Summary

• The cameos of Lee Majors and Heather Thomas pay homage to The Fall Guy TV show's legacy.
• The movie successfully acknowledges its inspiration and influence while standing on its own with impressive stunts.
• The Fall Guy may still profit from the box office and potentially spawn a sequel.

The Fall Guy director David Leitch has opened up on the decision to give cameo appearances to the two stars of the original TV show. Loosely based on the '80s TV show of the same name, The Fall Guy follows Colt Seavers, a washed-up stuntman, who is tasked with tracking down the missing star of his ex-girlfriend's blockbuster film. Starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, The Fall Guy has enjoyed positive reviews and has an opening weekend gross of around $65 million.

Speaking to NBC, Leitch discussed The Fall Guy post-credits scene, which saw Lee Majors and Heather Thomas, the two stars of The Fall Guy TV show, appearing in cameo roles, and mentioned the fact that Majors "reached out personally" about an appearance in the film. Check out the Deadpool 2 director's comments below:

Lee was really excited that it was finally getting redone. And then he reached out personally and we talked about what I was doing. Majors said, 'Whatever you do with it, I trust you. I'm a fan of your films.' Which was humblin. I was like, 'Really? Wow, that's great.' And so he was excited to come out. And we thought we would reach out to Heather as well. I think they were both excited about reuniting in this fun way.

I shot a couple alts. It's funny, I actually owe him $1,000. Lee was like, 'You're going to use [the cameo] in the coda, aren't you? You're not going to use it in this scene on the bridge.' And I'm like, 'No, I'm gonna shoot the scene on the bridge. But I think it could be in both.' And he's like, 'I bet you $1,000.' So I gotta write him a check for $1,000. It's coming, Lee. It's coming.

How The Fall Guy's Cameos Pay Homage To Its Legacy

The cameos of Majors and Thomas are a significant move for The Fall Guy. While the show was more of an action-adventure, with fewer comedic elements than the film, it has still had a major influence on the movie's journey to the big screen, and it is important to pay homage to this in a fitting way, without compromising the plot in the process. These two cameos manage to achieve that and act as an Easter Egg.

Adaptations need to be able to stand on their own two feet, without an over-reliance on what has come before, but it is also a good idea to acknowledge what has inspired and influenced the movie. The Fall Guy does this successfully, while also being a love letter to the stunt industry. Indeed, The Fall Guy includes a wealth of impressive stunts, and even set a Guinness World Record for the most canon rolls performed in a car.

While the movie's opening box office might have been lower than expected, there is still a good chance The Fall Guy could turn a healthy profit, and a successful display might even lead to a sequel in the future. But even if it doesn't, many will believe the movie has done its job by giving more credence to stunt performers in the industry, and, on top of that, the cameos of Majors and Thomas mean The Fall Guy has one full circle, and established its legacy roots in a fun and respectful manner.

The Fall Guy is currently in theaters.

Source: NBC