John Malkovich Explains Why He Took Con Air Without Reading The Script

by

Released in 1997, Con Air is a beloved action film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer that continues to gain fans. You can watch it with a YouTube TV subscription. The movie is known for its wild story, excessive action, and an incredible cast led by Nicolas Cage, alongside award-winning actors like John Cusack, Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames, Dave Chappelle, Danny Trejo, and Mykelti Williamson.

Casting John Malkovich as Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom was a brilliant move, and the role helped launch him to widespread fame. Surprisingly, getting him on board wasn’t as challenging as people might think.

Malkovich Barely Read Any Of The Script Before Accepting The Role

Given John Malkovich’s reputation as a serious actor, you’d expect him to turn down a role in a typical, over-the-top summer action movie. It seems unlikely he’d agree without a lot of convincing or a huge paycheck. Surprisingly, he signed on immediately, needing no persuasion or incentive to play the outlandish character of Cyrus the Virus.

John Malkovich recently discussed on the Club Random with Bill Maher podcast why he agreed to star in Con Air without finishing the script. A friend read it first and warned him it was poorly written and confusing. However, Malkovich, known for his role in In The Line Of Fire, believed the script had hidden potential – more than just typical action, and a good financial opportunity. He explained to Bill Maher:

I skimmed the script for ‘Con Air’ – convicts on a plane with a poetic title. It’s a $500 million Jerry Bruckheimer production, so I didn’t need to get bogged down in details. I’m not one of those people who feels they have to read everything closely.

Malkovich quickly understood what set Con Air apart from typical action movies of the time. It’s more than just crashes and explosions; the film has a playful energy, but is surprisingly clever, even including subtle details like naming prisoners after famous poets. This hidden depth is a major reason why Con Air remains a beloved and enduring action classic – it’s not mindless spectacle like Transformers.

The film also shows why Malkovich remains so popular. Despite occasionally seeming aloof, he’s open to any role that interests him, and that’s why audiences enjoy him in such a wide variety of films.

Read More

2025-12-03 17:40