Decades after its release, the 1993 Western Tombstone remains a beloved classic, but for star Kurt Russell, the film’s legacy is tinged with a sense of unrealized potential. Russell has consistently expressed his belief that the final cut didn’t live up to the quality of Kevin Jarre’s original screenplay, a sentiment he reiterated in a recent interview while promoting the second season of Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
The actor, who portrayed Wyatt Earp in the film, explained to The Hollywood Reporter that the core issue stems from the screenplay itself. “That’s because of the screenplay. The movie is not as good as the screenplay,” Russell stated. He added, “I’ll never craft peace with that. It could have been way better. It’s considered one of the great Westerns, right? It could have been considered one of the great movies.”
Russell attributes the shortcomings to a confluence of factors, including budgetary constraints and a change in directorial leadership. The film’s initial director, Jarre, was removed from the project after just one month of production due to scheduling issues, with George P. Cosmatos stepping in to helm the film. “It had a great cast, but it had fabulous writing,” Russell said. “And for a lot of different reasons, the money got burned through, and the director thing didn’t work out. So we had to go about it differently, and we got what we made.”
Behind-the-Scenes Challenges
The making of Tombstone was reportedly fraught with difficulties. According to Wikipedia, Kevin Jarre was originally slated to both write and direct the film, but was replaced early in production. Rumors have long circulated regarding Russell’s own influence on the direction of the film alongside Cosmatos, though this remains a subject of debate. Despite these challenges, Tombstone, which depicts the events surrounding the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral in Tombstone, Arizona, went on to gross $73.2 million worldwide.
Russell previously touched on his lingering disappointment with the film during promotion for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters in 2023, revealing he “made a promise to somebody that I won’t talk about things publicly,” but acknowledging he was “really glad that it came out as well as it did.” However, the feeling that the film could have reached a higher level clearly persists.
Current and Upcoming Projects
Despite his continued reflections on Tombstone, Russell remains actively engaged in new projects. He currently stars in the second season of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters, available on Apple TV. He is also set to appear in the neo-Western The Madison, which will be released on the Paramount+ streaming service.
While Russell acknowledges the strong impact Tombstone has had on audiences, he maintains that its potential was greater. “The impact of Tombstone is very strong, and that’s nice. That’s great. But could it have been a lot better? Yes,” he concluded.
As Russell continues to explore new roles, the story of Tombstone serves as a reminder that even beloved films can carry a sense of what might have been. His upcoming work in The Madison offers a new opportunity to revisit the Western genre, and audiences will be watching to see if this project fulfills his vision.
What are your thoughts on Tombstone? Share your opinions in the comments below!
