Quentin Tarantino: Kurt Russell wasn’t his first choice for Death Boulevard

In Quentin Tarantino’s Death Boulevard, produced by Greenhouse, there is certainly one of the most fascinating list of stars that could have headlined the film: we are talking about Sylvester Stallone, Willem Dafoe, John Travolta, Mickey Rourke, Cal Penny and many other outstanding actors who All were considered for the role of Stuntman Mike before Kurt Russell took the role would play

Boulevard of Death Sticks faithfully to its kitsch aesthetic and its absurd premise: Tarantino, as daring as ever, with a slightly smaller budget. But much of the film’s power comes from its refreshing performances Kurt Russell.

Of course, rumors of casting changes or roles being given to other actors are common in this area. Quentin Tarantino However, he tends to know what he wants and has a special talent for choosing his main role, so when he writes a role, you can have a few names in mind – even if it doesn’t always work out.

View a list of potential stars Boulevard of DeathIt’s hard to imagine a bad performance from any of these actors, each would have made Mike a radically different character. that said Mickey Rourke It was Tarantino’s first choice, as he himself revealed, but scheduling conflicts did not make this collaboration possible.

to some extent Mickey Rourke He’d make a near-perfect stuntman Mike, given his rugged physique, which makes the main character such a force in the film: after all, he looks like a guy who can take a beating and still stand. Years of boxing have left the actor with significant facial injuries, giving him the look of someone who’s fallen on hard times, which would be a great physique for a former stuntman.

“My first choice was Mickey Rourke. It was Mickey, and Mickey wanted to do it, but then his agents started… well, his agents said, “They need Mickey.” And they started to anger us” the very cash-strapped filmmaker told The Hollywood Reporter in 2021.

“This was happening while Robert was filming his movie Planet Terror. His agents were waiting for us. I said something like, “Here’s our offer. You have until 9am on Friday to accept or reject the offer.’ And they missed the deadline.“

That’s why it is Kurt Russell who inherited the role, ultimately the perfect choice for the lead role – a role that is also one of his best performances. He has since reunited with Tarantino in his icy western The Bastard Eight and also had a small role in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

You can still watch Death Boulevard on Prime Video.