Billy Bob Thornton

Made films the shows talk about.

Wikidata Q202735: matched by corpus:resolve, told apart by the only person by that name on Wikidata.

Counted as other. The films the hosts said they were tied to, which the two lists below run through too: Seven (1995). Count them as director (2 films), writer (1 film), actor (16 films) instead.

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Alfred Hitchcock: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Alfred Hitchcock ⇒ Seven (the host's read). Se7en is a Hitchcock movie in its pulling-your-chain structure of mystery, reveal and anxiety, and Hitchcock is Fincher's biggest influence.
    “I think as much as this seems like a modern movie, it's also just completely a Hitchcock movie in so many ways.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:14:30 · Sean Fennessey (0.85 sure it was them)

All That Jazz (1979): 1 line

  1. lineage (cited influence) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: All That Jazz ⇒ Seven (the maker said so). A host recalls a Fincher film the show covered where he cited All That Jazz as an inspiration for the look, maybe Seven.
    “where he cited how much of an inspiration all that jazz was for him for the look of the movie?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · David Fincher Music Videos · 1:13:07 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

Klute: 1 line

  1. lineage (visual inspiration) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Klute ⇒ Seven (the maker said so). The speaker watched Klute because Fincher and DP Darius Khondji cited it as an inspiration for Se7en's dark look and flashlight-led framing.
    “I watched Clute over the weekend because I know that both Fincher and Darius Conji, the DP, had cited that as an inspiration”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 2:38:58 · Nick Wiger or Mike Mitchell (unresolved) (0.30 sure it was them)

William Friedkin: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: William Friedkin ⇒ Seven (the maker said so). Fincher drew from Friedkin and wanted it to feel like an episode of Cops.
    “he's drawn from like Friedkin, but he's also, he's, he's referenced like how he wanted it to feel like an episode of cops.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:15:42 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Fight Club (1999): 2 lines

  1. career (career) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ Fight Club (the host's read). Without Se7en's power Fincher does not get to do The Game and Fight Club his way.
    “I think without this movie, he doesn't go on this run”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 1:27:28 · Sean Fennessey (0.55 sure it was them)
  2. career (career lever) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ Fight Club (the host's read). Se7en's success is what let Fincher make the seemingly impossible Fight Club.
    “But the fight club is him more being like, okay, guys, I know this seems impossible, but I made seven.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 1:05:55 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

The Game (1997): 2 lines

  1. unmapped (R-rated proof) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ The Game (the host's read). Se7en's hit status as an R-rated film convinced the backers to fund The Game.
    “I think convinced, um, people like, okay, like, you can make an R-rated movie a hit.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:33:16 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)
  2. unmapped (commercial lead-in) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ The Game (the host's read). Se7en's success gave Fincher an absurd budget for The Game.
    “this is better for me because now I can make this movie at an absurd budget.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:47:35 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

8mm (1999): 1 line

  1. lineage (rip-off) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ 8mm (the host's read). Calls 8mm Schumacher ripping off Se7en.
    “8 millimeter is Schumacher ripping off seven.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · The Game with Brendan Hines (Ad-Free) · 0:41:48 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

MTV Movie Awards Se7en parody: 1 line

  1. unmapped (parody) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ MTV Movie Awards Se7en parody (the host's read). The MTV Movie Awards parodied the Se7en ending with William Shatner playing every role and the head in the box.
    “And then Shatner's head is in the box and then he sings a song.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 2:34:40 · unknown (0.40 sure it was them)

Nine Inch Nails: 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ Nine Inch Nails (the host's read). Se7en caught industrial rock at its peak and led to Fincher-Reznor scores.
    “Fincher and Rezner go on to make this incredible partnership”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:55:04 · Sean Fennessey (0.45 sure it was them)

Saw (film series): 1 line

  1. unmapped (borrowing) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ Saw (film series) (the host's read). Rewatching the Saw movies, the speaker was struck by how much they lifted from Se7en.
    “I forgot how much saw stole.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 0:59:00 · David Sims (0.40 sure it was them)

The Batman (2022): 1 line

  1. unmapped (borrowing) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ The Batman (the host's read). The speaker had forgotten how indebted The Batman is to Fincher, mostly to Se7en.
    “I had forgotten just how indebted the Batman is to...”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 1:28:34 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

True Detective (2014): 1 line

  1. lineage (lineage) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ True Detective (the host's read). Se7en's influence shows in True Detective from the title sequence to the characters, though True Detective's first season flinches at the dark ending.
    “you can see the influence of of 7 on things like True Detective from the title sequence to the characters.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:15:19 · Chris Ryan (0.55 sure it was them)

Zodiac (2007): 1 line

  1. unmapped (why Fincher was offered it) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ Zodiac (the host's read). Seven made Fincher the first choice for any serial-killer project, Zodiac included.
    “Ever since he makes seven, if there's some serial killer movie, is getting sent it”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Zodiac with Leslye Headland (Ad-Free) · 0:51:53 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

later crime thrillers and crime TV (unnamed): 1 line

  1. lineage (genre influence) · through Seven (1995), which they were tied to as what-if John Doe: Seven ⇒ later crime thrillers and crime TV (unnamed) (the host's read). As an adult the speaker is less shocked by Se7en because everyone since took a page out of its book.
    “I'm not as shocked by 7 because everyone took a page out of its book, of course.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Se7en with Mike Mitchell & Nick Wiger (Ad-Free) · 2:15:39 · Mike Mitchell (0.50 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Directing (4) everyone in directing

Acting (17) everyone in acting

Writing (2) everyone in writing

Other (1) everyone in other

What was said about them, by kind

career (4)

  1. career (career): Billy Bob Thornton → Monster's Ball. Monster's Ball is probably his highest-end film, but not a rewatchable.
    “Monsters ball is probably the highest end.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin · 0:22:28 · Mallory Rubin (0.50 sure it was them)
  2. career (career): Billy Bob Thornton → Bad Santa. Some would pick Bad Santa, but not over Friday Night Lights as his most rewatchable.
    “Some people might go with Bad Santa.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin · 0:22:49 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
  3. career (career): Billy Bob Thornton → Sling Blade. Friday Night Lights was the peak of the run that started with Sling Blade.
    “but this was kind of the peak of that whole run that starts with sling blade.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin · 0:22:58 · Bill Simmons (0.80 sure it was them)
  4. career (career): Billy Bob Thornton → Landman (TV series). His Landman role puts Mallory back in a Coach Gaines headspace.
    “It does put you in a coach gains, Friday night lights, headspace.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin · 0:25:05 · Mallory Rubin (0.60 sure it was them)

contrast (1)

  1. contrast (contrast): Kyle Chandler → Billy Bob Thornton. Coach Taylor's speeches beat Coach Gaines, who only gets one good speech in the film.
    “It's only Coach Gaines in the climax and I think that tips it forever to Coach Taylor.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin · 0:47:49 · Mallory Rubin (0.80 sure it was them)

industry (1)

  1. industry (industry): All the Pretty Horses → Billy Bob Thornton. Thornton wanted to make a longer version scored by Daniel Lanois.
    “I still really wanted to see the version of all the pretty horses that Billy Bob Thornton really wanted to make.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Tombstone’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 1:08:55 · Sean Fennessey (0.40 sure it was them)

people (2)

  1. people (people): Billy Bob Thornton → Lucas Black. The two were together in Sling Blade before this film.
    “Billy Bob and Lucas Black, they were together in Sling Blade.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin · 0:57:01 · Bill Simmons (0.60 sure it was them)
  2. people (people): Sling Blade → Billy Bob Thornton. Sling Blade, a Harvey indie push, won the screenplay Oscar.
    “It was sling blade.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · Return of the Jedi · 2:21:13 · unknown (0.30 sure it was them)

what-if (2)

  1. what-if (what-if): Billy Bob Thornton → Friday Night Lights (TV series). Billy Bob should have played Coach Taylor, as a better career move.
    “I think Billy Bob should have played the coach in the TV show.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin · 1:17:08 · Bill Simmons (0.85 sure it was them)
  2. what-if (what-if): Billy Bob Thornton → Seven. Billy Bob Thornton is added as another possible John Doe.
    “Billy Bob Thornton.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Se7en’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:47:26 · Chris Ryan (0.50 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

  1. fun, about Billy Bob Thornton: Bill as Billy Bob's career strategist: the TV show would have served him better than the post-2004 run.
    “I am speaking sure, uh, purely as Billy Bob's career strategist”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Friday Night Lights’ With Bill Simmons and Mallory Rubin · 1:17:52 · Bill Simmons (0.70 sure it was them)
  2. fun, about Billy Bob Thornton: Reportedly improvised all his dialogue, per Russell.
    “Improvised all of his dialogue.”
    The Rewatchables · ‘Tombstone’ With Bill Simmons, Sean Fennessey, and Chris Ryan · 0:26:38 · Sean Fennessey (0.50 sure it was them)