative collaboration platform HitRecord.

Sean Astin

Before playing the title role of Rudy and starring in the Lord of the Rings movies as Sam, Sean Astin was best known as Mikey in The Goonies. In addition to his accomplished voice acting career, one of his most celebrated roles as of late is Bob Newby from the Season 2 cast of Stranger Things — a show very much inspired by The Goonies.

Kirsten Dunst

After making her film debut in star-studded The Bonfire of the Vanities, Kirsten Dunst really made an impression at 12 playing a 70-year-old bloodsucker in Interview with the Vampire. Starring in the Spider-Man movies as Mary Jane Watson swung her right into the A-list and, in 2022, she received an Academy Award nomination for The Power of the Dog.

Kieran Culkin

With his roles in the Home Alone movies and in Steve Martin movies (both parts of Father of the Bride), it seemed like Kieran Culkin was on his way to the same level of stardom as his brother, Macaulay. However, it was not until later in life when he was thrice Emmy-nominated for starring in HBO’s Succession cast that he became the star he was destined to be.

Selena Gomez

Before leading Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place made Selena Gomez a star, she got her start on Barney in the early 2000s. She now has two Primetime Emmy Award nominations for her performance on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building cast and a Daytime Emmy nod for her Max original cooking show, Selena + Chef.

Elle Fanning

Before breaking out in the Super 8 cast, Elle Fanning’s claim to fame for a while was starring as a younger version of sister, Dakota, in I Am Sam and Taken. Now, she has an Emmy nomination for leading Hulu’s The Great, which is just one of the many Victorian-era roles she has played in more recent years.

Christina Ricci

For years, Christina Ricci’s performance in Barry Sonnenfeld’s Addams Family movies was the definitive iteration of young Wednesday Addams. The Yellowjackets cast member got to revisit those days with her supporting role on Netflix’s Wednesday cast, opposite Jenna Ortega in the lead this time.

Danica McKellar

Some of the most memorably endearing moments from the original Wonder Years involved Danica McKellar’s Winnie Cooper and her puppy love relationship with Fred Savage as Kevin Arnold. Romance is a big part of the actor’s career these days, primarily appearing in popular Hallmark movies like Christmas She Wrote and Swing into Romance.

Knowing the kind of career they would one day lead, I am sure these celebrities wear their “former child star” identities as a badge of honor.

Both Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell have both built solid acting resumes, the former especially thanks to movies like The Thing, Big Trouble in Little China and The Hateful Eight. However, up until recently, the two of them had never acted in the same project. That changes on Friday with the release of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. The latest entry in the MonsterVerse canon sees the father/son duo playing the same character in different time periods, and director Matt Shakman reflected to CinemaBlend on how “incredible” it was directing the Russells for the TV show. As a bonus, he threw in a Snake Plissken namedrop.

I had the pleasure of speaking with Shakman ahead of Monarch’s first two episodes premiering to Apple TV+ subscribers, both of which he helmed. So naturally I had to get his thoughts on directing both of the Russells, and here’s how he described the experience:

While Monarch: Legacy of Monsters also features the return of John Goodman as the older Bill Randa from Kong: Skull Island (although Goodman did have one “concern” about reprising the role), Kurt and Wyatt Russell are unquestionably two of this show’s most well-known leads. Regarding the former, it’s understandable Matt Shakman geeked out seeing Kurt having grown up watching his movies, including 1986’s Escape from New York, where he first played Snake Plissken, followed by Escape from L.A. in 1996. But more importantly as far as Monarch was concerned, Shakman had a front row seat to seeing how differently Kurt and Wyatt approached bringing Lee Shaw to life, while at the same time studying each man studying what the other was doing to help inform their own performances.

Lee Shaw is an Army officer who has ties to to Monarch, the scientific organization that’s been studying the Titans since the conclusion of World War II. Wyatt Russell is playing the character in the 1950s, while Kurt Russell is playing him in the MonsterVerse’s post-Godzilla time period, when the public has learned that these giant creatures exists, and Shaw now has knowledge that threatens Monarch. Other members of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ cast include Anna Sawai, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Anders Holm, Mari Yamamoto, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski. 

Following Friday’s two-episode premiere on Apple TV+, the remainder of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ 10 episodes will release weekly. Don’t forget that the MonsterVerse will then pick back up with the release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire on the 2024 movies calendar, while Matt Shakman is next turning his attention to Fantastic Four, one of the many upcoming Marvel movies.

In 2014, 16 years after the first American-produced Godzilla movie came out, Hollywood gave the reptilian monster another shot, and with that, the MonsterVerse was born. Godzilla was followed by Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong, and the franchise made its first foray into television in June with the animated Netflix series Skull Island. Now we’re on the cusp of this shared universe’s first live-action small screen offering, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, which Apple TV+ subscribers will be able to stream.

This series takes place between the events of Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, when the public has only recently learned about the existence of the Titans, and follows two siblings discovering their family’s connection to Monarch, the scientific organization that’s been studying these monsters for decades. You can watch the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters trailer to learn more story details, but in this spot, we’re talking about who’s making up the Apple TV+ show’s main cast, starting with the two actors who are playing the same character in different time periods.

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell has been on quite the franchise tear over the last decade, having played Mr. Nobody in three Fast & Furious movies and Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, not to mention starring in The Christmas Chronicles movies, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, among other projects. Now he’s lending his talents to the MonsterVerse by portraying the older version of Lee Shaw, a former U.S. army officer who goes way back with Monarch. Russell’s Shaw will meet our main protagonists in the show’s contemporary time period and shed some light on their family’s past. The bad news is that at this stage of his life, Lee is on the outs with Monarch, which will undoubtedly complicate his ability to help the younger leads.

Wyatt Russell

Who better to cast as a younger version of Kurt Russell than the man’s own son? Wyatt Russell has built his own impressive acting resume for more than two decades now, with some of his more recent credits including Lodge 49, Overlord, The Woman in the Window and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will see the younger Russell playing Lee Shaw in the 1950s, i.e. his early days of working for Monarch. Presumably these flashbacks will show how Lee became disillusioned with the agency.

John Goodman

The only familiar MonsterVerse face who’s confirmed to appear in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters so far is someone we met in 2017’s Kong: Skull Island. The 1973-set movie saw John Goodman’s Bill Randa, who led Monarch at the time, putting together an expedition to the then-recently-discovered title location. Randa would have been better off staying behind since roughly halfway through the story, he was devoured by a Skullcrawler. The Monarch show will reunite us with Randa shortly before his death on Skull Island judging by his clothing and surroundings, but that won’t be the only way we spend time with the character. 

Anders Holm

Just like with Lee Shaw, we’ll follow along with Bill Randa in the 1950s in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, with his younger self being played by Anders Holm. Some of you may have seen Holm earlier this year playing JJ in The Muppets Mayhem (which can be watched with a Disney+ subscription) or Lucky Collins in About My Father, while others may recognize him from The Mindy Project, Champions, Inventing Anna and Game Over, Man! (which he also wrote and produced), among other projects. While Randa saw his first Titan in 1943 when he survived the destruction of the USS Lawton, he’ll discover how prominent these monsters are in our world with Lee and a character we’ll talk about later.

Anna Sawai

One of the lead protagonists in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is played by Anna Sawai, who played Elle in F9 and Naomi in fellow Apple TV+ show Pachinko, which has been renewed for a second season. Sawai stars in Monarch as Cate Randa, a schoolteacher who survived the battle between Godzilla and the MUTOs in San Francisco and has traveled to Japan to settle some family affairs, only to discover a family secret. While it’s unclear if Cate was aware of Bill Randa’s existence prior to the events of Monarch beginning, she definitely didn’t know about his work with the title group, and unfortunately, her quest for the truth will lead to her coming face to face with more Titans.

Kiersey Clemons

Following her time as Iris West in The Flash this past summer, Kiersey Clemons is now participating in the MonsterVerse as May, an American ex-patriate who’s “aways three steps ahead of everyone around her,” whether it’s by “deciphering a code or finding the loophole.” We’ll see May spending time with Cate and Kentaro in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, but how she knows these two and gets dragged into their adventure remains a mystery. This year has also seen Clemons star in Somebody I Used to Know and The Young Wife.

Ren Watabe

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters makes Ren Watabe’s first major acting gig. He stars in the show as Kentaro, who is described as an “intelligent, creative, and curious young man who has yet to find his own path” and will set out to learn more about his “revered father.” Going off the earlier Monarch plot synopsis, it’s a good bet that Ren and Cate are the show’s two siblings, although we may a situation where they’re only just meeting each other for the first time rather than having been raised together.

Joe Tippett

Fans of the HBO miniseries Mare of Easttown will remember Joe Tippett for playing John Ross, but you may have also seen him on The Morning Show, Mr. Harrigan’s Phone and Spirited, among other projects. For Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, Tippett is playing Tim, an office drone who dreams os being a secret agent, which comes true when his overconfidence lands him in the field. It’s a good bet that Tim and the next character on this list are working for Monarch, but I suppose there’s a possibility they’re affiliated with a different government agency.

Elisa Lasowski

Tim will be working closely alongside Elisa Lasowski’s Duvall in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, with this character being “an expert operative with unwavering confidence in herself and her skills” who possess a “wry sense of humor,” which will help her with guiding Tim out in the field. Lasowski’s credits include Eastern Promises, Hyena, Versailles and guest-starring in an episode of Game of Thrones.

Mari Yamamoto

Rounding out the trio of characters we’ll chiefly be following along with in the 1950s sequences is Keiko, played by Mari Yamamoto. In addition to starring in Pachinko with Anna Sawai, she’s also appeared in the Netflix movie Kate and the Max series Tokyo Vice, which has been renewed for a second season. She’ll be by Lee Shaw and Bill Randa’s sides as they run into Titans out in the world, though it hasn’t been revealed yet how she comes to know these men.

We’ll see these actors and many more over the course of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ 10 episodes, with the first two premiering November 17 on Apple TV+. Don’t forget that the cinematic side will pick back up on April 12, 2024 with the release of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and its cast includes Dan Stevens, Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry. Max subscribers can stream the previous four MonsterVerse movies.

In 2014, the MonsterVerse was born with Godzilla, and nine years and four movies later, 2023 has seen this franchise take its first steps into the TV realm. First, the animated Skull Island series was delivered to Netflix subscribers in June, and later this year, the MonsterVerse’s first live-action small screen offering will arrive in the form of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, previously known as Godzilla and the Titans. This show will be viewable with an Apple TV+ subscription, and now the first trailer for Legacy of Monsters has arrived. Not only does it set up the clash between Kurt Russell’s character and Godzilla, it also includes a cameo from John Goodman’s Kong: Skull Island character, William Randa.

Let’s start off with this special appearance first. As those who saw the 2017 MonsterVerse movie will remember, Randa was the Monarch member who spearheaded the expedition to Skull Island in 1973. He was the only person to survive the USS Lawton being destroyed by a water-dwelling Titan in 1943, and ever since then he dedicated his life to proving to the world that these gigantic monsters existed. Unfortunately, shortly after sharing his knowledge of the Titans to Samuel L. Jackson’s Preston Packard, Randa was devoured by a Skullcrawler. 

However, as revealed in the Monarch: Legacy of Monsters trailer, the footage he recorded on the island was retrieved by the government organization, and among the people who’ve seen it is Kurt Russell’s Lee Shaw. We learned the identity of Russell’s character last month, and we’ll also see Lee in the 1950s being portrayed by the actor’s son, Wyatt Russell, who’s also shown in the trailer. This preview clarifies that Lee, an Army officer, used to work for Monarch, and I’m betting that he knew William Randa. If that’s the case, perhaps that means we’ll get scenes between them to join the new footage John Goodman already shot.

The majority of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ events will be set between Godzilla and Godzilla: King of the Monsters, when the public has only just learned about the Titans. At this point in time, evidently Lee is on the outs with Monarch, as it was previously said that the knowledge he possesses threatens the organization. Judging by his dialogue and some quick visual cues in the trailer, it seems as though Lee thinks the Titans need to be exterminated, Godzilla included. That would explain why he’s not on good terms with Monarch anymore, as it’s dedicated to studying these beasts.

Then there’s Anna Sawai’s character, who until recently was only known as Cate. It’s since been confirmed, though, that her full name is Cate Randa, making her related to William Randa in some way. This also explains why Lee Shaw would cross paths with her, as he can shed light on her family’s secrets. Obviously this adds another layer of “legacy” to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, but it remains to be seen if Cate will remain allied with Lee or if they’ll end up on opposite sides. Legacy of Monsters’ cast also includes Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters will premiere its first two episodes on Friday, November 17 on Apple TV+, and a new episode will follow weekly through to January 12. If you’re interested in rewatching the MonsterVerse movies ahead of time, all four can be streamed with a Max subscription. The next theatrical installment, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, is slated on the 2024 movie realize schedule for April 12.

Until 2023, the MonsterVerse was a film-only franchise, made up of Godzilla, Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla: King of the Monsters and Godzilla vs. Kong. Then in June, the animated tie-in series Skull Island was released to Netflix subscribers, but there’s an even bigger streaming series on the way to flesh out this shared universe. Apple TV+ has been working on a live-action MonsterVerse-set series that will see Kurt Russell facing down Godzilla, and along with this project now having a new title, some first looks have arrived that have me even more excited for it.

Until today, this live-action MonsterVerse series has been known as Godzilla and the Titans, but it’s been re-designated Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. Taking place after Godzilla, which launched the MonsterVerse in 2014 and revealed the Titans’ existence to this fictional world’s population, this show follows two siblings who are following in their father’s footsteps to uncover their family’s connection to Monarch, the secretive organization that studies these towering monsters. But before we talk more about this show’s human characters, take a look at Godzilla himself doing one of the things he does best: scarily roaring.

While he’s no longer in the title, Godzilla looks like he’ll play a major role in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, though exactly how much screen time that translates to remains to be seen. Going back to the human characters, these siblings’ investigation into the world of monsters will lead them to an Army officer named Lee Shaw, who’s being played by Kurt Russell in the show’s present day era, and in the 1950s by the actor’s real life son, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier’s Russell Wyatt. Let’s take a look at the elder Russell as Shaw first.

Though it’s unclear if Lee Shaw will ultimately be a protagonist or antagonist, apparently the knowledge he possesses threatens Monarch, so its members may use their resources to take him out of the picture. Now let’s see how Wyatt Russell looks as Shaw in his younger years.

Finally, we have Pachinko’s Anna Sawai, who is reportedly playing a character named Cate. We don’t know anything else about her involvement in this story that spans three generations, the below picture does confirm that she’s the one witnessing Godzilla’s glory on that rainy day by the school bus.

Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ cast also includes Kiersey Clemons, Ren Watabe, Mari Yamamoto, Anders Holm, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski. Behind the scenes, Severance’s Chris Black and Hawkeye comic book writer Matt Fraction co-developed the series, and WandaVision’s Matt Shakman directed the first two episodes of this 10-episode saga. At this stage, it’s unclear if Legacy of Monsters will be a one-and-done affair or if it could return for more seasons, but after seeing these images, I’m impressed at how this small screen project looks just as cinematic as the movies that anchor the MonsterVerse. If you’re at all interested in the time period between Godzilla battling the MUTOs and facing down King Ghidorah being explored, and you have an Apple TV+ subscription, then this show looks like a must-watch event.

Once Monarch: Legacy of Monsters does set a premiere date, be it on the 2023 TV schedule or sometime in 2024 (which seems more likely), we’ll let you know. Don’t forget that the MonsterVerse will also continue its theatrical run with Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, which is slated on the 2024 movies calendar for a March 15 release.

There are a lot of movies that I have come to love with age, most of which I did not appreciate much as a child. These could be some of my favorite stop-motion films, like Coraline or my beloved The Nightmare Before Christmas, or maybe even family movies like Spy Kids, with their amazing parents that I’ve somehow come to love even more. 

But, you want to know a movie that I genuinely love more now? Sky High.

The film, a teen superhero movie that had plenty of young and adult talent to enjoy, was one that I liked a lot as a kid. Upon rewatching it as an adult, however, I realized just how underrated it really is. You want to know what else is underrated? How freaking insane the Sky High cast is. From the lead star being Michael Angarano, to Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and all the way to Kurt Russell, there is so much about this cast that stands out. 

Today, we’re going to take a look at the Sky High cast, and what they’re up to now. 

Michael Angarano (Will Stronghold)

First up on the list is Michael Angarano, who played Will Stronghold in Sky High. The actor (who many likely saw first in his recurring role on the popular LGBTQ+ show, Will & Grace) has since had a big career in television, as well as some smaller roles in movies you might recognize. Some of his biggest include The Forbidden Kingdom, Haywire, Sun Dogs, Red State, The English Teacher, and Empire State. 

Angarano has made more of a name for himself in television. He was a part of the main cast of The Knick, and I’m Dying Up Here. He was also a part of the recurring cast for the popular NBC show, This Is Us, as well as Minx and Angelyne. 

Coming up, Angarano is going to be a part of the extremely lengthy cast of Oppenhiemer, as well as the new Horizon film. 

Kurt Russell (Steve Stronghold)

Next up is Kurt Russell, someone who has been in the industry for years and has only continued to prove his staying power in Hollywood. He played Steve Stronghold, Will’s father. Russell has been in several movies since Sky High, many I’m sure you recognize. 

He played Santa Claus in The Christmas Chronicles movies, as well as Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. He was also in several other films such as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Hateful Eight, Death Proof, Furious 7, The Fate of the Furious, and most recently, in 2021, F9. 

Russell hasn’t been in any television since Sky High, but he is set to appear in an upcoming Godzilla and Titans series, so keep an eye out for that. It would be his return to live-action television for the first time in decades. 

Kelly Preston (Josie DeMarco-Stronghold)

Playing Josie Stronghold was Kelly Preston, who was a formidable force in the film. After Sky High, the actress appeared in films such as Old Dogs, Death Sentence, Gotti, Off the Rails and more. She also had a recurring role on both Fat Actress and Medium. 

Sadly, Kelly Preston passed away in 2020. 

Danielle Panabaker (Layla Williams)

Danielle Panabaker played Layla Williams, Will’s friend and later a romantic interest. I was well aware of Panabaker for some time, as she was in so many of the kids shows I used to watch, but since Sky High, she continued to appear in both movies and films. 

Her films include the rebooted version of Friday the 13th in 2009, as part of the popular horror series, Mr. Brooks, Home of the Giant, Girls Against Boys and This Isn’t Funny. Panabaker continued her career on television, appearing in shows such as Shark, where she had a main role, and Necessary Roughness, where she held a recurring part. 

The talent appeared in the Arrowverse as Caitlin/Killer Frost, showing up on The Flash, Arrow, Supergirl and Legends of Tomorrow. 

Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Gwen Grayson)

Moving on, we take a look at Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who has had quite the career since she played senior Gwen Grayson. Winstead would go on to be in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World in 2010, as well as several other films including the third film in the Final Destination series, Death Proof, Black Christmas, The Spectacular Now, A Good Day to Die Hard, Swiss Army Man, 10 Cloverfield Lane, Birds of Prey and more. 

Winstead has also had a pretty big career in television, with a main role on Wolf Lake, as well as The Returned, Brain Dead, and Mercy Street. She also had a main role on Fargo during the third season. 

Coming up, she will be in the new Ashoka television show, and be reprising her role as Ramona Flowers in the Scott Pilgrim The Anime series on Netflix. 

Steven Strait (Warren Peace)

Steven Strait played Warren Peace (Get it? “War and peace.”), and he’s also done plenty since his time in the film. Strait appeared in a variety of smaller films, including Undiscovered, City Island, After, 10,000 BC, Stop-Loss, Life Like and The Covenant, but he’s mainly stuck to television. 

He had a main role as part of the popular Amazon original show, The Expanse, and had a lead part on Magic City. Coming up, he is also going to be back in the movies with a new film called Body Language. 

Kelly Vitz (Magenta Lewis)

Moving on, we take a look at Kelly Vitz, who played Magenta Lewis, a teenager who had the power to turn into a guinea pig (which is honestly kind of cool). Lewis guest starred on Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide, but also appeared in a variety of movies. 

Vitz had roles in Nancy Drew, Teenius, Simon Says, Eye of the Dolphin, The Temerity of Zim and Leonie. Vitz hasn’t acted for some time – but she did enjoy some higher education, and now works as an Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA!

Nicholas Braun (Zachary Braun)

Next up is Nicholas Braun, who played Zachary Braun (yes, they shared the same last name). Braun has done a lot in movies since, appearing in Red State, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Date and Switch Poltergeist, The Stanford Prison Experiment, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, How to Be Single, Good Kids, The Big Ugly and more. 

However, many more people now may know him as Greg from the Succession cast, which really brought him a lot of attention as an actor. He was also a part of the main cast of 10 Things I Hate About You. 

This list focused on the main characters of the movie, but I did leave out one - Dee Jay Daniels, but that's mainly because he hasn't acted in quite some time, and has experienced serious legal issues. 

There are also several other characters that I’ll give a quick shout out too such as Penny, who was played by Malika and Khadijah Haqq, as well as Principle Powers, portrayed by Lynda Carter, and Coach Boomer, played by Bruce Campbell – but trust me when I say all of them have been doing just fine in the entertainment industry since. 

Sky High is really one of those films that you don’t see that often, and it’s such a fun one, too. If you have the time, be sure to check it out – and even if you have, go watch it again just to see this cast. 

Warning: MAJOR SPOILERS for Fast X are ahead!

In Furious 7, Fast & Furious fans were introduced to the enigmatic Mr. Nobody, the head of the equally mysterious covert government organization known simply as the Agency. Having taken notice of what Dominic Toretto and his team pulled off during the events of Fast & Furious, Fast Five and Fast & Furious 6, Nobody, played by Kurt Russell, brought our heroes into the fold to help track down terrorist Mose Jakande and the stolen God’s Eye program, and he worked with them again in The Fate of the Furious when Cipher was wreaking havoc. However, we haven’t seen Nobody in The Fast Saga since F9, and while Fast X doesn’t do much to clarify his status, I can’t help wondering if this 2023 new movie release’s secret villain is the reason why Russell’s character is still missing.

Where Things Currently Stand With Mr. Nobody

Before we get into Fast X, let’s go over where we left off with Mr. Nobody in F9. Russell chiefly reprised his character for a flashback showing how he saved Han from the car crash instigated by Deckard Shaw and faked his death so he could work for the Agency and retrieve Project Aries. Nobody also briefly seen in the present-day storyline through an emergency SOS video. He’d been transporting an incarcerated Cipher and one half of Project Aries aboard a plane, but it was attacked by Jakob Toretto and his associate Otto. The plane crashed in Montequinto, and Jakob and Otto secured both Cipher and the one half of Project Aries, but Nobody was nowhere to be found when Dom and his team arrived on the scene.

Mr. Nobody is still missing during Fast X, with Magdalene Shaw telling Dom that the only way he’ll be able to get in touch with the man is with a medium or a psychic. So with that mystery left unsolved, we instead meet Nobody daughter Tess, played by Brie Larson, as well as learn that the Agency is now being run by Alan Ritchson’s Aimes. Unfortunately, it’s revealed at the end of Fast X that Aimes has been in cahoots with Jason Momoa’s Dante Reyes stretching all the way back with Fast Five, and he’s the one who shot down the aircraft carrying Roman, Ramsey, Tej and Han. The Fast X ending certainly left a lot of questions that Fast & Furious 11 will need to answer, but I have an addition one to throw into the mix: what if Aimes is the reason that Nobody remains in the wind?

How Aimes Could be Tied To Mr. Nobody’s Disappearance

To be clear, I’m not suggesting that Aimes had anything to do with Mr. Nobody’s plane crashing. Rather, I believe Nobody took advantage of a bad situation and used the crash as a smokescreen to go underground. Prior to the plane crash, what if Nobody learned that Aimes was corrupt and was slowly seizing power within the Agency? In the midst of formulating a way to deal with this, he got caught in the crash, miraculously survived and found someplace to recover. Then sometime after F9 ended, rather than resurface, he decided to stay hidden because he only knew it was a matter of time before Aimes took control of the Agency and has him eliminated. Remaining off the grid has given him time to figure out a way to deal with Aimes, and he hasn’t even shared his whereabouts with Tess in order to keep her safe.

But there’s only so long that Mr. Nobody can stay in hiding, and given the amount of chaos Dante Reyes caused in Fast X, it stands to reason Nobody would become privy to the fact that the villain and Aimes are working together. Knowing that, as well as the precarious predicament Dom and his team are in, this forces him to come back into the open and potentially accelerate any plans he had in motion to bring Aimes down. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Nobody ends up being the one who rescues Dom and his son Brian from that dam Dante rigged with explosives. Getting Roman, Tej, Ramsey and Han out of their shot-down plane would be a little more complicated, but I’m sure Nobody could figure something out.

The Final Fast & Furious Movies Need To Resolve This Plot Thread

Had Kurt Russell not wanted to appear in the Fast & Furious movies anymore, the filmmakers could have simply killed his character and been done with it, using Tess to fill the void left in his absence. Instead, his fate is still being kept a mystery, and while The Fast Saga has certainly left some plot threads dangling here and there over the years, this one is way too big to never resolve. They’re playing a long game here, and knowing what we do now about Aimes, I have to think that whenever Mr. Nobody does return, he’ll be the key to bringing down his successor at the Agency, which in turn will weaken whatever subsequent schemes Dante Reyes has lined up.

Fast & Furious 11 will be released sometime in 2025, but Vin Diesel has indicated that The Fast Saga could end with a trilogy instead, meaning Fast & Furious 12 is also on the table. As such, there’s no guarantee that we’ll see Mr. Nobody in the next movie, but either way, this is a loose end that needs to be cleared up before all is said and done. Kurt Russell’s character has too much history with Dom and the gang to never be seen again, and now that Aimes has been revealed as a sinister player in this game, I’m hoping that plays into the reason Nobody has been missing and sets the stage for his return. At the very least, Nobody needs to reenter the picture just so we can see the kind of dynamic Russell and Brie Larson would have together.

It may be a long time until we get any significant clarification on Mr. Nobody one way or the other, but while we wait for light to be shed on this mystery, read CinemaBlend’s review of Fast X and our takeaways and theories on the latest Fast & Furious movie’s mid-credits scene. 

It’s always fascinated me when a director shows favoritism toward a specific actor. Now, that’s not to say that they go easy on the actor in question. No, no. It just means that when said director is developing a project, they might have a specific actor in mind, and they likely work very well with them. 

Now, I’ve already covered Scorsese and his preference for Robert De Niro (with whom he has collaborated with nine times – nope, scratch that, make that 10 with the upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon), and Leonardo DiCaprio (whom Scorsese has worked with five times – nope, make that six, as he's also in Killers of the Flower Moon). I’ve also covered Tim Burton and Johnny Depp, which is another famous duo, as they’ve worked together eight times.  

Now, I want to cover Kurt Russell, who has appeared in five John Carpenter movies. It may not be the longest collaboration, but each performance is mega memorable, and I want to talk about them.  

5. Elvis Presley - Elvis 

Elvis was a TV movie that came out in 1979, which was one year after Carpenter’s super popular Halloween. It was also the first collaboration between Kurt Russell and John Carpenter, so it’s special for that alone. But, what also makes it unique is that Russell is a very good Elvis. The TV film is about Elvis getting ready to perform at a big concert, and his thoughts about his past leading up to this major moment.  

I know a great many people now want to call Austin Butler the definitive Elvis after his megawatt performance in Baz Luhrmann’s recent movie, but honestly, Russell is probably the best version of the singer I've ever seen, as he just has it all. He’s got the charisma, the swagger, but also the sensitive side that comes packaged with the Elvis mystique.   

Interestingly enough, since Russell has technically played Elvis twice, once in this movie, and also as an impersonator in 3000 Miles to Graceland, it’s a great comparison to see him play it straight in Elvis, and then to play it more over-the-top in the other movie. It just goes to show the depth and range that he has as an actor, and the talent that Carpenter has as a director. So, why is it at the bottom of this list then? Well, because Russell has just embodied better, more interesting characters for Carpenter, as you’re about to see.  

4. Snake Plissken - Escape From L.A. 

OK, so this one is a bit of a doozy. In 1996's Escape from L.A., which is a sequel to the cult-classic, Escape from New York, there's been a devastating earthquake that has splintered L.A. off from the rest of the country. 

The president of the United States is an ultra conservative nut job who basically forces people under his will, and would you believe it? Good 'ol Snake Plissken somehow gets wrangled into an adventure after the president's daughter goes off with the man she loves, who just so happens to be a revolutionary who now has America's most powerful weapon in his possession. 

The movie is…something else. I once ranked all of the Highlander films, and it was interesting to see the complete tonal shift that the second Highlander movie, The Quickening, had when compared to the excellent first movie, and we kind of get that here in Escape from L.A., since it's a big departure from the more serious tone of Escape from New York. 

However, Snake is still as cool as ever in this film, and definitely not the problem. It's just the situations he's put in this time around are pretty ridiculous, like a game of basketball to the death, or surfing on a massive wave. Sure, the movie around Kurt Russell's Plissken is questionable (I still kind of love it, though), but the performance is still on point. Snake rules!       

3. Snake Plissken - Escape From New York  

In 1981's Escape from New York, which preceded Escape from L.A., we get convict Snake Plissken on a mission to rescue the president of the United States, who is trapped in Manhattan, which has been made into a prison city. 

This is the same character, but this time, the scenario around him isn't as crazy. In this way, Plissken is just such a better performance from Russell since the things he has to contend with feel more grounded and less outlandish, which really changes everything. 

As mentioned before, the star was never the problem in Escape from L.A. It was the story around him. Well, in Escape from New York, that isn't an issue, since it's a genuinely good movie, and Russell is great in it as the hard as nails Plissken. I said it before, and I'll say it again. Snake rules!  

2. R.J. MacReady - The Thing 

In this John Carpenter horror classic from 1982, a remote crew in Antarctica have to deal with a shape-shifting alien that can mimic other people and even animals, and the crew has to stop it before it kills them all.    

Kurt Russell plays helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in The Thing, and it's probably his most understated performance in a John Carpenter film ever. Here, we experience the fear and paranoia along with MacReady, who is both resourceful, but also completely out of his depth. It's a masterful performance, which is all the more impressive for not feeling like a performance at all.  

1. Jack Burton - Big Trouble In Little China 

Biased much? Maybe. 1986's Big Trouble in Little China is either my favorite movie of all time, or my second favorite movie, depending on the day (and in case you're wondering, the other movie vying for my love and affection is Apocalypse Now). I've discussed my love for it before, and it hits all the right buttons for me.    

Essentially, it's a story about a truck driver (Russell) who gets ensnared in an adventure against an ancient magician who needs "a girl with green eyes" so that his curse can be lifted. 

But, the reason why this will always be the quintessential Kurt Russell/John Carpenter collaboration is that the movie is a comedy, but Russell's character, Jack Burton, doesn't realize that he's the butt of the joke. It's an extremely difficult tightrope to cross, to be both cool, but also a gigantic dork, but the actor manages to pull it off with aplomb. Indeed! 

Which Kurt Russell/John Carpenter collaboration is YOUR favorite? For more news on the actor and this director, be sure to swing by here often! 

We all have days where we’re being a bit of a diva and someone calls us out for it. That’s just something that happens whether you’re part of an upcoming Marvel movie or not. However, if there was a competition for the best diva debunking story, Chris Pratt would be a strong candidate for the winner. How many other people can say that Kurt Russell busted their chops on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 while having their hair done?

Fair warning, what you’re about to watch from Marvel’s press day for the James Gunn-written and directed threequel is a long, but worthwhile story. Apparently when asking about which cast members from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 were the best and worst sports about extensive makeup sessions, our own Sean O’Connell was treated to what is now known as “The Kurt Russell Story.” 

What follows is a story of tequila, hand-tanning and not one, but two different impressions of Kurt Russell, who played Ego in the second Guardians adventure. Thanks to James Gunn and Chris Pratt weaving this tale for CinemaBlend, you can see it all in the video above.

For the record, apparently Karen Gillan was the “best sport” and Dave Bautista was “the worst” when it came to getting their makeup done. One can definitely see why both of those Guardians of the Galaxy cast members would be in the conversation, no matter the result. Gillan actually once took a couple’s therapy session with her Nebula makeup on, which is another credit to her adaptation to the makeup she’s worn since this trilogy’s start in 2014. 

But let’s go back to Kurt Russell giving Chris Pratt some hell on the set of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. That sounds exactly like the sort of thing that the legendary actor and Disney vet would do, but in the best natured way possible. Listening to James Gunn and Chris Pratt’s impressions of Russell doing just that only sell the reality all the better, as it tracks right down to the tone of voice and choice of words. It’s a story that’s so good and so grounded in reality, it makes anyone laugh a little harder when recalling it. 

This is also a good story to remind the world about just how much of a family the Guardians of the Galaxy cast and crew really is. There’s no shortage of those sorts of stories either, as the tale of how Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldaña fought for James Gunn’s return shows the sort of solidarity that’s endemic between this rag tag cast of professionals. You can count on this group to not only pick on each other in a loving fashion, but you can also expect them to have each other’s backs at the same time.

Kurt Russell may have played a megalomaniacal planet who was ready to sacrifice his own children to remake the universe, but at least he had a sense of humor about it. As James Gunn and the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 cast are moving on from their time together, it’s moments like these that will truly stand out through the entire history of the saga. Gunn may be done with the Guardians, but if there are any more installments or iterations past this point, this is the pedigree of shenanigans that those future films will have to live up to. 

Memories are what make experiences like this so valuable. For those of you who have an active Disney+ subscription, you can rewind back to the top of memory lane with the Guardians of the Galaxy experience, and enjoy every adventure all over again. And, of course, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is currently showing in theaters, providing our favorite bunch of heroic A-holes with a fitting sendoff.

No lie, but I’ve watched Big Trouble in Little China at least 50 times over the course of my lifetime. At least 50 times! Aside from Apocalypse Now, it's my favorite movie of all time. And the thing is, it's the kind of movie that only gets better the more times that you watch it. You know how some kids grew up watching The Goonies with Stranger Things' Sean Aston? Well, Big Trouble in Little China is my The Goonies. It's my The Sandlot, or my The NeverEnding Story, or my [insert any decades-old movie that my generation always seems to talk about when discussing our childhoods].  

In fact, at least half of the 50 viewings that I mentioned earlier came from my childhood. Big Trouble in Little China and Howard the Duck (which, almost starred Robin Williams) used to play on TV all the time back when I was growing up, and I would watch them whenever they came on. But, unlike Howard the Duck, which I find nigh-unwatchable today, I actually appreciate Big Trouble in Little China a whole lot more as an adult. And, upon re-watching it for the umpteenth time, I had a few thoughts that I definitely didn't have when I was younger. So, hop in the Pork Chop Express with me, and let's go for a ride down memory lane.   

Oh, and some minor spoilers up ahead for a pretty old movie.  

Jack Burton Is The Second Banana In His Own Story 

One thing I didn't realize as a child when I used to watch Big Trouble in Little China is that it's meant to be a comedy. It didn't occur to me back then that Jack Burton looked silly in his climactic battle with Lo-Pan wearing bright red lipstick, or, that I was supposed to laugh when Jack let out a battle cry and shot the ceiling, only for it to fall on his head and knock him out. None of that used to make me laugh as a child since I used to take this movie seriously.

But, as an adult, I definitely get the humor. Jack Burton only THINKS he's the hero in this story, as the real hero is Jack's friend, Wang Chi (Dennis Dun). Wang Chi is an expert martial artist, and he basically saves the day with every opportunity that he gets (until, that is, Jack has his "It's all in the reflexes" moment with Lo-Pan toward the end of the movie).        

Remember how in the Green Hornet movie (which looks to be getting a reboot) Seth Rogan's character thought that he was the hero when it was really his sidekick, Kato, all along? Well, the same thing is happening here, but on a much better level.   

James Hong Steals Every Scene That He's In, And I Even Think About Him When He's Not On The Screen  

James Hong, who you can now find in the excellent, Everything Everywhere All At Once (which you should still see if you haven’t yet) plays probably my favorite character in the entire movie as David Lo-Pan. Back when I was a kid, I was terrified of this character (almost as terrified as I was of Michael Jackson's Moonwalker)! No lie, I actually used to cover my eyes when Lo-Pan would shoot light out of his mouth since I thought that what was happening to Jack was going to happen to me.    

As an adult, I find James Hong hilarious in the role, and I often wonder what he’s doing while Jack is having his adventure. My friends and I always quote lines from his speech with Jack in the wheelchair, and one of my litmus tests for acquiring new friends is if they know what I’m referencing when I say, “Indeed!” It took me re-watching the movie as an adult several times to truly appreciate the greatness of James Hong's performance. But, now that I have, I’m really glad that I do!  

I'm Just Realizing That Victor Wong And James Hong Are In Two Of My Favorite Movies From When I Was A Child 

Speaking of James Hong, remember how I mentioned Howard the Duck as one of the movies from my childhood that I used to watch over and over again? Well, another movie that I always used to watch as a kid was The Golden Child starring Eddie Murphy. Seriously, Chandler Jarrell is one of the funniest Eddie Murphy characters of all time. Watch it again.

Well, I don't know how I just realized this now, but James Hong, who plays Lo-Pan in Big Trouble in Little China, plays Doctor Hong in The Golden Child. And, Victor Wong, who plays Egg Shen-Lo-Pan's magical rival in Big Trouble in Little China, plays a character called the Old Goupa in The Golden Child. Both characters are essential to the story, and it just blows my mind that I'm just now realizing that both of these immensely talented actors (R.I.P., Victor Wong) are in two of my favorite movies from when I was a kid. So cool!

Kim Cattrall Is A Lot Funnier Than I Remember Her Being In This Movie 

Sex and the City’s own Kim Cattrall plays Gracie Law (my daughter’s middle name is actually Gracie because of this character), a tough as nails lawyer who just wants to get the truth about Lo-Pan. Well, back when I used to watch this movie as a kid, I wasn't impressed with her character.   

Now, I can't get enough of her. For one thing, she always puts Jack Burton in his place every chance that she gets, i.e. "You should try standing downwind where I am. It's Miller Time." and two, her delivery is classic. I never watched Sex and the City (Sorry!), but if she was anywhere near as funny as she is in this movie, then I wish I had.  

The Character Who Plays Rain Only Has One Line Of Dialogue, And Lightning Literally Has None 

The Three Storms are probably the third most iconic characters in this movie after Jack Burton and Lo-Pan, and for good reason. Anybody who's ever seen this movie and played Mortal Kombat has likely noticed the similarity between Lightning in this movie, and the god of thunder, Raiden, in Mortal Kombat. 

Both characters are awesome, but here's the thing; of The Three Storms, only Thunder really has much of a personality. Rain literally only has one line in the entire movie ("You are nowhere") and Lightning doesn't have a single line at all. For some reason, I always thought that all three of them had a lot to say throughout the film. But, I guess all they had to say was through their actions, which are pretty badass, if I might say so myself.

Jack Burton Doesn't Want To Break Gracie Law's Heart At The End, And I Think That's Really Sweet  

And lastly, one thing that I never understood as a child is that, despite Jack Burton's and Gracie Law's chemistry, they don't go off together, happily ever after, at the end of the movie. Back when I was a child, I was conditioned to think that all movie characters got together in the end.

Not so in Big Trouble in Little China, though, as Gracie seems to have warmed up to Jack by the end, but he seems to have cooled off on her. In truth, you can tell in the last moments that he knows that they wouldn't work out in the end, and he'd rather not even start a relationship if it’s only going to go up in flames. It shows growth in his character, and I appreciate that as an adult.  

Do you love Big Trouble in Little China as much as I do? For more news on other movies that are worth re-watching (like Cape Fear!) make sure to stop by here often.     

As if the Godzilla vs. Kong sequel coming out in 2024 wasn’t enough to look forward to for MonsterVerse fans, this Titan-filled universe is expanding into small screen territory. In addition to the Skull Island animated series heading to Netflix, it was announced earlier this year that Legendary Television has set up an unnamed, live-action MonsterVerse series at Apple TV+. The first casting news for this project dropped at the end of June, and today it’s been revealed that Kurt Russell and another actor who appeared in the Marvel Cinematic Universe have been added to the lineup. In fact, it’s Russell’s own son!

Kurt Russell, who played Ego in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Wyatt Russell, who starred as John Walker in the Disney+ series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, will both appear in this MonsterVerse series Apple TV+ subscribers will be able to watch at a yet-to-be-determined date. No details about their roles were shared, but they’ll appear alongside Anna Sawai, Ren Watabe, Kiersey Clemons, Joe Tippett and Elisa Lasowski.

The MonsterVerse series will mark the third time that Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell have acted together in a project; as a child, the latter popped up in the former’s movies Escape from L.A. and Soldier. As far as their separate and more recent professional endeavors go, Kurt Russell has played Mr. Nobody in the last three main Fast & Furious movies and Santa Claus in the Christmas Chronicles movies, while Wyatt Russell has starred in The Woman in the Window and Under the Banner of Heaven. 

Turning back to the MCU, while Ego died in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Kurt Russell voiced an alternate version of the character in  What If… ?. As for Wyatt Russell’s John Walker, he officially became U.S. Agent at the end of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and it seems like a good bet he could return in the Thunderbolts movie being directed by Jake Schreier and written by Eric Pearson.

Apple TV+’s MonsterVerse series will take place after the battle between Godzilla and the Titans in San Francisco (i.e. what went down in 2014’s Godzilla), with the world now knowing that the towering monsters exist. A family goes on a journey to uncover long-buried secrets and a legacy linked to Monarch, the scientific organization that studies the Titans. Although we don’t officially know anything about Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell’s characters in the series, don’t be surprised if they end up being related in the show, whether as part of the starring family or another one.

Behind the scenes, Chris Black and Matt Fraction created the MonsterVerse series, with Black serving as showrunner. WandaVision’s Matt Shakman will direct the first two episodes, and all three men are executive producing with Safehouse Pictures’ Joby Harold and Tory Tunnell, and Hiro Matsuoka and Takemasa Arita from Toho. As soon as more concrete details about this project come in, we’ll pass them along.

When it comes to relationships, these celebrity couples met on the sets of some of their most famous movies. From romantic films such as The Notebook to action movies like Daredevil, through the power of film, many of these couples were brought together. Here are 25 couples who met on the set of a movie but ended up dating in real life. 

Ryan Gosling And Rachel McAdams (The Notebook)

While you may know The Notebook as one of the best romance films out there, the two leading stars actually met on the set of the film, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. In an interview with GQ in 2007, Gosling confirmed he was thankful for the movie, as he met her through it despite the fact that their relationship ended.

While they did eventually break up in 2007, no one can quite forget this romance, both on and off screen.  

Emma Stone And Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man Series)

When Andrew Garfield was Spider-Man in The Amazing Spider-Man series, he and his on-screen Gwen Stacy, played by Emma Stone, ended up dating for four years after meeting on the set of the first movie. While they split back in 2015, Garfield recently said that he’s still her biggest fan during an interview with Vanity Fair’s “Little Gold Men” podcast:

Angelina Jolie And Brad Pitt (Mr. And Mrs. Smith) 

On the set of the spy-movie, Mr. and Mrs. Smith (which is getting a reboot), Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt met. In an interview with Vogue (via People) in 2006, Jolie confirmed that they developed feelings for each other while filming, but didn’t start thinking of getting together instantly. 

Jolie and Pitt married in 2014, but later filed for divorce.  

Robert Pattinson And Kristen Stewart (The Twilight Series)

The Twilight series was a huge hit for Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart, who played Edward and Bella in the adaptation of the popular vampire series, and they began dating after the first Twilight film released in 2008, according to an interview Stewart did with The New Yorker. They did eventually break up. 

Freida Pinto And Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire)

The 2011 Academy Award-winning film, Slumdog Millionaire, brought together its two stars, Freida Pinto and Dev Patel, after they starred in the film together. In an interview with The Guardian in 2015, Patel talked about his past relationship with Pinto, and how close they were during their time together. 

The pair split in 2014. 

Michelle Williams And Heath Ledger (Brokeback Mountain)

While filming Brokeback Mountain, co-stars Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger starred as husband and wife, and that love ended up coming off screen when the two began to date. In an interview with GQ in 2012, Williams talked about meeting Ledger for the first time, and how she felt she was always meant to meet him.

The two had a child together, but later separated.

Blake Lively And Ryan Reynolds (The Green Lantern)

These two are couples goals. Ever since Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively met on the set of The Green Lantern in 2010, these two have been inseparable and eventually ended up getting married. In an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2021, Reynolds admits they were seeing different people at the time, but their friendship slowly turned into a relationship. 

They’ve been married for several years now, and have four children. 

Eva Mendes And Ryan Gosling (The Place Beyond The Pines)

In The Place Beyond the Pines, the stars of the film, Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling ended up getting together. Rumors of them being together popped up originally when they were spotted going on a date to Disneyland (via Us Weekly) in 2011, and now more than a decade later, they’re still together and have two daughters. 

Gosling, in an interview with Harper's Bazaar in 2016, gushed about his family. 

Elizabeth Taylor And Richard Burton (Cleopatra)

Famed legendary actors Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton had a whirlwind romance after filming Cleopatra, which released in 1963. Their love was highly publicized and even turned into a limited series, called Liz & Dick. It spanned thirteen years, eleven films together, as well as two marriages and two divorces, according to Vogue. 

Natalie Portman And Benjamin Millepied (Black Swan)

While filming her Academy Award-winning movie, Black Swan, Natalie Portman met Benjamin Millepied, who is a famous choreographer and co-starred with her. Two began dating and married not that long after in 2012. 

In an interview with People, Natalie gushed about her husband and how much she loved working with him again on a new film, called Vox Lux in 2018.

Matthew Broderick And Jennifer Grey (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)

While they may have played siblings in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Matthew Broderick and Jennifer Grey were actually entangled in a relationship during their time on set. Jennifer Grey spoke about her relationship with the actor in her memoir, Out of the Corner, and how it was hard to keep it a secret from everyone else. 

Once filming ended, according to the memoir, they separated temporarily before getting back together, and dated in 1988. They were also briefly engaged but called it off not that long after. 

Johnny Depp And Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands)

While they originally met in the lobby of a New York theater in 1989, according to Rolling Stone (via Cheat Sheet), Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder’s relationship only grew more after co-starring in Edward Scissorhands in 1990, so much so that Depp proposed to Ryder only five months into dating. 

However, in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1993, Depp confirmed they had split up due to the privacy the media wouldn’t let them have. 

Claire Danes And Hugh Dancy (Evening)

Both Claire Danes and Hugh Dancy met on the set of Evening, according to an interview Dancy did with London Evening Standard in 2013, saying that marriage to the star, as well as fatherhood, is treating him “very well.”

Goldie Hawn And Kurt Russell (The One And Only, Genuine, Original Family Band)

This long-lasting partnership started way back when in 1966. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell originally met on the set of The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band, but it wasn’t until Swing Shift in 1984 that they began dating. In an interview with People, Hawn admits that the two don’t see a point in marriage.  

The pair have been together for 40 years, and recently starred in The Christmas Chronicles 2 together in 2020.  

Taylor Swift And Taylor Lautner (Valentine’s Day)

The ultimate Taylor-ship, actor Taylor Lautner and singer Taylor Swift worked together on the romantic comedy Valentine's Day and were seen out together at sports games (via People). The two reportedly dated for a couple of months before breaking up in December of the same year. 

Channing Tatum And Jenna Dewan (Step Up)

One of Channing Tatum’s best movies led to him meeting Jenna Dewan, his co-star and later wife on the set of Step-Up, as confirmed by an interview Tatum did with Elle in 2013. Tatum admitted that he almost didn’t ask Dewan out because he had just gotten out of a relationship. 

While they share a daughter, the two divorced in 2019.  

Daniel Craig And Rachel Weisz (Dream House)

While the two had actually first met at university together, both Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz were brought back together while filming Dream House. Weisz spoke with The Evening Standard in 2018 on her relationship, and how she never thought she would get married, until she started dating Craig. 

Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck (Gigli) 

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are back together, but their first run at a relationship was while filming Gigli, where the two became close friends, and later began to date after Lopez divorced from Chris Judd in 2003.

Vanessa Hudgens And Zac Efron (High School Musical Series)

The High School Musical series was a huge hit for the Disney Channel, and onscreen love interests, Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens, turned that love into a long relationship offscreen, according to Hudgens during an interview on The Hollywood Reporter’s “Awards Chatter” podcast (via People) in 2019.

The two were together for five years before breaking up. 

Jennifer Garner And Ben Affleck (Daredevil)

Both Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck first met while filming Pearl Harbor, but started to date after being co-stars in Daredevil, according to an interview with Playboy Magazine in 2017, saying that this set was where they fell in love.

They later married in 2005 and then divorced in 2018. 

Liam Hemsworth And Miley Cyrus (The Last Song)

While filming The Last Song together, Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus became very close, according to Seventeen (via MTV News) where Cyrus said he was her “best friend.” Their relationship was later confirmed after they walked the red carpet together. They were together for years, marrying, before divorcing in 2020. 

Tom Cruise And Nicole Kidman (Days Of Thunder)

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman met at her audition for Days of Thunder, according to an interview she did with Harper’s Bazaar in 2021. The two stars co-starred, fell in love, married in 1990, and then divorced in 2001. 

Zendaya And Tom Holland (Spider-Man Series)

Tom Holland and Zendaya met while filming Spider-Man: Homecoming together, but it wasn’t until closer to the release of Spider-Man: No Way Home in 2021 that speculation about a romantic relationship between the two seemed to be confirmed. 

Since then, the two have been very public about their relationship, especially when Tom Holland shared a post on Instagram on her birthday, saying that Zendaya was “his MJ.”

Sarah Michelle Gellar And Freddie Prinze Jr. (I Know What You Did Last Summer)

Sarah Michelle Gellar and Freddie Prinze Jr. met originally on the set of I Know What You Did Last Summer, but didn’t begin to date until 2000, according to an interview Gellar did with People in 2002, saying they weren’t even originally supposed to go on a date - turned into one. 

They have been together for twenty years and have two children. 

Penelope Cruz And Javier Bardem (Jamón Jamón)

The two actually met for the first time as co-stars while filming Jamón Jamón, they wouldn’t get together until they reunited again filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona, a Woody Allen film, according to an interview Javier Bardem did with GQ in 2017, and started dating after filming was done. 

The two have been married since 2010, and have two children. 

There are so many celebrity couples out there - some that have stood the test of time and others that have not. And I’m sure over time, only more and more will start to pop up with even crazier romances. 

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

Going back more than 50 years, Kurt Russell has been in some of cinema’s most treasured titles. From all those badass characters in films like Escape From New York and Big Trouble in Little China to hilarious and timeless romantic comedies like Overboard, and even sci-fi adventure flicks like Stargate, there’s a lot to choose from when thinking about Kurt Russell’s best movies. And while a lot of us have seen the best the former child actor-turned-action hero has to offer, there are some out there who either haven’t seen the man’s best work or perhaps haven’t seen some of these in years.

Luckily for everyone (myself included), I have put together this list (which is about as close to definitive as possible) of Kurt Russell’s best movies, where you can stream them, rent or buy them digitally, and purchase physical copies for those fearsome of world in which streaming services go by the wayside. There’s a lot to tackle here, so let’s get started.

Tombstone (1993)

Tombstone happens to be not only one of the best Westerns but also in the top tier of Kurt Russell’s library of work. Despite its notoriously difficult production, the George P. Cosmatos-directed tale of lawman Wyatt Earp (Russell), his brothers (Sam Elliott and Bill Paxton), and the iconic Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) protecting the town of Tombstone is just as much fun as fun can be. With more memorable lines than anyone can count, formidable villains, and the best mustaches you’ll see on screen, there are plenty of reasons this movie is so beloved nearly 30 years later.

Stream Tombstone on Amazon.

Buy/Rent Tombstone on Amazon.

Get Tombstone on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Escape From New York (1981)

John Carpenter's Escape From New York is one of the oddest, bleakest, and most violent movies to come from the sci-fi boom of the early 1980s. When the President of the United States is taken hostage in a walled-off New York City (which is now a massive prison colony), it’s up to the most reluctant of all reluctant heroes, Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) to get the job done. And boy does he. This movie, which features some crafty James Cameron visual effects work, is worth of every line of praise it’s received over the years.

Stream Escape From New York on HBO Max.

Buy/Rent Escape From New York on Amazon.

Get Escape from New York on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

The Thing (1982)

The sci-fi horror classic The Thing (which is actually a remake) brought John Carpenter and Kurt Russell together for their third of five collaborations in 1982. Set in a remote research facility at the South Pole, the movie follows a group of scientists, support staff, and an alcoholic and nihilistic helicopter pilot by the name of R.J. MacReady (Kurt Russell) as their space is overtaken by a shape-shifting alien threat that could potentially wipe out all life if left unchecked. This movie has it all: a great cast, engaging story, insane animatronics work, and an unsettling tone. No wonder The Thing is considered one of the best horror movies of all time.

Buy/Rent The Thing on Amazon.

Get The Thing on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Big Trouble In Little China (1986)

In 1986, John Carpenter and Kurt Russell made perhaps their funniest movie together when they reunited for the cult classic Big Trouble in Little China. Russell’s Jack Burton, the cocky truck driver who finds himself in one hell of a situation, brings an oversized ego and impeccable comedic timing to this fantasy sci-fi action-comedy about an ancient sorcerer searching for a green-eyed woman to break a curse that has held him hostage for centuries. One of the best parts about this movie is its runtime (a swift 99 minutes) that doesn’t waste any time getting to the heart of the story.

Buy/Rent Big Trouble In Little China on Amazon.

Get Big Trouble In Little China on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

There are plenty of reasons why James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is one of the best sequels of all time, but right there near the top is Kurt Russell’s portrayal of Ego, aka “The Living Planet.” As soon as he introduces himself to Guardians and reveals himself to be Peter Quill’s (Chris Pratt) father, you know there is going to be some funny business down the road. And boy, is there. The way Ego’s true nature and motivations are revealed to the characters and the audience make rewatching the 2017 MCU film the gift that keeps on giving.

Stream Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 on Disney+.

Buy/Rent Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 2 on Amazon.

Get Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2 on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Overboard (1987)

My grandma had two tapes in her VHS collection when I was a kid: Sister Act and Overboard. She was obsessed with Gary Marshall’s 1987 romantic comedy about a wealthy amnesiac (Goldie Hawn) who is made to believe she’s the wife of a widowed carpenter (Kurt Russell) and mother of his pack of near-feral children. The on-screen chemistry shared by the two stars (who became a real-life couple a few years earlier) is off the charts here and their timing is perfect, especially during their first meeting aboard a yacht. Time to watch it again and think about my grandma, who hopefully has a better copy up in the Great Beyond.

Buy/Rent Overboard on Amazon.

Get Overboard on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Backdraft (1991)

Ron Howard’s 1991 drama Backdraft tells the story of Chicago firefighter Brian McCaffrey (William Baldwin), who spends his entire life trying to get out of the shadow of his older brother Stephen (Kurt Russell) who just so happens to be one of the greatest firemen in the city’s history. Despite their best efforts, the two can’t stay apart long as they are tasked with uncovering an arson conspiracy that could leave more than building damaged. This riveting and emotional exploration of what it means to be a hero will absolutely gut you by the end.

Stream Backdraft on HBO Max.

Rent/Buy Backdraft on Amazon.

Get Backdraft on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Death Proof (2007)

Though it’s probably not anyone’s favorite Quentin Tarantino movie, his addition to the 2007 Grindhouse double-feature, Death Proof, features one of the most insane, unlikable, and menacing characters in Kurt Russell’s library, Stuntman Mike. The way the stuntman with a souped-up, reinforced death machine stalks and attacks his villains goes beyond creepy, but his tenacity does lead to an awesome chase sequence, which is only made better when the tables are turned. Often overshadowed by its counterpart, Planet Terror, Death Proof is still one hell of a ride.

Stream Death Proof on Amazon.

Rent/Buy Backdraft on Amazon.

Get Death Proof on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

The Hateful Eight (2015)

Quentin Tarantino’s 2015 character study that is The Hateful Eight features a few of the filmmakers most memorable (and unsavory) characters to date, with Kurt Russell’s John “The Hangman” Ruth near the top of the pack. And even though his treatment of everyone else, especially Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), leaves a bad taste in my mouth, his commitment to the character (and his not so friendly ways) is a testament of his talent and love of his profession. Just watch out when smashing guitars in the future, Kurt.

Stream The Hateful Eight on Netflix.

Rent/Buy The Hateful Eight on Amazon.

Get The Hateful Eight on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Silkwood (1983)

The 1983 biographical drama Silkwood, which was co-written by the late Nora Ephron, tells the story of the final days of nuclear whistle-blower and activist Karen Silkwood (Meryl Streep) leading up to the one-car accident that claimed her life after she exposed alleged wrongdoing of the plutonium plant where she worked. The supporting cast, which is led by Kurt Russell and Cher, and multiple other acting greats, put on equally amazing performances and do a tremendous job of telling the tragic story.

Get it on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Executive Decision (1996)

Not to be confused with Air Force One, which would follow a year later, the 1996 action thriller Executive Decision follows U.S. Army specialist David Grant (Kurt Russell) and Austin Travis (a still-in-his-prime Steven Seagal) as they attempt to prevent a hijacked plane from reaching its destination: Washington, D.C. This movie is about as mid-'90s as it gets, which could be a good thing or bad thing depending on your preferences.

Rent/Buy Executive Decision on Amazon.

Get Executive Decision on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)

Before he was Ego and even before he was Snake Plissken, Kurt Russell had a remarkable run as a child actor, appearing in numerous Walt Disney productions and as beloved by the old man himself. One of Russell’s most memorable roles is that of Dexter Riley, the teenager who becomes one with a machine in 1969’s The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes. This family-friendly comedy has a little something for everyone.

Stream The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes on Disney+.

Rent/Buy The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes on Amazon.

Get it on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Miracle (2004)

One of the great hockey movies, the 2004 Disney (on ice) sports drama Miracle tells the unbelievable story of the 1980 U.S. Men’s Hockey team who shocked the world when they defeated the overmatched Soviet team at the Winter Olympics. With drama on and off the ice, some amazing performances, and one of the greatest speeches in sports movie history by Kurt Russell’s Herb Brooks, there is a reason Miracle is just as loved now as it was when it came out 17 years ago.

Stream Miracle on Disney+.

Rent/Buy Miracle on Amazon.

Get Miracle on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

The Christmas Chronicles (2018)

Santa Claus movies are a dime a dozen, but the 2018 Netflix adventure film The Christmas Chronicles paints jolly Saint Nick as full-on badass Kurt Russell stepping in to take the reins of the mythical sleigh. What starts out as a ploy by two siblings to capture Santa quickly turns into a race against time that involves some heroics and badassery by the film’s Kris Kringle.

Stream The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix.

Stargate (1994)

The 1994 sci-fi action film Stargate follows professor Daniel Jackson (James Spader) and retired Army Colonel Jack O’Neil (Kurt Russell) as travel through an interstellar gateway (a stargate, if you will) and end up on an alien world that looks a hell of a lot like ancient Egypt (but with nifty technology and deadly futuristic weapons). What follows is a series of adventures experienced by the central heroes, those who joined them, and the inhabitants of the mysterious planet that looked really, really cool when it came out more than 25 years ago.

Stream Stargate on Hulu.

Get Stargate on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

On the surface, Bone Tomahawk looks like another western featuring Kurt Russell and a badass mustache, but once you peel back the layers, you quickly discover why S. Craig Zhaler’s thriller is considered one of the best horror movies of 2015. Everything about this movie is extremely brutal and it doesn’t really hold back in its depiction of the ways of the west or the evil that awaits Kurt Russell’s Sheriff Franklin Hunt on his mission to rescue a group of people held captive by cave-dwellers.

Stream Bone Tomahawk on Hoopla

Rent/Buy Bone Tomahawk on Amazon.

Get Bone Tomahawk on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Tango And Cash (1989)

The 1980s gave the world a few of the best buddy action movies of all time, one of those being the 1989 pairing of Kurt Russell and Sylvester Stallone in Tango and Cash. The movie follows two rival narcotics detectives with extremely different methods who are forced to team up after being framed for a crime neither committed. With their reputations tarnished and no one else to depend on, the once-enemies come together for one hell of a good time.

Rent/Buy Tango And Cash on Amazon.

Get Tango and Cash on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Captain Ron (1992)

Best movies is a subjective term, right? Well, if so, then the 1992 comedy Captain Ron deserves a spot on this list. When a family comes into a vintage yacht by way of inheritance, they hire Captain Ron (Kurt Russell) to help sail the ship from the Caribbean to Miami, adventure (and misadventure) are not too far behind.

Rent/Buy Captain Ron on Amazon.

Get Captain Ron on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

The Fox And The Hound (1981)

The 1981 Disney animated film The Fox and the Hound starts off with one of the most joyful stories in the studio’s history but quickly turns to anything but when Tod and Copper, the one-time pals, are driven apart by their respective natures and places in the world. When the story shifts its focus to the adult versions of the central characters, Kurt Russell, who appeared in Escape from New York the same year, lends his voice to Copper following his heartbreaking turn against his former friend.

Stream The Fox And The Hound on Disney+.

Rent/Buy The Fox And The Hound on Amazon.

Get The Fox and the Hound on DVD/Blu-Ray on Amazon.

Well, those were just a few of Kurt Russell’s best movies that are available to watch right now. This didn’t even go into films like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the Fast & Furious franchise, or other movies where Russell appeared in a smaller capacity. Now we just have to wait and see if the successful actor shows up in any of the upcoming 2021 movies.

It's been a year-and-a-half since Quentin Tarantino rocked his way back into theaters with his ninth film, Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie, among several others, this star-studded period piece was exactly the sort of entertaining revisionist history that only Tarantino could make, and it became another critical and commercial darling for the famous filmmaker. It was nominated for 10 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, and it won two, for Best Production Design and Best Supporting Actor for Pitt.

Following the movie's celebrated success, what is the cast of Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood doing next? Let's take a look and see.

Leonardo DiCaprio (Rick Dalton)

In the role of Rick Dalton, a dwindling movie-turned-TV star caught spiraling at the dawn of the American New Wave, Leonardo DiCaprio played the lead role in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. An Oscar-winning actor best known for Titanic, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Catch Me If You Can, The Departed, Gangs of New York, Romeo + Juliet, The Aviator, Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, and The Revenant, DiCaprio is one of Hollywood's biggest stars. He previously collaborated with Tarantino on Django Unchained.

Most recently, Leonardo DiCaprio made an uncredited appearance in the mini-series, Grant, where he served as an executive producer. Currently, the actor is filming a role in Adam McKay's star-studded Don't Look Up. The actor-producer is soon set to reunite with Martin Scorsese for Killers of the Flower Moon. Outside of acting, DiCaprio is producing the biopic, Atari.

Brad Pitt (Cliff Booth)

Playing the part of Cliff Booth, a disgraced stuntman and loyal sidekick to Rick Dalton, Brad Pitt gave an Oscar-winning performance in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. As one of the biggest movie stars on the planet in the '90s and '00s, Pitt is known for a number of A-list roles, including the Ocean's movies, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Twelve Monkeys, Thelma & Louise, Legends of the Fall, Interview with the Vampire, Se7en, 12 Years a Slave, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Following this acclaimed performance, Brad Pitt starred in Ad Astra. He's currently filming Bullet Train and he's expected to star in Babylon, the newest film from director Damien Chazelle. As a producer, meanwhile, Pitt is involved with Blonde, Amazon Prime's The Underground Railroad, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Black Hole, to name only a few forthcoming titles under his Plan B banner.

Margot Robbie (Sharon Tate)

As Sharon Tate, a high-profile American actress who lives next door to Rick Dalton, Margot Robbie provided a touching take on the tragic real-life figure. The Australian actress found fame through Martin Scorsese's The Wolf of Wall Street and garnered an Oscar nomination for I, Tonya. She's also well-known for her performance as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad.

Following her work in Quentin Tarantino's latest film, Robbie gave an Oscar-nominated performance in Bombshell. Earlier this year, the A-list talent starred in Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn and Dreamland, both of which she also produced. Also, Robbie is a producer on this month's Promising Young Woman. Next, she'll be seen in The Suicide Squad, reprising her role as Harley Quinn, and heard in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. Additionally, the actress is expected to star in Babylon, opposite Brad Pitt, and the newest film from writer-director David O. Russell. Robbie will also produce Netflix's Maid.

Margaret Qualley (Pussycat)

Playing the part of Pussycat, Margaret Qualley gave a standout supporting performance in Quentin Tarantino's newest film. The daughter of actress Andie MacDowell, Qualley is an Emmy-nominated star for her work in FX's Fosse/Verdon. She's also known for her performances in The Leftovers, Novitiate, Palo Alto, Netflix's IO, The Nice Guys, Death Note, and Spike Jonze's dance-heavy short film, Kenzo World.

Following her role in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Margaret Qualley starred in Strange But True, Adam, and Seberg. She also appeared in Olivia Wilde's short film, Wake Up, and Rainey Qualley's "Love Me Like You Hate Me" music video. Additionally, the actress can be heard in the video game, Death Stranding. Next, Qualley stars in My Salinger Year and Netflix's upcoming dramedy series, Maid. She also booked roles in North of Normal, A Head Full of Ghosts, and Claire Denis's The Stars at Noon.

Julia Butters (Trudi Fraser)

In the role of Trudi Fraser, a talented child star who gives Rick Dalton some much-needed encouragement during a moment of doubt, Julia Butters plays a sizable role in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood's mid-section. Outside of this performance, Butters plays a main character in ABC's sitcom, American Housewife. She can also be seen in 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi, Term Life, and episodes of Transparent.

Most recently, Butters starred in the latest season of American Housewife and she was heard in the animated short film, Fetch.

Mike Moh (Bruce Lee)

As a fictionalized version of Bruce Lee, Mike Moh played a kick-ass role in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. Outside of this performance, Moh starred in the web series, Street Fighter: Assassin's Fist and Resurrection. He also played a role in ABC's short-lived Inhumans and he made appearances in Empire. Outside of acting, Moh is the founder of Moh's Martial Arts in Waunakee, Wisconsin.

Shortly after Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood's release, Moh starred in Killerman. Next, the actor will be seen in Eddie Haung's feature directorial debut, Boogie.

Emile Hirsch (Jay Sebring)

Playing the part of Jay Sebring, a close friend of Sharon Tate, Emile Hirsch had a prominent supporting role in Quentin Tarantino's newest film. The actor is best known for his acclaimed lead performance in Into the Wild. He's also known for The Girl Next Door, Lords of Dogtown, Speed Racer, Milk, Alpha Dog, Lone Survivor, Killer Joe, Taking Woodstock, and Prince Avalanche.

Following his work in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood, Emile Hirsch starred in Never Grow Old and this year's Force of Nature. He also did voice work in Wizards, 3Below: Tales of Arcadia, Robot Chicken, and the video game, Trollhunters: Defenders of Arcadia. Next, Hirsch stars in The Comeback Trail, Son, American Night, and Midnight in the Switchgrass. Currently, the actor is filming a role in State of Consciousness.

Kurt Russell (Randy Miller/Narrator)

As Randy Miller, an experienced stunt coordinator, as well as our narrator, Kurt Russell reunited with writer-director Quentin Tarantino for Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. A former child actor-turned-movie star, Russell is known for a variety of roles, including (but not limited to) The Thing, Escape from New York, Big Trouble in Little China, Overboard, Tango & Cash, Tombstone, The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Sky High, Miracle, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Silkwood, Bone Tomahawk, and Backdraft. Also, the actor worked with Tarantino on Death Proof and The Hateful Eight.

Most recently, Kurt Russell starred in Netflix's The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two, where he reprised his role as Santa Claus. He was also seen in last year's Crypto.

Al Pacino (Marvin Schwarz)

In the role of Marvin Schwarz, Rick Dalton's agent, Al Pacino played a fun, flashy supporting character in Quentin Tarantino's most recent movie. As one of the most famous and revered working actors of the past 50 years, Pacino is an Oscar/Tony/Emmy-winning superstar with acclaimed performances in The Godfather trilogy, Dog Day Afternoon, Serpico, Scarface, Heat, Donnie Brasco, Scent of a Woman, Glengarry Glen Ross, Angels in America, Dick Tracy, and The Panic in Needle Park, among several other productions of the stage and screen.

Shortly following his starry role in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Al Pacino played Jimmy Hoffa in Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, for which he was Oscar-nominated. Earlier this year, he led Amazon Prime's Hunters. Next, Pacino stars in Axis Sally. He's also signed on to star in Ridley Scott's Gucci.

Timothy Olyphant (James Stacy)

Playing James Stacy, Timothy Olyphant was a prominent supporting character in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Best known for his Emmy-nominated lead role in FX's Justified, the film/TV actor also starred in Scream 2, Deadwood, Hitman, Live Free or Die Hard, Go, The Crazies (2010), A Perfect Getaway, and Santa Clarita Diet.

Last year, Timothy Olyphant reprised his role as Seth Bullock in HBO's Deadwood: The Movie. He was nominated for an Emmy, along with the rest of the cast, for his part in this TV movie. Earlier this year, Olyphant made a slew of television appearances. He was seen in episodes of The Good Place, where he played "Timothy Olyphant," Curb Your Enthusiasm and The Mandolorian. Most recently, Olyphant played a recurring role in FX's Fargo Season 4. Next, the actor stars in the upcoming dramatic film, The Starling.

Austin Butler (Tex)

As Tex, Charles Manson's deputy, Austin Butler played a vicious role in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Outside of this performance, the actor is better known for his television work in Switched at Birth, Ruby & the Rockits, The Carrie Diaries, and The Shannara Chronicles. He was also seen in Aliens in the Attic, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure, Yoga Hosers, Dude, and The Dead Don't Die, as well as episodes of Arrow.

Next, Austin Butler will play The King of Rock 'n' Roll in Baz Luhrmann's Elvis.

Maya Hawke (Flowerchild)

Playing the part of Flowerchild, Maya Hawke had one of her first blockbuster roles in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood. Most notably, Hawke (the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman) is known for playing Robin in Stranger Things Season 3. She also played Jo March in the BBC's 2017 adaptation of Little Women. Earlier this year, Hawke starred in Human Capital. Additionally, she was recently seen in the mini-series The Good Lord Bird, Samia's "Is There Something In the Movies?" music video, and a pair of short films, As They Slept and Memory Xperiment: Kathy Acker, respectively.

Next, Maya Hawke will star in Mainstream and the latest season of Stranger Things. She's also set to star in the upcoming comedy, Strangers.

Mikey Madison (Sadie)

In the role of Sadie, Mikey Madison has an explosive part in Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood. The actress is most well-known for playing a main character in FX's acclaimed Better Things.

Following this supporting turn, Mikey Madison was heard in 2019's The Addams Family. Additionally, the actress was seen in the latest season of Better Things earlier this year. Next, Madison stars in 2022's Scream.

Madisen Beaty (Katie)

Playing the part of Katie, Madisen Beaty gets a smashing role in Once Upon A Time ... In Hollywood. Outside of this performance, Beaty has been seen in The Master, Other People, The Fosters, The Cloverhitch Killer, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

Most recently, Madisen Beaty starred in To The Stars and a couple of episodes of The Magicians. Next, the actress will be seen in the horror-mystery, Seance.

Dakota Fanning (Squeaky)

Playing the part of Squeaky, a devoted Manson follower, Dakota Fanning plays a starry cameo in Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood. The former child star is best known for War of the Worlds, The Cat in the Hat, I Am Sam, Man on Fire, Charlotte's Web, The Secret Life of Bees, The Runaways, Coraline, Dreamer, and the Twilight sequels.

Earlier this year, Dakota Fanning starred in Sweetness in the Belly, Viena and the Fantomes, and The Alienist: Angel of Darkness. Next, she'll star in The Nightingale opposite Elle Fanning.

Bruce Dern (George Spahn)

In the role of George Spahn, a blind, bed-ridden rancher visited by Cliff Booth, Bruce Dern filled in for the late Burt Reynolds in Once Upon a Time ... In Hollywood. A revered character actor with nearly 200 credits to his name, Dern is a two-time Oscar-nominated actor known for his performances in Coming Home, Nebraska, Silent Running, The King of Marvin Gardens, Posse (1975), The Cowboys, The 'Burbs, and Black Sunday. He also starred in Quentin Tarantino's previous film, The Hateful Eight.

Following this performance, Bruce Dern starred in Remember Me (2019), Inherit the Viper, Emperor, The Artist's Wife, Ravage, Badland, and a season of Mr. Mercedes. Next, he'll be seen in Death in Texas, Overrun, Buck Alamo or (A Phantasmagorical Ballad), Hands that Bind, Hellblazers, Girl Named Guy, Last Call, The Gateway, and the final season of Goliath. If that weren't enough to keep him busy, Dern is currently filming a role in Christmas vs. the Walters.

Damon Herriman (Charles Manson)

As cult leader Charles Manson, known here as "Charlie," Damon Herriman played a menacing role in Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood. He also played Manson in Netflix's Mindhunter. And he's well-known for his work in Justified and The Nightingale (2019).

Following his brief-but-important part in Once Upon A Time... In Hollywood, Damon Herriman appeared in TV shows like The Commons, Perpetual Grace, LTD, Lambs of God, and Mr. Inbetween. He also appeared in Julia Stone's "Unreal" music video, while playing one of the titular roles in Judy & Punch. Next, Herriman will star in Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, as well as two upcoming mini-series, The Serpent and The Underground Railroad.

Did you love Quentin Tarantino's Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood? Let us know in the comments!

CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.

Dear readers, it’s time for a ho-ho-throwdown. With two brand new Santa adventures in the mix for this holiday season, it’s time for Kurt Russell and Mel Gibson’s versions of the man with the bag to square off. As The Christmas Chronicles 2 and Fatman are aimed at two different audiences, we’ve got two different versions of St. Nick to consider as we head into the yuletide. So naturally, we’re gonna start asking questions about who’d win in a contest, and that’s exactly what we’re getting into today.

Putting these two holiday joy makers through their paces will require five separate criteria: wits, gifts, fists, the Mrs. (Claus), and elves. We’ll go through each of those scenarios, and weigh whether Kurt Russell or Mel Gibson’s Santa excel in that particular area. In the end, the ultimate winner being crowned “The Superior Santa Claus,” with you the audience having a chance to cast your votes on the matter yourselves. But now, the gloves are off, and it’s time to see whether Russell or Gibson is the Superior Santa Claus.

The Battle Of Wits

With The Christmas Chronicles’ Santa, Russell talks a pretty big game, and in a pinch he can bust out a musical number to break himself out of trouble. But as seen in the first Christmas Chronicles movie, he couldn’t talk his way out of trouble, and he ended up getting arrested and thrown in jail. He’s a nice guy, but he has a hard time winning skeptics. Meanwhile, Fatman’s Chris Cringle sees Mel Gibson literally talk a man out of cheating on his wife with a random bartender. And even though he’s fallen short on his quota with the U.S. Government, the deal he negotiated himself was pretty sweet when it was at its best.

Who Wins The Battle Of Wits

While Kurt Russell and Mel Gibson’s Santas wouldn’t have trouble believing in one another, Gibson’s powers of persuasion could potentially beat Russell in a showdown. Not to mention, something tells me that Chris Cringle wouldn’t be won over by a musical number, whether he’s got both eyes or not. Fatman’s Chris wins this round, thanks to some pretty stern talking abilities.

The Battle Of Gifts

If you can’t give gifts worth a candy cane, you’re clearly not meant to be Santa. And both of our competitors have very different operations. In Fatman, Chris Cringle’s setup at the North Pole is very tactile, and absolutely grounded. The elves build toys and parts, and Chris eventually delivers them in his sleigh. Though, for the most part, we only really see some of the building, and none of the deliveries. Meanwhile, The Christmas Chronicles Santa has an amazing workshop that can pretty much build anything. Not to mention, with a crack team of elves, and a TARDIS style magic sack, he can deliver good from the North Pole to anywhere in the world. Also, his sleigh is totally run by wormhole technology, which lets him move through the world in one night; provided he stays on schedule.

Who Wins The Battle Of Gifts

As mentioned in the Battle of Wits, Chris Cringle’s operation has some problems fulfilling its government contract, which leads to some interesting subcontracting at the North Pole. Meanwhile, Santa in The Christmas Chronicles only ever has a problem when someone tries to hijack his operation, or accidentally throws things off just a little. Even in those contexts, Christmas endures, and Kurt Russell’s Santa beats Mel Gibson’s when taking into account the gift situation.

The Battle Of Fists

Talk is cheap, and gifts are relatively easy to make. But in the Battle of Fists, all you’ve got is Jack Johnson and Tom O’Leary to defend you. And this is a pretty damned one-sided fight when you get down to it, as Kurt Russell’s Santa really doesn’t fight. There’s no need for him to scuffle with anyone physically, as he’s a pretty family friendly guy; one of the perils of being The Christmas Chronicles’ PG-rated Santa pinned against an R-rated madman. And boy, is Fatman’s Chris Cringle adept at fighting an armed opponent, as we’ve seen in his battle with assassin Jonathan Miller.

Cringle knows how to use firearms and tactics to outwit his opponents, without question. Plus, even when he did suffer what looked like fatal injuries to his person (i.e. being stabbed through the chest by a leg mounted blade), Chris managed to live with only an eye sacrificed in the process.

Who Wins The Battle Of Fists

If it ever came to fisticuffs between Santa and Chris Cringle, Santa would surely be toast. With no real combat training, and his abilities to talk his way out of the fight more than likely failing, it might be a good idea for The Christmas Chronicles hero to just curl up and play dead. Fatman wins again in this round.

The Battle Of Mrs. (Claus)

To update and old, but familiar phrase, beside every great Santa is a Mrs. Claus able to help him see his way through trouble. Both The Christmas Chronicles and Fatman have fantastic female role models in the way of Mrs. Claus (Goldie Hawn) and Ruth Cringle (Marianne Jean-Baptiste.) And to be fair, this pair of fellow holiday figure heads are pretty similar in skill sets. Both know their way around baking cookies and keeping Santa in line when it comes to the battle of the day. However, while Ruth definitely has the advantage of being handy with a musket pistol, Mrs. Claus has a wide berth of knowledge in various fields of expertise. Plus, she can bake explosive cookies, which would help her evade capture; and could create some chemically infused delights to put anyone at ease, or even to sleep.

Who Wins The Battle Of Mrs. (Claus)

The Christmas Chronicles’ Mrs. Claus is a vital component in the development of the North Pole system, and she’s quite capable at devising countermeasures that can distract. While it’s not likely that Ruth would take up arms against Mrs. Claus, and her opposite number wouldn’t seek to harm her, Mrs. Claus has the slight edge in this battle. Though let’s be honest, they’d both see their husbands fighting, and probably adjourn to swapping stories over cocoa and non-lethal cookies.

The Battle Of Elves

It all comes down to this: the elfish workforce at the two opposing North Pole operations! You could honestly run various scenarios pitting merely the elves of Fatman and The Christmas Chronicles against each other, as the possibilities are endless. But there are some limitations between the work forces of Santa and Chris Cringle, and that’s where the advantage shows one particular side winning the battle, and the war.

Fatman has some pretty grounded elves that use their own two hands, and a sugar enriched metabolism to get the job done when it comes to building their gift load. Meanwhile, The Christmas Chronicles elves are akin to kindly Gremlins, as they can build pretty much anything, and their miniature size and numbers can overwhelm larger opponents. If Chris Cringle had these little Energizer elves in his workshop, Jonathan Miller would have been dispatched a bit easier.

Who Wins The Battle Of Elves

The Christmas Chronicles’ elves win by a landslide. Again, their insane numbers and energy put them at a huge advantage, and even if they were just building gifts, the contest would be an open and shut case. One side can build anything from luxury cars to rooty toot toots and rummy tum tums; while the other is limited in their construction of toys and aircraft parts. And they who has the elves has the war at Christmas.

Who Is The Superior Santa Claus

In a 3-2 decision, verified by the betting firm of Elf Kings, the title of Superior Santa Claus goes to none other than Kurt Russell’s Santa from The Christmas Chronicles. With both of their spouses staying out of the way, in a fight that probably wouldn’t get that intense as Fatman’s Chris Cringle wouldn’t wail on an unarmed, unmatched opponent, Santa would probably neutralize Chris’s operation. The two opponents would then more than likely trade cups of cocoa, and laugh about that time they actually did face off in the 1988 movie Tequila Sunrise. Of course, that’s another story for another day.

So, with all of this holiday combat wrapped up, who do you think would win the battle for Superior Santa Claus bragging rights? Take our poll below, and let us know know know! And if you’re looking for more game tapes to research this matter a bit further, you can watch both of The Christmas Chronicles on Netflix. Meanwhile, Fatman is currently available for purchase/rental on VOD and Digital HD.

This poll is no longer available.

The following contains minor spoilers for The Christmas Chronicles 2*_.*_

Kurt Russell has been an actor since he was a kid, but the accomplished performer has only a single writing credit to his name in all those years. While he may not be much of a writer in the grand scheme of things, it turns out he did contribute something of note to his new film, Netflix's The Christmas Chronicles 2. Director Chris Columbus reveals that Russell wrote a single line for his on and off-screen partner Goldie Hawn. And it might be the best single line in the movie.

The scene takes place near the end of the film. The characters of Jack and Kate are getting ready to return home, when Jack tells Mrs. Claus he will never forget her. Goldie Hawn's character responds...

Director Chris Columbus tells Insider that Kurt Russell was actually responsible for that particular line, though the rest of the script was handled by Columbus himself along with Matt Lieberman. Columbus particularly loves the line and the way Goldie Hawn delivers it. He says he was excited to work with Hawn on the Christmas Chronicles sequel. While Hawn has been mostly a comedic actress throughout her career, the new Netflix Christmas movie is completely earnest and the director says he wanted to work with Hawn as an actress rather than as a comedian.

Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn have been together on screen and off since the 1980s and the pair are together again in The Christmas Chronicles 2, where Russell returns as Santa, and Hawn has a much more significant role as Mrs. Claus. The fact that the two know each other so well is probably a big part of the reason that Russell wrote a great line for his long time partner. And really, if you're going to introduce somebody to play Mrs. Claus to Kurt Russell's Santa, who else are you going to think of first?

Kurt Russell's only official credit as a writer is for 1996's Escape From L.A. which he is credited as writing alongside John Carpenter and Debra Hill. However one has to wonder how many of his films he's been able to punch up by adding an improving lines in small ways like this.

And viewers seem to be embracing the film in a big way. As of this writing, The Christmas Chronicles 2 is the number two item on Netflix in the U.S. It's an opportunity to see Goldie Hawn give a performance that we haven't seen in some time. Hawn has been semi-retired in recent years, with the Amy Schumer comedy Snatched being her only significant role in the nearly 20 years before this. We certainly haven't see Hawn in a role that wasn't a straight comedy in some time.

Warning: SPOILERS for The Christmas Chronicles are in play. If you haven’t seen either of the two films in the series, you may want to check yourself twice before proceeding.

Looking back on the movie ending cameo that saw Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles introducing Goldie Hawn as Mrs. Claus, it feels like that decision was a pretty easy door for a sequel. So by the time The Christmas Chronicles 2 came to be, the further usage of Mrs. Claus in co-writer/director Chris Columbus’ big holiday follow-up was another one of those decisions that felt extremely natural. As it turns out, the road to Goldie Hawn’s character becoming a very important part of the future of The Christmas Chronicles 2 came from that big moment in the first film, which was hatched in part by Kurt Russell.

During the press day for The Christmas Chronicles 2, I had the honor to attend the festivities on behalf of CinemaBlend. Part of those honors saw me speaking with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, as they sat in front of their fireplace, ready to talk holiday magic. In conversation with these two legendary stars, there was a big game plan that was revealed for The Christmas Chronicles franchise, and it came from Russell’s discussions with Chris Columbus while making the 2018 original. If any sort of future was to be had, Mrs. Claus was the key to making it all happen, as revealed in the following remarks:

Just like that, Goldie Hawn was included at the very end of 2018’s The Christmas Chronicles, in a scene that wrapped the entire film with a nice Christmas-themed bow. While Mrs. Claus was mentioned in the film, she isn’t present until the very end, as she’s seen returning to the North Pole after some sort of trip. Confirming that Santa had taken Kate Pierce’s tape chronicling the events of that fateful holiday, Ms. Hawn’s cameo, as seen below, is the sort of surprise that gets an audience amped for a potential sequel.

Re-watching that moment, it works perfectly as a window into something that could become a holiday tradition for the Netflix family. According to Kurt Russell, that plan was firmly in both his mind and Chris Columbus' when they included it in The Christmas Chronicles. However, for as much as The Christmas Chronicles 2 naturally integrates Mrs. Claus as an important figure in the North Pole operation, Goldie Hawn wasn’t initially aware of the greater part she would play in the series mythology. She revealed as much in the following remarks:

As you can see, for a film that surprised everyone as a streaming blockbuster success upon its arrival, there was already a lot of plotting that was at work to make The Christmas Chronicles 2 a truly worth sequel. And with the film’s recent release confirming that Netflix could have a new holiday tradition on its hands, it only makes the fact that Kurt Russell and Chris Columbus have dreamed up several elements to keep the party going.

If Goldie Hawn’s Mrs. Claus is only the beginning of what we could see in the further progression of what The Christmas Chronicles saga holds, whatever remaining aspects are still hiding in the shadows must be pretty big deals. We’ll just have to wait and see how the reception to Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles 2 plays out, as the film is now playing on a streaming queue near you. In the meantime, keep it tuned here to CinemaBlend for more coverage pertaining to The Christmas Chronicles 2, and the magic that it’s ready to spread throughout the holidays.

Two years ago, Netflix subscribers were treated to Kurt Russell’s Santa Claus in The Christmas Chronicles, which saw his take on the Christmas icon having to team up with a pair of children to track down missing Christmas presents after his sleigh malfunctions. As of today, you can now witness the return of Russell’s Santa in The Christmas Chronicles 2, and director Christopher Columbus has shared just how seriously the actor prepared for the role.

When it came to bringing Santa Claus to life, Kurt Russell didn’t just focus on memorizing his lines and delivering them in a convincing manner. Oh no, according to Christopher Columbus, Russell went so far as to write out hundreds of pages about what this Santa had been through. As Columbus explained to Comicbook.com:

Commitment is the right word. It’s one thing to imagine some basic details about Santa Claus’ backstory to get into character, but to write what’s basically a short novel about his character’s life leading up to the events of the first Christmas Chronicles movie is astounding. While it’s understandable that not all of that material could be used, it’s days like these it’s unfortunate that Netflix doesn’t often release physical copies of its original movies. Because including even a few glimpses of those pages Russell wrote out would make for a great bonus feature.

It just goes to show how dedicated Kurt Russell is to his craft, and for the current generation of children, there’s a strong chance he could become their Santa Claus, like how Tim Allen was the Santa for many ‘90s and 2000s kids thanks to The Santa Clause. It’s definitely his most family-friendly project of late, with the last closest thing being Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, where he played Ego the Living Planet, the main antagonist. Russell’s other recent credits include The Hateful Eight, Deepwater Horizon and The Fate of the Furious.

For The Christmas Chronicles 2, Kurt Russell’s Santa Claus will be joined by his beloved Mrs. Claus, played by Russell’s real-life wife Goldie Hawn. Hawn cameoed at the end of the first Christmas Chronicles movie, but the sequel will have her version of Mrs. Claus directly involved in the main story. Darby Camp, Judah Lewis and Kimberly Williams-Paisley are also reprising their Christmas Chronicles roles, while Julian Dennison and Tyrese Gibson are among the new faces participating in The Christmas Chronicles 2. The follow-up sees Santa dealing with a mysterious troublemaker who’s threatening to permanently cancel Christmas.

The Christmas Chronicles 2 is available to watch on Netflix now, and make sure to read CinemaBlend’s review of the movie. Learn what the streaming service plans to deliver next month with our handy lineup.

There have been more movies and television shows about icon of the Old West Wyatt Earp and his brothers than shootouts in towns on the frontier, but few hold a candle to the 1993 Kurt Russell-led western Tombstone. For nearly 30 years now, George P. Cosmatos' masterpiece has remained one of the most popular westerns thanks to its timeless story, intense gun battles, those luscious mustaches, and classic one-liners from from the famed lawman and his allies.

But with so much time passing since the film's initial release way back when, some may have forgotten how things shake out for Wyatt Earp, his brothers Virgil and Morgan, the charismatic Doc Holiday, and the rest of the characters who show up on either side of the central conflict in Tombstone. That being said, let's talk about the Tombstone ending and how things wrapped up for everyone.

Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell)

Kurt Russell's Wyatt Earp isn't just front and center throughout the events of Tombstone, he's often the most interesting character on the screen not named Doc Holliday. After taking on the Cowboys at the O.K. Corral and then again multiple times, resulting in the deaths of his most hated enemies, Earp goes to see about Josephine Marcus and attempts to find some peace and harmony in his life after years of the fighting crime, running gambling joints, and going after all those curs with red sashes. Before that, however, he goes to have one last visit with his old friend Doc Holliday, whose health is quickly deteriorating in a Colorado sanatorium.

Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer)

Doc Holiday, who is played masterfully in Tombstone by an in-his-prime Val Kilmer, is often considered the best character in the whole movie, and those people who think that wouldn't be wrong. Even as he's dying of tuberculosis, the gambler and old friend of Wyatt Earp who is unmatched behind the gun and spends much of the movie sedated, playing poker, or poking the fire that is Johnny Ringo. And after Earp said he would take down Ringo, a dying Holliday musters up his remaining strength to prove once and for all that he can't be beat. And as he lay dying in that Colorado sanatorium, Holliday looks down at his bootless feet and says "This is funny."

This final meeting, however, is reportedly the stuff of legend as multiple historians, including Elena Sandridge, have stated that Wyatt Earp only learned of his friend's passing months later.

Virgil Earp (Sam Elliott)

Virgil Earp, played here by Sam Elliott and his legendary mustache, is the oldest and wisest of the Earp brothers and appoints himself the marshal of Tombstone, a decision that brings more trouble to the small town. Following the shootout at the O.K. Corral, Virgil, and other members of the Earps' group, is injured and left handicapped, which ultimately leads to the surviving brothers' decision to leave town once and for all. And even though Wyatt Earp stays back to settle things for good, Virgil is able to escape with his new wife and make a new life for himself.

Morgan Earp (Bill Paxton)

Not to be outdone by older brothers, Morgan Earp, portrayed by the late, great Bill Paxton, is right there in thick of it throughout much of Tombstone, including the famous shootout at the O.K. Corral. Following the events of the showdown with the Cowboys, life seems to go back to normal, but one night while Morgan is playing pool, he is ambushed and shot in the back. The bullet, having done too much damage to Morgan's already weakened body, takes the youngest Earp as his brother, Wyatt, tries to save his life. And although Morgan's story ends here, it's just the beginning of things to come.

Curly Bill Brocius (Powers Boothe)

On the other side of the central conflict in Tombstone is Curly Bill Brocius, one of the senior members of the outlaw gang, the Cowboys. As soon as Brocius, played by Powers Boothe, comes into the picture in the opening minutes of the movie, you know he will meet a painful and justified death for his actions. And we get just that in the final act of the movie when he, and most of his men, are taken out by a vengeful Wyatt Earp after the lawman's brother, Morgan, is viciously murdered. No more carrying out massacres for this cowboy with a hole in his gut.

Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn)

The first time we see Michael Biehn's Johnny Ringo and Doc Holliday encounter one another, we know these will have one final showdown before everything is said and done. And that becomes the case in the final act of Tombstone when Holliday, wanting to finish what the two adversaries had started earlier on, challenges Ringo to one final duel, but not before getting out one more "I'm your huckleberry."

As iconic as a scene it is, in reality, the death of Johnny Ringo remains a mystery to this day, with no one really knowing if the outlaw was brought down by Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, or his own gun, as his 1882 death was ruled a suicide.

Ike Clanton (Stephen Lang)

Ike Clanton, one the outlaws in the ranks of the Cowboys who finds himself at odds with Wyatt Earp, is played by Stephen Lang, who is a treat in this role. Whenever trouble is brewing throughout Tombstone, Clanton is involved one way or another, but after the death of essentially every member of his gang, Clanton turns his back on his old lifestyle and convinces Earp to let him live. In the final narration of the film, however, it is revealed that Clanton was killed two years after the events that unfolded in Tombstone.

Billy Clanton (Thomas Haden Church)

Billy Clanton, Ike's younger brother, played here by Thomas Haden Church, isn't so lucky and isn't afforded the opportunity to throw down his red sash. Instead, Clanton is killed during the epic shootout at O.K. Corral, when he, and his fellow Cowboys, refuse to lay down their arms.

Josephine Marcus (Dana Delany)

Josephine Marcus, portrayed by Dana Delany, is the apple of Wyatt Earp's eye for much of Tombstone, and after everything is said and done and the Cowboys have been dealt with, the two end up together in a warm embrace under a blanket of snow. Marcus would join Earp on the rest of the journeys life threw his way, and remained with the legendary law man until his death in 1929.

Allie Earp (Paula Malcomson)

Allie Earp, played by future Deadwood star Paula Malcomson, is last seen leaving Tombstone with her husband, Virgil, following the assassination of Morgan Earp and not long after her own husband was targeted and left with a paralyzed arm. The real Allie Earp remained with Virgil Earp until his passing in 1905, and she would follow more than 40 years later at the age of 97 or 98.

Those are just some of the real-life characters who played a prominent role in the events of Tombstone. With so many more to explore like Henry Hooker (Charlton Heston), Billy Breakenridge (Jason Priestley), Sheriff Johnny Behan (Jon Tenney), and numerous others, it's never a bad idea to go back and look at the lives and times of those who were turned into some of the most iconic western characters in the past 30 years.

When The Christmas Chronicles dropped on Netflix back in 2018, no one could have predicted how big of a hit the original film would become. Quicker than you could say, “jingle bells,” the movie became a surprising success, putting Kurt Russell’s Santa into the hearts and minds of movie fans everywhere. A sequel was bound to happen, and The Christmas Chronicles 2 was greenlit in the hopes that it would continue to spur a potential holiday tradition for the streaming service. Get ready for an early Christmas gift, because the Chris Columbus-directed follow-up delivers.

The Christmas Chronicles 2 picks up a couple years after the first adventure saw Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis) save Christmas around the world. This time, the action starts on a tropical vacation, with their mother Claire (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) starting to move on in her life with a new boyfriend Bob (Tyrese Gibson.) It doesn’t take long for things to go polar though, as Kate and Bob’s son, Jack (Jazhir Bruno), are soon transported to the North Pole. As the pair link up with Santa (Kurt Russell) and Mrs. Claus (Goldie Hawn), we’re treated to even more of The Christmas Chronicles’ blend of holiday history and myth, with the fate of the season once again being threatened, this time by a shadowy presence (Julian Dennison).

The Christmas Chronicles 2 doesn’t waste time getting back to business, with some slight twists and turns.

Just as The Christmas Chronicles had achieved before it, The Christmas Chronicles 2 takes elements from Christmas movies and legends known worldwide and spins them into a wildly exciting package. While it’s not totally required to understand what’s going on in this new sequel, it’s definitely suggested that audiences refamiliarize themselves with the first entry in The Christmas Chronicles before digging into part two. The big reason for that is the fact that co-writer/director Chris Columbus’ follow-up wastes no time getting back to business, introducing the villainy of Julian Dennison’s Belsnickel right in the opening.

The Christmas Chronicles 2 doesn’t reinvent the wheel, staying firmly on the same sort of track that its predecessor laid out. It’s an advantageous decision, as in the world of streaming there’s a good chance this sequel will either be double billed by newcomers, or eagerly devoured by hardcore fans. In either scenario, the backstory doesn’t get in the way of the new story material, which is best considering a huge new character gets to join in on the fun.

Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are absolutely magical together.

Even in the simple cameo that Goldie Hawn shared with Kurt Russell at the end of The Christmas Chronicles, their legendary chemistry shined like the Christmas Star that powers the North Pole. Now in The Christmas Chronicles 2 Hawn’s return as Mrs. Claus is one of the aspects that truly seizes the opportunity given to a potential franchise. In addition to bringing new dimensions to the classic holiday figurehead, seeing Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell acting together for the first time since 1987’s Overboard shows just how magical their collective talents are.

In fact, the entire cast of The Christmas Chronicles 2, both returning and debuting, make for a very cohesive whole. Franchise newcomers Jazhir Bruno and Tyrese Gibson are fantastic additions to the family drama subplot, and their father/son dynamic takes hold from their introduction. Mixing it up with legacy cast members like Darby Camp and Kimberly Williams-Paisley, this potentially expanded family makes for new challenges, and even sweeter resolutions. Binding it all together is Julian Dennison’s baddie, who makes for an interesting twist on some old Christmas magic, giving the young actor some new ground to tread.

Upholding the spirit of the previous installment, The Christmas Chronicles 2 gives fans and newcomers another memorable holiday treat.

If you’re not on board with the holiday shenanigans that the franchise has already put into the world, The Christmas Chronicles 2 should help you make up for lost time. Chris Columbus and his talented cast of actors have put together something really heartfelt, and it deserves to continue as a Christmas tradition for years to come. The efforts of this sequel hit even harder and more effectively in a 2020 sort of atmosphere, as the professional and focused effort to give audiences a Santa story they can escape into is all the more appreciated in the current film market.

Without an ironic bone in its body, but also lacking in the typical manufactured saccharine that could push it into the other direction, The Christmas Chronicles 2 offers more of the family friendly joy that made its predecessor such a hit. The future of this series is looking merry and bright, and with Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell riding in the proverbial sleigh together it's enough to make true believers out of anyone. Netflix may have found its greatest Christmas wish come true, with this signature holiday franchise in fine and fighting form.