The Fall Guy Secretly Remakes A 41-Year-Old Sci-Fi Movie (& Sets Up The Perfect Reboot)

The Fall Guy quietly remade a decades-old sci-fi movie that could inspire its modern reboot. Since releasing in theaters on May 3, 2024, The Fall Guy has received positive reviews as Ryan Gosling’s anticipated follow-up to 2023’s Barbie. The Fall Guy pairs Gosling with one of Oppenheimer’s many outstanding actors, Emily Blunt, and was directed by former stuntman turned action auteur David Leitch. Despite its positive reception, The Fall Guy has underwhelmed at the box office, earning less than $28 million on its opening weekend.

As a love letter to stunt workers and their invaluable contributions to the history of film and television, The Fall Guy called for more representation of stuntmen and women in future Oscar ceremonies. Since 2007, the Screen Actors Guild Awards have honored stunt workers and coordinators with the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture. However, despite multiple bids for a Stunts category to be instated at the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has yet to approve.

Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn was a real movie from Universal

Ryan Gosling stars as stuntman Colt Seavers in The Fall Guy, who is hired to work on Jody Moreno’s (Blunt) action film called “Metalstorm”. While “Metalstorm” is a fictional movie within the movie, it is actually quite similar to the real-life 1983 sci-fi movie Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn. While the fictional “Metalstorm” and actual Metalstorm are not identical, there is a general similarity between each of their premises that follows a space cowboy on a desert planet. Interestingly, both are also Universal projects in real life.

There is no direct mention in The Fall Guy about whether Jody’s film within the film is meant to be a reboot of Metalstorm: The Destruction of Jared-Syn. However, the similarities between them do not seem coincidental and could in fact be a foundation for a reboot of the forgotten 1983 action-adventure film. While there were also clear spoofs of Dune seen in the production of The Fall Guy’s “Metalstorm”, the actual Metalstorm also has clear similarities to Dune as well, centering around a desert planet and a rising messiah figure.

Momoa was great as the space cowboy lead even though the film was fake

Aaron Taylor-Johnson’s movie star character Tom Ryder was originally cast as the lead in the fictional “Metalstorm” but was later replaced by Jason Momoa, as seen in the hilarious ending of The Fall Guy. Now that Momoa is “officially” cast in the lead role of “Metalstorm”, Universal should make a real Metalstorm reboot with him in the lead. Momoa’s days as Aquaman could be numbered, which means he could be looking for another major blockbuster franchise to star in. It would be quite a leap for the fake movie in The Fall Guy to actually become Momoa’s next franchise, but the foundation is certainly set.

The Fall Guy

The Fall Guy is an action thriller from Bullet Train and Deadpool 2 director David Leitch. Ryan Gosling stars as a stuntman who is forced to find a missing movie star, investigate a conspiracy, and repair his relationship with the love of his life. The film was written by Drew Pearce and inspired by the 1980s TV series of the same name.

Director

David Leitch

Release Date

May 3, 2024

Studio(s)

Universal Pictures , Entertainment 360 , 87North Productions

Distributor(s)

Universal Pictures

Writers

Drew Pearce

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