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Russell’s relationship with sci-fi began with 1969’s The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, a Disney movie in which his character, Dexter Riley, becomes a human computer after being electrocuted. The movie wasn’t a box-office hit or anything, but Russell didn’t give up hope and eventually landed a role in John Carpenter’s The Thing. Few projects look as good as the 1982 classic on a resume, but there’s one sci-fi movie in Russell’s career that continues to fly under the radar. Fortunately, with the actor about to pick a fight with another monster, it’s a great time to revisit it.
Kurt Russell Helped Kick Off a Major Sci-Fi Franchise
Sometimes, a remake is so much more popular than its predecessor that the world forgets the original exists. That’s certainly the case for Battlestar Galactica, with many fans singing the praises of the 2003 series without ever mentioning the short-lived show from the ’70s. However, Battlestar Galactica might not even be the best example of the idea because those who dive headfirst into Stargate SG-1 almost always fail to mention the movie that it’s based on.
In the 1990s, Roland Emmerich, best known as the “master of disaster,” had the idea for a sci-fi movie about a giant ring that opens a wormhole to different parts of the galaxy. Since he was coming off a win with Universal Soldier, it didn’t take much effort for him to get Stargate the green light, and he brought Russell into the fold as the lead, Colonel Jack O’Neil, a grieving father who has to get his crew home in one piece. The film didn’t receive the best reviews upon release. Still, it made a killing at the box office, and those who did enjoy it praised Russell for helping ground a wild story by portraying a complicated yet sympathetic figure. The actor brings that same charm to all of his characters, including his role in the MonsterVerse.
