An upcoming Taylor Sheridan TV series seems to serve as the perfect reminder to watch a highly acclaimed Kurt Russell Western horror movie.
Taylor Sheridan is working on quite a few exciting projects. While some must be looking forward to what he will bring to the table with Mayor of Kingstown‘s next season, others would be hyped for the rumored upcoming Yellowstone prequel, 1944.
Among all the things he is working on, though, perhaps the most exciting is an upcoming TV series. Like many of his creations, the show will not only mark the reunion of many Western stars but also remind viewers to check out a brilliant 10-year-old horror movie that stars Kurt Russell.
The Madison Will Reunite Bone Tomahawk’s Kurt Russell & Matthew Fox In Another Western
Both Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox have been cast in Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming show, The Madison. Viewers familiar with the two actors’ line of work would know that this is not the first time they will share the screen in a Western.
Almost a decade ago, Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox showed up as the leads of the brutal Western horror film Bone Tomahawk. Directed by S. Craig Zaheer, the film features Kurt Russell as a typical tough-as-nails Western lawman.
Meanwhile, Matthew Fox is portrayed more as a morally ambiguous gunslinger who makes some questionable decisions but eventually comes out as a hero. Both actors give memorable performances in the horror movie, which makes their on-screen reunion in The Madison exciting.
Why Bone Tomahawk Is Such An Underrated Western Movie
Bone Tomahawk does a brilliant job of blending the western genre with horror. The film neither leans heavily on spaghetti western tropes nor does it rely too much on gore to instill terror like most typical slashers.
Instead, throughout its runtime, it gradually builds tension and ensures that the true nature of its terrifying overarching villain remains unknown. After building up to its climactic battle between good and evil, the movie finally hits hard by taking its violence and brutality to shocking, visceral extremes.
The performances of the film’s cast, which includes Kurt Russell, Matthew Fox, and Patrick Wilson, among others, are enough to keep viewers glued to their screens. However, what elevates the film above many Western and horror films is its minimal use of style.
With little to no background scores and stylization in visuals, the movie immerses viewers in its setting and allows them to feel the slow-burning tension experienced by its characters in the face of an unknown danger. Although it demands some patience from audiences, it perfectly rewards viewers in its final arc with a terrifying but satisfying payoff.
Its sudden transition from western tranquility to extreme body horror in the final arc may be a little hard to stomach for some viewers. However, viewers who equally enjoy both genres will appreciate Bone Tomahawk‘s brilliant mishmash of the two.
Taylor Sheridan’s New TV Shows Have Been Great For Reuniting Western Movie Casts
The Madison is not the first Taylor Sheridan show marking the reunion of western movie casts. Kevin Costner and Ian Bohen also ended up reuniting in Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone after once sharing the screen in Wyatt Earp.
Even Billy Bob Thornton and Sam Elliott were both in Sheridan’s 1883 and Landman after they starred in Tombstone. Not to mention, Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren also reunited in 1923 after once sharing the screen in The Mosquito Coast. Though The Mosquito Coast is not a Western
By having both Kurt Russell and Matthew Fox on its roster, The Madison will become another Taylor Sheridan show that continues his tradition of uniting actors with shared history in Western legacies.
The Madison Marks A Big Western Comeback For Kurt Russell After Bone Tomahawk & The Hateful Eight
Kurt Russell was once a Western staple, but in the last decade, he has only been a part of two major films of the genre: Bone Tomahawk and The Hateful Eight. Because of how significantly different the two films are from a storytelling standpoint, both perfectly capture the actor’s ability to play versatile roles.
While the Western horror film Bone Tomahawk shows him as a rugged, morally steadfast sheriff who steps up to protect his people from an unknown threat, The Hateful Eight features him as a quick-witted, cunning bounty hunter. Taylor Sheridan‘s The Madison will not only mark Kurt Russell‘s return to westerns after a decade but will also likely help him grow his legacy in the genre.
