Hey Hollwooders! Today we’re serving up some #HollyGOOD news for you. Deadline reported Friday that Hollywood stars John Travolta and Bruce Willis will both star in the upcoming film Paradise City. This marks the first time the pair will act alongside each other in 27 years since their roles in the iconic 1994 film Pulp Fiction.
According to Deadline, Paradise City will be only the second time that John Travolta and Bruce Willis have acted on screen together. Both actors had roles in Look Who’s Talking (1989) and Look Who’s Talking Too (1990), with Bruce Willis voicing baby Mikey, son of John Travolta’s James Ubriacco.
To celebrate this #HollyGOOD news, let’s take a look back at the iconic film that makes this reunion so exciting and see what we can anticipate for the release of Paradise City.
Cultural Impact of Pulp Fiction
Hollywood blockbuster Pulp Fiction was released in 1994 and was only Quentin Tarantino’s second film as a director and third as a writer. (Pretty impressive, if you ask us!) The film originally premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Palme d’Or, which is the festival’s highest accolade.
Pulp Fiction won several awards including an Academy Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen and a Golden Globe award for Best Screenplay for a Motion Picture. According to Deadline, the film grossed $214 million.
In the first review following Pulp Fiction’s release, Variety’s Todd McCarthy called the film “a spectacularly entertaining piece of pop culture.” After the film’s showing at the New York Film Festival, The New York Times’ Janet Maslin called Pulp Fiction “a triumphant, cleverly disorienting journey through demimonde that springs entirely from Mr. Tarantino’s ripe imagination, a landscape of danger, shock, hilarity and vibrant local color.”
Pulp Fiction is widely regarded as a “cult classic” film. In 2008, it was named the no. 7 “gangster film” in the American Film Institute’s 10 Greatest Movies in 10 Categories. Rich Knight of Cinema Blend called the film “the Star Wars of the ‘90s.” The movie was entirely new for its time and influenced both filmmakers and audiences for years to come.
Pulp Fiction: John Travolta as Vincent Vega
In Pulp Fiction, John Travolta plays Vincent Vega, a hitman working for gangster Marsellus Wallace. While Marsellus is out of town, Vincent agrees to escort his boss’ wife, Mia (Uma Thurman). The two eat at a diner and participate in a dance contest, delivering one of the most memorable scenes of the film.
John Travolta was nominated for numerous awards for his portrayal of Vincent Vega, such as an Academy Award for Best Actor, a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama, and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role. John Travolta won a Los Angeles Film Critics Association award for Best Actor and an MTV Movie Award for Best Dance Sequence, which was shared with his castmate Uma Thurman.
Pulp Fiction: Bruce Willis as Butch Coolidge
In Pulp Fiction, Bruce Willis plays boxer Butch Coolidge. Butch is on the run from crime boss Marsellus Wallace after betraying him in a deal to throw his boxing match. In an attempt to escape murder, Butch plans to run away from Los Angeles with his girlfriend. While retrieving a forgotten watch from his apartment, he notices that a hitman employed by Marsellus is there waiting for him. John Travolta’s character Vincent Vega walks out of the apartment bathroom to see Butch holding a gun. Butch then proceeds to shoot and kill Vincent.
Butch’s story ends in the film with him making amends with Marsellus after the two are held captive in the basement of a pawn shop. He and his girlfriend then leave Los Angeles forever. Pulp Fiction is considered to have reignited Bruce Willis’ career. In 1995, he was nominated for a Chlotrudis Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Butch Coolidge.
What to expect from Paradise City
Paradise City will be directed by Chuck Russell (The Mask, The Scorpion King), as reported by Deadline. Co-written by Corey Large and Ed John Drake (both writers of Breach and Cosmic Sin), the film is said to resemble Miami Vice but will follow bounty hunters rather than police officers.
According to Deadline, Paradise City began production Monday in Maui and will also star Thai actress Praya Lundberg (Bangkok Adrenaline, Realms) as the lead female character. Bruce Willis will play a rebel bounty hunter looking to avenge his father’s murder at the hands of the kingpin played by John Travolta.
While no release date has yet been reported for Paradise City, we look forward to watching the action film and can’t wait to see these two Hollywood legends share the screen once again! Sign up for email updates on our homepage to get the latest updates on this upcoming new movie release.
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