Numerous actors embark on a journey into directing as an artistic expansion of their careers. Assuming the role behind the camera offers them a fresh vantage point for storytelling. A few, such as Tom Hanks, have successfully made this transition, garnering critical acclaim. Even Bruce Willis tried his hands at direction.
Directing empowers actors to mold narratives, draw compelling performances, and express their artistic vision. It additionally grants them increased autonomy over their professional trajectories and access to diverse and demanding projects. While not all actors thrive in this dual capacity, their exploration of directing frequently injects the cinematic realm with novel viewpoints and innovation.
Bruce Willis Was Forced To Act In Armageddon
Armageddon represents just one of the many blockbuster action films in Bruce Willis’ extensive career. Surprisingly, it wasn’t a movie he was eager to undertake; in fact, he might never have taken the role if it weren’t for the peculiar business-related conditions that led to his casting. Essentially, he found himself more or less compelled to star in the film.
In early 1997, Bruce Willis commenced filming Broadway Brawler, a romantic sports comedy where he portrayed a former hockey star facing a midlife crisis while searching for love and purpose. Willis not only acted in the film but also took on a producing role. However, after a mere 20 days of shooting, he abruptly halted production, parting ways with director Lee Grant, cinematographer William Fraker, and costume designer Carol Oditz. An attempt to revive the project with director Dennis Dugan, a collaborator from Willis’ Moonlighting days, failed after just one day, leading to the ultimate termination of Broadway Brawler.
Cinergi, the production company, had already invested a substantial $17 million in the film. To cover these expenses and settle their debts, Cinergi executives turned to their parent company, Disney, for financial assistance. Disney’s top executive, Joe Roth, agreed to provide the funds under one condition: Bruce Willis had to commit to starring in several Disney-produced films, each with a reduced salary of $10 million, approximately half of his usual fee. The first film that Willis was obliged to make as part of this agreement, produced by Disney’s subsidiary Touchstone Pictures, was Armageddon.
Armageddon Wasn’t The Only Film In This Deal
In addition to Armageddon, Bruce Willis had committed to a three-film deal with Disney, which included his roles in The Sixth Sense and The Kid. While The Kid enjoyed moderate success, raking in $110.3 million at the box office, it paled in comparison to the phenomenon that was The Sixth Sense.
The M. Night Shyamalan-directed movie was a stroke of cinematic brilliance, earning both critical acclaim and an astonishing $672.8 million in revenue, all while being produced on a relatively modest $40 million budget. This unexpected success of two out of three films in a contract Willis had been compelled to accept turned out to be some of the most significant achievements of his career.
Armageddon can be streamed on Prime Video.
Source: Looper
