13 Movies Actually Ghost Directed By A Second Filmmaker
11. Kurt Russell - Tombstone (1993)
In the early 90s, the Western was enjoying a comeback, among those highlights was yet another adaptation of the O.K. Corral showdown bolstered with a stellar cast, a meaty script and some fierce and bloody gun battles. Val Kilmer’s variation on Doc Holiday was the scene stealer but the entire thing was anchored by an on-point Kurt Russell - in more ways than most know.
Glory screenwriter Kevin Jarre was meant to have made his directorial debut on the project, yet was fired after a month, it was up to Russell to pick up the slack. He stated in 2006;
"...that was the one time I had gone out and got the money. I backed the director; the director got fired, so we brought in a guy to be a ghost director. They wanted me to take over the movie. I said, “I’ll do it, but I don’t want to put my name on it. I don’t want to be the guy."
Russell hired George P. Costamos, a veteran action director, and they concocted a unique agreement;
"I said to George [Cosmatos], “I’m going to give you a shot list every night, and that’s what’s going to be.” I’d go to George’s room, give him the shot list for the next day, that was the deal. “George I don’t want any arguments. This is what it is. This is what the job is.”
In fairness, Russell kept mum until Cosmatos' passing in 2005, in respect of a mutual agreement the pair had.