People doubted “Tombstone”‘s success, but it did rather well. Many considered Westerns to be outdated, but Tombstone showed skeptics that, as long as it is treated with careful creativity, it can still be a hit. The film was released on Christmas Eve in 1993, and grossed $56.5 Million in domestic ticket sales!
Even more amazing, critics loved the film as much as the average moviegoers did. Today, “Tombstone” has become a prime example of the Western film genre, ranking 14th on the list of highest-grossing Western films since 1979!
The Stars in "Tombstone"
Though very popular at one time, by 1993 the Western film genre was on the decline. But with so many A-list actors on board for "Tombstone", the project soon caught attention. The star-studded ensemble included Kurt Russell and Val Kilmer as well as Michael Biehn, Dana Delany, Powers Boothe, Bill Paxton, and Sam Elliott.
To make the project even more intriguing, it was also narrated by Hollywood icon Robert Mitchum. That’s quite well put together for a 90s Western!
Changing Directors
Tombstone was originally scheduled to be directed by Kevin Jarre who wrote the film. But Jarre was soon replaced as director by Hollywood legend George P. Cosmatos.
The change was surprising considering Jarre’s intimate knowledge and involvement with the project.
Shooting Michael Biehn
Spoiler warning: A major plotline of "Tombstone" is where Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) shoots Johnny Ringo (Michael Biehn).
Many fans were upset at the shooting in the film, but Biehn later confessed that he was ok with the scene. “I wanted him to shoot me!” the actor admitted. Biehn continued saying, “Well, I always thought Johnny Ringo had a little bit of a ‘[death] by police’ mentality."
A Riveting Scene
The scene where Doc Holliday shoots Johnny Ringo became a favorite of the cast on set. Star Sam Elliott considered the scene to be one of the best in the entire film.
In an interview, he said that the tension between the two is so good that people are edging for the explosion between them to happen. Though the scene garnered mixed reactions from fans, it did add a new level of drama and intensity to the dramatic Western.