Sam Rockwell Joins ‘Cowboys & Aliens’

Published by Jeff Leins on May 5, 2010

Sam Rockwell is re-teaming with Iron Man 2 director Jon Favreau on the actor-turned-filmmaker’s next feature, Cowboys and Aliens.

The DreamWorks movie, scheduled for July 29, 2011, is exactly as it sounds.  A mash-up of the science fiction and western genres, the comic book adaptation centers on a pack of horse-backing riding frontiersmen fighting a crew of crash-landed extra-terrestrials.

According to Heat Vision, Rockwell will play Doc, a bar owner who joins up against the invasion.  Once he showed interest in the part, Favreau and screenwriters Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman expanded the role.

Daniel Craig stars as a gunslinger and Olivia Wilde will play his love interest Ella.  Harrison Ford has been confirmed as a cast member in an unknown role.  The Last Airbender newcomer Noah Ringer is also on board.

Rockwell has been in the occasional turkey, but the underrated actor always brings a strong, charismatic performance each and every time.  He literally steals the show in parts of Iron Man 2 and his sci-fi one man show Moon was a treat.  I’m excited Rockwell is getting more deserved attention and I’m really looking forward to this movie.  Look at that cast!