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The legacy of Kurt Russell is immutable in its scale and grandeur. The actor who worked with Walt Disney melted the hardened emotions of Charles Bronson and developed a lifelong friendship with the Hollywood giant was a force of his own. The on-screen legacy of the actor, from Westerns to Marvel to Monsterverse stands as a calling card of a movie star who is as relevant in his 70s as he was in his teens.
![Kurt Russell [Photo by Los Angeles Times, licensed under CC BY 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/15080530/Kurt-Russell-Photo-by-Los-Angeles-Times-licensed-under-CC-BY-4.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons.jpeg)
Somewhere along his route to the peak of Hollywood’s Olympus, Russell crossed paths with numerous movie stars in the making and others in their third acts. Kevin Costner, the parable of the 80s and 90s, was one such star whose presence influenced Kurt Russell’s career as much as Russell impacted his.
The Intertwined Legacy of Kurt Russell & Kevin Costner
In the early ‘half of the 1960s,Kurt Russellcarved out a name for himself by starring in the Western series,The Travels of Jaimie McPheetersat the age of 12. The A-lister – who James Gunn describes as the “most famous cult actor in the world” [Los Angeles Times] – endeared himself to much of Hollywood with his infectious energy and ever-so-cheerful disposition paired with keen ambition for his future in the industry over the next several decades.
Later, whenKevin Costnerarrived in the ’80s, he immediately turned heads with his role as Agent Elliot Ness inThe Untouchables(1987) and later locked down and secured his A-list status with the back-to-back sports film,Bill Durham(1988) andField of Dreams(1989). However, it was his breakout role in Lawrence Kasdan’s 1985 filmSilveradothat fanned the flames of his lifelong obsession with Westerns.
![Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer as Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday in Tombstone [Credit: Walt Disney Studios]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/15080925/Kurt-Russell-and-Val-Kilmer-in-Tombstone-Credit-Walt-Disney-Studios-1024x755.jpg)
As such, when the script ofTombstonebegan making its rounds, it was Costner who was approached first. The actor turned down the film in favor of Lawrence Kasdan’s filmWyatt Earp, giving Kurt Russell the opportunity to take his place in the career-defining Western. Ironically, both films, released 6 months apart, explored the life of the legendary outlaw Wyatt Earp.
“I watched Kurt sacrifice his own role”: Val Kilmer Will Never Forget What Kurt Russell Did to Save 1 Underrated Western Despite Not Getting the Credit He Deserved
However, whileTombstonebecame known as one of Hollywood’s all-time greats, an exemplary Western movie, and an instant cult classic, Costner’sWyatt Earplagged at the box office and failed to gain critical appreciation, instead getting unfavorably compared to the Kurt Russell movie that he had initially turned down. The comparisons continued well into the stars’ careers, thus giving rise to an unspoken, unrealized 30-year-old rivalry.
YellowstoneUpdate: Kevin Costner Out, Kurt Russell In?
As far as Westerns are concerned, Taylor Sheridan understood the assignment and how. WithYellowstone, the actor-turned-filmmaker earned a niche place and reputation as a screenwriting genius. However, now that the 5-season arc is coming to a controversial close, the viewers and project heads at Paramount are looking ahead toward better prospects with Sheridan in tow.
One of those prospects includes aYellowstonespin-off series titledMadisonwhich has cast Michelle Pfeiffer in the lead and is set to be a“heartfelt study of grief and human connection,”according toDeadline.An additional cast of Kurt Russell, Patrick J. Adams (Suits), and Beau Garrett (Tron: Legacy) was also said to be circling roles in the spin-off, although Sheridan is yet to confirm.
If the Kurt Russell casting does go through, it will further the underlying rivalry between him and Costner, giving way to fun audience gossip fodder. A Reddit user, namedRodeoBoss66even went so far as to claim:
Kurt would be the perfect choice to costar with Michelle Pfeiffer. Even better than McConaughey, since he’s older than she is (Kurt’s 73, Michelle is 66, and Matthew is 54). Plus Kurt actually lives on a ranch and hunts. Enjoys his firearms but he’s not a gun nut, just lives the life for real.
![Kevin Costner in Yellowstone [Credit: Paramount Network]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/15081358/Kevin-Costner-in-Yellowstone.jpeg)
Mentioning the two stars’Tombstone/Wyatt Earpcontroversy, the user also claims:
Ironic, though, how the whole Wyatt Earp thing continues to hover over this, and Costner and Russell are connected yet again. Kevin and Kurt have both played Wyatt Earp; in fact Costner was originally attached to TOMBSTONE before he split from that production to make a separate Wyatt Earp movie with Larry Kasdan, which everyone inevitably compares to TOMBSTONE.
Now it’s like here we go again: Costner leaves Yellowstone, so Kurt steps in. Not to play the same character but he’s still the lead. I hope one day someone sits the two of them down together for an interview at the very least.
“Well damn that got my attention”: Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone Spin-Off Will Rub Salt on Kevin Costner’s Wound as Series Eyes His Biggest Rival from the ‘90s
Now, there has been no update or sound byte from Taylor Sheridan despite Kevin Costner revealing he would be open to considering a return to his show,Yellowstone. The muddied waters that were left behind after Costner walked away to direct and star inHorizonseem too murky for the pair to resolve anymore.
Yellowstoneis streaming on Paramount+
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2407
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
