Clint Eastwood rips Hollywood's sequel and remake addiction: ‘I long for the good old days'
In a new interview, the 95-year-old actor and director slammed Hollywood's growing reliance on sequels and remakes.
'My philosophy is: do something new or stay at home,' the Oscar winner told Kuria, an Austrian newspaper.
3 Clint Eastwood recently says he longs for 'the good old days' when Hollywood made more original films.
Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
'I long for the good old days when screenwriters wrote movies like 'Casablanca' in small bungalows on the studio lot. When everyone had a new idea,' added Eastwood, whose career spans seven decades.
'We live in an era of remakes and franchises. I've shot sequels three times, but I haven't been interested in that for a long while.'
Eastwood is likely referring to the 1970s and eighties 'Dirty Harry' movie series, in which he starred in four sequels: 'Magnum Force,' 'The Enforcer,' 'Sudden Impact' and 'The Dead Pool.'
The man puts his money where his mouth is. Last year, Eastwood directed 'Juror No. 2,' an acclaimed original courtroom thriller starring Nicholas Hoult.
While the film made the National Board of Review's top 10 list, it did not receive a wide release in the US. It grossed $24 million overseas.
3 Eastwood directed and starred in 'Gran Torino.'
©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Eastwood, who's won four Academy Awards for the films 'Million Dollar Baby' and 'Unforgiven,' says he won't retire for 'a long time.'
'There's no reason why a man can't get better with age,' the 'Mystic River' director said. 'And I have much more experience today. Sure, there are directors who lose their touch at a certain age, but I'm not one of them.'
3 Clint Eastwood has been working in Hollywood for seven decades.
Courtesy Everett Collection
A secret to his longevity, Eastwood says, are the work habits he learned early in his career as an actor.
'As an actor, I was still under contract with a studio, was in the old system, and thus forced to learn something new every year,' he said.
'And that's why I'll work as long as I can still learn something, or until I'm truly senile.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hypebeast
5 hours ago
- Hypebeast
Zach Cregger's ‘Weapons' Debuts to a Strong $42.5 Million USD for Box Office Opening Weekend
Summary The horror genre continues to prove its box office might, as director Zach Cregger's latest film,Weapons, soared to an impressive $42.5 million USD in its North American debut. The film, a star-studded horror thriller, not only commanded the top spot at the domestic box office but also solidified Cregger's reputation as a genre filmmaker with a unique ability to deliver both critical praise and commercial success. Released byWarner Bros. Pictures,Weaponsstars Oscar nomineeJosh Brolinin the lead role, alongside a strong ensemble cast. Its commanding opening weekend is particularly noteworthy as it follows Cregger's breakout 2022 hit,Barbarian, which became a sleeper success. This repeated performance at the box office suggests that Cregger is a filmmaker with a loyal following, and audiences are eager to see his original take on horror and suspense. Weaponsis described as a multi-story horror epic, a narrative approach that Cregger used to great effect inBarbarian. The film's successful opening underscores that audiences are hungry for original, high-concept horror films, especially when they come from a director with a proven track record. This victory forWeaponssets a strong precedent for the genre and marks an exciting new chapter for Zach Cregger in Hollywood. Cregger's latest film stars Julia Garner, Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Austin Abrams, Benedict Wong and Amy Madigan. Its success extends Warner Bros.' hot streak under its New Line label. Disney's body swap comedy sequelFreakier Fridayhit the second top spot on the charts this weekend, premiering to $29 million USD. ahead of Marvel'sThe Fantastic Four: First Steps.
New York Post
14 hours ago
- New York Post
Eddie Murphy defends this maligned movie — despite rumors it cost him ‘Dreamgirls' Oscar
Eddie Murphy isn't afraid to admit that he loves 'Norbit.' The actor and comedian, 64, recently defended his critically maligned 2007 comedy which many believe caused Murphy to lose an Oscar for his performance in 2006's 'Dreamgirls.' 'I love 'Norbit,'' Murphy told Complex. ''Norbit' came out right after I got that Oscar nomination. There were articles like, 'How can he get an Oscar, he did this?' They're two different movies.' 7 Eddie Murphy in 'Norbit.' ©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection 'I wrote 'Norbit' with my brother, Charlie, and we think 'Norbit' is funny,' he continued. 'Here's the thing with 'Norbit,' it came out and they gave me a Razzie Awards for worst actress, worst actor and worst actor of the decade. And I was like, 'Come on now, sh-t ain't that bad.'' Murphy said in conclusion, 'I like 'Norbit.' To this day, I like 'Norbit.' There's stuff in 'Norbit' that makes me laugh.' 7 Eddie Murphy at 'The Pickup' premiere in Los Angeles on July 27. Jim Ruymen/UPI/Shutterstock 7 Eddie Murphy (center), Beyonce Knowles, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose in 'Dreamgirls.' ©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection In the Brian Robbins-directed comedy, Murphy portrays multiple roles including the title character's overweight wife, Rasputia. The film, which also stars Thandie Newton, Terry Crews, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Marlon Wayans, was panned by critics and was nominated for eight Razzie Awards. 7 Eddie Murphy in 'Norbit.' ©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection 7 Eddie Murphy as Rasputia in 'Norbit.' ©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection One week before 'Norbit' came out, Murphy received his first Oscar nomination for best supporting actor for his turn as soul singer James 'Thunder' Early in 'Dreamgirls.' Murphy won at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors' Guild Awards during that award season, but due to the supposed 'Norbit effect,' he lost at the 2007 Academy Awards to Alan Arkin for 'Little Miss Sunshine.' The Bill Condon-directed musical drama still took home two Oscars, including best supporting actress for Jennifer Hudson. 7 Eddie Murphy, Anika Noni Rose in 'Dreamgirls.' ©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection During the Complex interview, Murphy pushed back on 'Norbit' being on of his worst movies and instead named 1998's 'Holy Man' and 2002's 'The Adventures of Pluto Nash.' Murphy also revealed that he turned down Chris Tucker's role in 'Rush Hour' to do 'Holy Man.' 'It was a no-brainer,' he said of the decision that didn't pay off. 'Then we went to Miami and made a horrendous film. But it was easy to go. But I have to stop saying it was 'horrendous'—the movie was soft, it wasn't a great picture.' 7 Eddie Murphy appears on 'The Jennifer Hudson Show' in May 2025. Getty Images After his string of poorly received films including 'Norbit,' Murphy took a few years off from acting. 'I was making sh-tty movies,' Murphy said on Marc Maron's podcast back in 2021. 'I was like, 'This sh-t ain't fun. They're giving me Razzies…Motherf—ers gave me the 'worst actor ever' Razzie. [So I thought], 'Maybe it's time to take a break.''
USA Today
14 hours ago
- USA Today
Halle Berry's ex David Justice reveals stunning reason for ending their marriage
David Justice is getting frank about the reason for his divorce from Halle Berry nearly three decades ago. The former Atlanta Braves outfielder and first baseman spoke out on the "All the Smoke" podcast with co-host Matt Barnes and reflected on how he dealt with the attention placed on his personal life. "She asked me to marry her after knowing me for five months," he remembers. "I don't know if my heart was really into it. But I didn't want to make her feel bad and say no. I was just in the moment, it caught me off-guard. We're getting along, we're vibing, again, we're only five months in, we're still in the honeymoon stage." The couple, who were wed from 1993 to 1997, spent a lot of time apart while she was out of the country making movies. "It wasn't really a lot of negative attention until I decided to leave her in 1996," he adds. Months into their marriage, "I'm looking at my mom, I'm a Midwest guy. So in my mind, I'm thinking a wife at that time should cook, clean, and I'm thinking OK, if we have kids, is this the woman I want to have kids with and build a family with? And at that time, as a young guy, she don't cook, don't clean, don't really seem like motherly." Eventually, "I realize this isn't the person I wanted to spend my life with." USA TODAY has reached out to Berry's representative for comment. Justice thinks the marriage could have been saved, he says. "Honestly, we probably could have made it, if I knew about therapy,' Justice says. "It's just that I, because I was young, had only been in honestly one real relationship before her. My knowledge and my understanding and my wisdom around relationships just wasn't vast." It bothers him that Berry didn't set the record straight after an abusive, unnamed boyfriend struck her in the head and punctured an eardrum, resulting in hearing loss, something she disclosed to People in 1996. "She let the world think it was me," Justice says. "I thought she was dead wrong for that." But he acknowledges he could have handled their split better. "I look back on that situation, and I'm like, that girl really did love me. And I can see why she would be so mad at me. Because imagine if you really love somebody and they tell you they want to break up, and there's nothing you can say to get them back. That had to have been tough on her. "I didn't ease out" of the relationship, he says. "Gone. I could have massaged that better." Oscar winner Berry, 58, is in a long-term relationship with Van Hunt. Previously, she was married to Oliver Martinez (2013 to 2016) and Eric Benet (2001 to 2005). She has two kids: Nahla, 17, whose dad is Gabriel Aubry, and son Maceo, 11, with Martinez. Justice, 59, has been married to wife Rebecca Justice for 24 years, the mother of his two kids.
