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Whats the Status of Bruce Willis Final Movies?

On April 29, Bruce Willis’ storied filmography adds another credit with the release of “Fortress: Sniper’s Eye.”

The action-thriller starring Willis, Jesse Metcalfe and Chad Michael Murray is a sequel to 2021’s “Fortress” and is set to be released in select theaters, as well as on digital platforms and VOD. It’s just one of about 10 tough-guy titles still outstanding as Willis’ acting career comes to a close.

The actor’s family announced Wednesday that the superstar will step away from acting after being recently diagnosed with aphasia, a language disorder caused by brain damage the affects a person’s ability to communicate. Willis’ wife Emma Heming Willis and their daughters Mabel and Evelyn, along with his ex-wife Demi Moore and their daughters Rumer, Scout and Tallulah revealed the diagnosis in a statement posted to social media. After “much consideration,” they wrote, Willis made the decision to step away from “the career that has meant so much to him.”

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“This is a really challenging time for our family and we are so appreciative of your continued love, compassion and support,” their statement reads. “We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him. As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that.”

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With the news of his retirement, fans hopes for Willis to reprise some of his most iconic roles have been dashed. For example, there’d once been rumors that Willis could saddle up as action cowboy police detective John McClane for a sixth “Die Hard” movie, but producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura revealed in a 2021 Polygon interview that a theoretical prequel/sequel was nixed after the Disney-Fox merger. Which means we’ll just have to watch Willis’ 2020 Die Hard car battery ads on repeat…

Despite the fact that Willis won’t be making more new films, fans of the “Die Hard” star have a handful of performances to keep an eye out for. “Fortress 2 marks Willis’ third movie of 2022 —- the action-thriller “Gasoline Alley,” co-starring Devon Sawa and Luke Wilson, was released in February for rent/purchase on VOD, followed by “A Day to Die,” with Kevin Dillon and Frank Grillo, which debuted on VOD in March.

Following “Fortress 2,” his next film “Corrective Measures,” in which he stars opposite Michael Rooker, will debut in April on Tubi. The revenge-thriller “Vendetta,” with Willis, Clive Standen, Thomas Jane, Theo Rossi and Mike Tyson, will premiere on May 17; that film gets a limited theatrical run via Redbox Entertainment and will be available day-and-date on demand. In September, Saban Films will release “Die Like Lovers,” about a former black-ops soldier who takes the place of a man who died as part of an experimental military program, in order to find out who killed him.

Precisely which role will mark Willis’ final on-camera appearance — and when that movie will be released — is somewhat nebulous, as the actor finished filming an untitled trilogy of films for Lionsgate before the announcement about his retirement was made. Also in the can are Willis’ performances in Lionsgate’s “Wire Room,” which will debut in an unspecified month later this year, as will Vertical Entertainment’s “Wrong Place,” “White Elephant” and Saban Films’ “Paradise City,” which reunited Willis with his “Pulp Fiction” and “Look Who’s Talking” collaborator John Travolta.

While these developments about Willis’ health and career came as a surprise to most, not everyone in the industry was unaware of his struggles. The L.A. Times published a report late Wednesday indicating that the 67-year-old star’s cognitive decline had been evident for some time and his condition was growing increasingly concerning on set.

Terri Martin, production supervisor on “White Elephant,” told the Times, “He is one of the all-time greats, and I have the utmost admiration and respect for his body of work, but it was time for him to retire.”

(Pictured: Theo Rossi and Willis in ‘Vendetta’; Chad Michael Murray and Willis in ‘Fortress: Sniper’s Eye’)

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