The science fiction genre attracts actors of all shapes and sizes. There’s just something appealing about playing in a sandbox that’s the same in many ways to one’s own, but also very different. Of course, some performers get their sci-fi fill with one or two projects, while others stick around for the long haul. Keanu Reeves has more than a few mind-bending stories under his belt, such as The Matrix and The Day the Earth Stood Still. Sigourney Weaver has him beat, though, headlining the early films in the Alien franchise and being an integral part of James Cameron’s Avatar movies. But there’s one actor who doesn’t get enough love for his contributions to the genre: Kurt Russell.
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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.
Monarch Isn’t Done With Kurt Russell Just Yet
Nearly 30 years after the release of Stargate, Russell traded in aliens for kaiju by joining the cast of Apple TV’s Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. In Season 1, he plays the older version of Lee Shaw, an Army officer with connections to Monarch. The show plays around in two timelines, with Russell’s son, Wyatt Russell, playing the younger version of his father’s character in the flashbacks. Unfortunately, the end of the first season makes it seem like Wyatt will be the only one returning in future seasons because future Lee seemingly dies after saving his friends and getting sucked into the Hollow Earth, a move right out of O’Neil’s playbook.
Shockingly, Monarch‘s Season 2 trailer pulls the rug out by revealing that Russell is back and heading to a familiar spot: Skull Island, Kong’s home. Shaw’s resurrection certainly isn’t going to be the last twist the show has in store for viewers in its sophomore outing. However, since everyone must wait until February 2026 to learn more, there’s plenty of time to watch Stargate and see how Russell operates in another kind of sci-fi environment.
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Image courtesy of Netflix -
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