The “insane” 2014 movie scene Kurt Russell refused to shoot: “That ruins the movie”

Kurt Russell persuaded the filmmakers of the 2015 western horror film *Bone Tomahawk* to change a character’s gruesome death scene. He argued that the original version, in which Deputy Nick was to be killed while fully clothed, would feel like violence for its own sake and weaken the film.

Russell said the character should be naked to make clear that the cave-dwelling cannibals saw him as food. The scene involves Nick being split in two with the titular weapon, and Russell recalled telling the crew, “That ruins the movie.” Filming preparations took place in October 2014.