VIP Viewpoint | Kevin Costner Shot Himself in the Foot by Declining One of the Greatest Westerns Starring Val Kilmer @VIP_Viewpoint | Uploaded July 2024 | Updated October 2024, 7 hours ago.
Kevin Costner Shot Himself in the Foot by Declining One of the Greatest Westerns Starring Val Kilmer
Tombstone. It almost didn't happen to be a moniker that would make movie buffs and cinephiles shudder. Despite not being in the movie, Kevin Costner had a significant role to play in its production!
People were missing the early 1960s and 1970s, when cowboys and gunslingers were the buzz of the town, even if it was the early 1990s. The legend of renowned lawman Wyatt Earp made its way to Hollywood, where it was quickly adopted by the populace akin to the gold rush.
The Story of Wyatt Earp Had to Be Told
Up until his passing in 1929, Wyatt Earp was a real historical figure in the 1850s. Wyatt Earp, a lawman and former brother's owner, was involved in the historic shootout at the O.K. Corral in 1881.
Surprisingly, Earp avoided injury in the majority of the gunshots he took during his life, while his brother and partners weren't as fortunate. After he retired, this gave rise to an enigmatic power around his reputation.
The concept for a movie about the fabled lawmen came from Kevin Jarre, the Tombstone screenwriter, and Dan Gordon and Kasdan, the Wyatt Earp screenwriters. Following the completion of the screenplay, Kevin Jarre presented the concept to seasoned actor Kevin Costner.
The Making of Tombstone book (via SlashFilm) claims that Jarre disclosed that Kevin Costner called after reading the script and politely declined. We ended it there. He mentioned that he was working on a pay-per-view miniseries about the entire life of Earp.
But what appeared to be a story of misfortune is also said to be much more than that. According to Jarre's book, Costner's decision to create a series based on Wyatt Earp seemed out of place.
Not because Costner wasn't (and still is) connected to western characters, but rather because Wyatt Earp and Tombstone's timeliness felt too coincidental to happen at the same time.
Was Tombstone Being Sabotaged by Kevin Costner?
Kevin Costner announced Wyatt Earp, a miniseries that would chronicle Earp's life from his birth until the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, when the script for Tombstone was complete.
Screenwriter Kevin Jarre of Tombstone was cited as stating that Kevin Costner's effort was "an attempt to crush my picture."
But when the script was ready and they started casting, they were in the lead. Kurt Russell was considered for the role of Wyatt Earp, and Val Kilmer was contacted to play Doc Holliday.
While Kevin Costner's portrayal of Wyatt Earp was viewed as a disappointing failure, the picture gained international recognition and praise upon its premiere. Tombstone scored an astounding 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.8/10 on IMDB.
However, Costner's miniseries was trimmed down to a three-hour film that debuted at a record-low 31% on Rotten Tomatoes and had an IMDB rating of 6.7/10.
Kevin Costner Shot Himself in the Foot by Declining One of the Greatest Westerns Starring Val Kilmer
Tombstone. It almost didn't happen to be a moniker that would make movie buffs and cinephiles shudder. Despite not being in the movie, Kevin Costner had a significant role to play in its production!
People were missing the early 1960s and 1970s, when cowboys and gunslingers were the buzz of the town, even if it was the early 1990s. The legend of renowned lawman Wyatt Earp made its way to Hollywood, where it was quickly adopted by the populace akin to the gold rush.
The Story of Wyatt Earp Had to Be Told
Up until his passing in 1929, Wyatt Earp was a real historical figure in the 1850s. Wyatt Earp, a lawman and former brother's owner, was involved in the historic shootout at the O.K. Corral in 1881.
Surprisingly, Earp avoided injury in the majority of the gunshots he took during his life, while his brother and partners weren't as fortunate. After he retired, this gave rise to an enigmatic power around his reputation.
The concept for a movie about the fabled lawmen came from Kevin Jarre, the Tombstone screenwriter, and Dan Gordon and Kasdan, the Wyatt Earp screenwriters. Following the completion of the screenplay, Kevin Jarre presented the concept to seasoned actor Kevin Costner.
The Making of Tombstone book (via SlashFilm) claims that Jarre disclosed that Kevin Costner called after reading the script and politely declined. We ended it there. He mentioned that he was working on a pay-per-view miniseries about the entire life of Earp.
But what appeared to be a story of misfortune is also said to be much more than that. According to Jarre's book, Costner's decision to create a series based on Wyatt Earp seemed out of place.
Not because Costner wasn't (and still is) connected to western characters, but rather because Wyatt Earp and Tombstone's timeliness felt too coincidental to happen at the same time.
Was Tombstone Being Sabotaged by Kevin Costner?
Kevin Costner announced Wyatt Earp, a miniseries that would chronicle Earp's life from his birth until the gunfight at the O.K. Corral, when the script for Tombstone was complete.
Screenwriter Kevin Jarre of Tombstone was cited as stating that Kevin Costner's effort was "an attempt to crush my picture."
But when the script was ready and they started casting, they were in the lead. Kurt Russell was considered for the role of Wyatt Earp, and Val Kilmer was contacted to play Doc Holliday.
While Kevin Costner's portrayal of Wyatt Earp was viewed as a disappointing failure, the picture gained international recognition and praise upon its premiere. Tombstone scored an astounding 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.8/10 on IMDB.
However, Costner's miniseries was trimmed down to a three-hour film that debuted at a record-low 31% on Rotten Tomatoes and had an IMDB rating of 6.7/10.
