Kurt Russell Regrets How One Of His Best Western Movies Turned Out

Kurt Russell has made some great Westerns, from "The Hateful Eight" to "Bone Tomahawk." Now, he's fronting Taylor Sheridan's neo-Western series "The Madison," but most fans of the actor would probably put "Tombstone" at the top of a list of his best Westerns. The film starred Russell as lawman Wyatt Earp and is frequently cited as one of the greatest entries in the genre. According to Russell, however, it could have been "a lot better" had writer Kevin Jarre been allowed to realize his original vision.

"Tombstone" isn't wholly historically accurate, but it is based on real moments from history, specifically the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral and the Earp Vendetta Ride in 1880s Arizona. The film sees Russell's retired lawman and his brothers, Morgan (Bill Paxton) and Virgil Earp (Sam Elliott), arrive in the town of Tombstone, Arizona, where they envision settling down and enjoying the profits from their investments in a gambling emporium and saloon. Soon, however, violence visits them as the ruthless Cowboy gang invades the town, prompting Wyatt to revert to his old ways and rid Tombstone of this menace.

Originally, Jarre was also appointed as director, but was replaced with George P. Cosmatos shortly after filming began due to falling behind schedule. Bringing in a new director not only cost "Tombstone" a sizable chunk of its crew, it meant that Jarre's initial script had to be reworked. According to a 1993 Entertainment Weekly article, Russell suddenly found himself acting as "a combination of star, director, producer, and rallying spirit" during the transition, and cut down the script to shift focus to the relationship between Earp and Val Kilmer's Doc Holliday. It was this change that, according to Russell, ultimately resulted in a film that never lived up to its initial potential.

Kurt Russell appeared twice on the classic Western TV series "Gunsmoke" back in the 1960s and 70s, and in the following years established himself as one of the best Western stars of all time. After "Tombstone" and its troubled production, however, you'd have forgiven him for leaving the genre behind completely.

After the star reworked Kevin Jarre's script, his co-star Sam Elliott said in the aforementioned Entertainment Weekly story that "initially, the screenplay was one of the best I've ever read. If I was given the screenplay as it is now, I'd have to pass on it." According to Elliott, Russell eliminated 29 pages and removed "the connective tissue" and "character development." At the time, the film's star was simply trying to get the project over the finish line, and seemed to stand by his alterations. "I don't know if Kevin would have been able to realize the film he had in his mind," Russell told EW. "We might still be shooting his movie. I helped him by making sure we got the movie made. And I feel good about it. We busted our a**." But it seems that in the more than 30 years since the film's release, he's done a lot of reflecting.

In a 2026 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the veteran actor said he would "never make peace with" what happened to "Tombstone," adding:

"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. The impact of 'Tombstone' is very strong, and that's nice. That's great. But could it have been a lot better? Yes."

Despite being one of the people chiefly responsible for reworking "Tombstone" in the wake of Kevin Jarre's departure, Kurt Russell has remained regretful for quite some time. In 2006, he told True West Magazine, "The movie, what you saw, okay, is that movie. The [original version of the] movie is 'The Godfather' — a Western 'Godfather.' That's how different that movie is from the one you saw."

Russell isn't the only one to liken Jarre's vision to Francis Ford Coppola's legendary gangster epic. Stephen Lang, who played Ike Clanton in "Tombstone," told Den of Geek how the movie was "essentially 'The Godfather' in 1880 Arizona," adding, "It was so good."

For now, Russell is at least glad to be able to say "Tombstone" is one of the most quotable Westerns, and seems to appreciate the cult following his film fostered. What's more, he revealed to True West Magazine that he was given the original footage shot by Jarre — most of which was reshot when George P. Cosmatos boarded the project. The actor told the outlet that he has the scenes ready to "reconstruct," though when asked why he hadn't done it, he replied, "'Cause I got a life."

He's also a busy man, challenging Taylor Sheridan's biggest weakness with "The Madison" and fronting Apple TV's "Monarch: Legacy of Monsters." Still, there's technically a chance we might see the original "Tombstone" at some point, but even if we don't, the movie remains an undisputed classic.