The Best Kurt Russell Movie You’ve Never Truly Seen
Kurt Russell has been a part of some of the greatest films in Hollywood history. Whether it's The Thing , Escape from New York , Big Trouble in Little China , or The Hateful Eight , his filmography is filled with cult classics and fan favorites. But beyond these well-known hits, Russell has a few hidden gems that didn’t get the attention they deserved—like Breakdown , Dark Blue , and Sky High . However, there’s one movie that stands above them all, a film that Russell himself believes could have been his masterpiece: Tombstone .
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Now, I know what you’re thinking— Tombstone is a widely respected and beloved Western. It had an all-star cast featuring Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Michael Rooker, Charlton Heston, and even Robert Mitchum narrating. The film was released on Christmas Day in 1993 and has remained a fan favorite ever since. But here’s the kicker: the version of Tombstone that we all know and love isn’t the version that was meant to exist. In fact, according to Russell, it’s not even close.
Tombstone was a troubled production from the start. Originally, screenwriter Kevin Jarre was supposed to direct the film, but after struggling to manage the production, he was fired. That’s when George P. Cosmatos was brought in as the official director—but behind the scenes, it was actually Kurt Russell who took control. For years, rumors swirled that he had secretly directed the movie, and in 2006, after Cosmatos’ passing, Russell finally confirmed it. He revealed that the studio asked him to take over, but he refused to take credit. Instead, he acted as a "ghost director," making sure the movie got finished while still performing as Wyatt Earp.
But here’s the real heartbreak. Russell always felt that the final cut of Tombstone was just a shadow of what it could have been. He wasn’t given the chance to edit the film, and he had to make tough decisions to keep the production afloat—including cutting down his own role to make the story work. “I cut myself out of this goddamn movie,” he admitted. He had to remove entire sections of what he loved about the script, turning Wyatt Earp into more of an "aura" character rather than the deeply developed lead he was meant to be.
And the biggest revelation? Russell believes that Jarre’s original script wasn’t just good—it was The Godfather of Westerns. That’s right. According to him, Tombstone could have been the Godfather of the genre, but due to production issues, a significant portion of that vision was lost.
But here’s where things get even more interesting. All of the original film reels—the footage that never made it to the final cut—still exist. Russell himself has them stored in his garage. That means a true Tombstone Director’s Cut, the one that could have fulfilled Jarre’s vision, is technically possible. When asked why he hasn’t put it together yet, Russell simply laughed and said, “Because I got a life.”
So, will we ever see the real Tombstone ? Maybe. But for now, all we can do is wonder what could have been—and hope that someday, Russell decides to dust off those reels and finally show the world the Western masterpiece that never was.
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