2025 Could Be Josh Brolin’s Biggest Year Yet, But It’s Definitely His Busiest
Josh Brolin is on fire, and 2025 might just be the year that cements his status as one of Hollywood’s most versatile and prolific actors. But here’s where it gets controversial: while some might argue that 2025 could be his finest year, it’s undeniably his most prolific. With a slate of high-profile projects, Brolin is dominating the screen like never before. His latest film, The Running Man, hits theaters this Friday, hot on the heels of this summer’s surprise hit, Weapons. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery begins its limited theatrical release on November 26, and Brolin has already wrapped filming on Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars, Brian Duffield’s Whalefall, and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three. Now, he’s gearing up for Mister, the directorial debut of Wade Eastwood, a longtime Mission: Impossible stunt coordinator. But this is the part most people miss: Brolin’s journey to The Running Man began with a cheeky kiss at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival.
Brolin’s collaboration with filmmaker Edgar Wright started at Cannes, where the actor was celebrating the premiere of No Country for Old Men, which would later win the Oscar for Best Picture. Wright, also in attendance, struck up a friendship with Brolin at the after-party. “There’s a picture I showed Edgar of me kissing his cheek—I’m sure it was drunkenly,” Brolin recalls. “Cannes was the beginning for us. Whenever we’d see each other, we’d talk about working together.”
Wright, known for his wide-reaching connections, often crossed paths with Brolin on other sets, including Wake Up Dead Man. “He always reminds me that every time I see him, he’s visiting a director or someone I’m working with,” Brolin says. “There’s a funny repartee we have. I saw him on Knives Out, and that must’ve been the moment he thought, ‘Maybe Josh can…’”
In The Running Man, Brolin plays Dan Killian, the executive producer behind a deadly competition series. Unlike the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film, where Richard Dawson played both the host and producer, Wright stayed true to Stephen King’s (writing as Richard Bachman) source material, splitting the roles. Colman Domingo plays the host, Bobby “Bobby T” Thompson, while Brolin’s Killian is a character inspired by Brolin’s real-life encounters with entertainment execs and billionaires. “We all talk about how debaucherous it was back in the day,” Brolin shares. “People would reveal things you didn’t want to hear. It was useful to think back on those nights and realize, ‘Oh, wow, I can use that.’”
But here’s the burning question: Will Sicario 3 ever happen? Brolin’s 2018 banner year included Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, and Sicario: Day of the Soldado, with fans clamoring for a trilogy capper ever since. Brolin and the producers at Black Label Media have teased its arrival, but the wait continues. “I keep hearing it’s right around the corner,” Brolin says. “But you can’t wait too long—we’ll have walkers by then.”
In a recent conversation, Brolin also discussed his influence on Weapons, particularly a key change to the script. “There was something about him taking responsibility, but also being able to shamefully get angry at himself,” Brolin explains. “It’s about displaying his default: frustration and anger.”
As for Brolin’s adaptability, both on and off-screen, he’s a chameleon who fits in with surfers, skaters, bikers, punks, and cowboys. “I’m just interested, man,” he says. “I want the full experience. This whole conversation is purely selfish for me—I’m utilizing everything to make my life as colorful as possible.”
But here’s the real question: Is Josh Brolin’s 2025 his peak, or just another step in his ever-evolving career? And what does his adaptability say about the nature of stardom itself? Let’s debate in the comments—I’m curious to hear your take!
