Sam Rockwell Action Thriller Breaks 8-Year Rotten Tomatoes Record

Published Sep 5, 2026, 10:39 AM EDT

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Sam Rockwell's latest movie has just broken an eight-year Rotten Tomatoes record for the beloved actor.

On September 3, 2026, Rockwell's latest movie, Wild Horse Nine, premiered at the Venice Film Festival. The movie, which was written and directed by Martin McDonagh, features a star-studded cast that also includes John Malkovich, Steve Buscemi, Tom Waits, and Parker Posey. Thanks to some early reviews of the film, it has already snapped a record for the actor.

As of the time of this writing, Wild Horse Nine has earned an impressive 90% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes based on 29 reviews. That marks the highest score for Rockwell since Blaze got a 95% after it premiered at Sundance on January 21, 2018.

Wild Horse Nine focuses on a longtime pair of CIA partners, brought to life by Rockwell and John Malkovich, who are sent to Easter Island amid political unrest. Due to the paranoia of their chief, portrayed by Steve Buscemi, the partners' relationship is put to a severe test.

The film's synopsis will likely remind many fans of director McDonagh's earlier widely beloved movie, In Bruges. Rockwell and McDonagh had previously collaborated on another movie with similar themes, Seven Psychopaths.

So far, the movie has received several rave reviews, including one from RogerEbert.com that awarded it 3.5 out of 4 stars. That review praised Wild Horse Nine for its fantastic performances from its three stars, how it explores male friendship, its snappy dialogue, and more.

Rockwell garnering his highest score in years is especially noteworthy since the actor has starred in some beloved and acclaimed movies over that time. For example, there was near-instant sequel interest in Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, but that currently holds an 82% Rotten Tomatoes score.

During the eight-year span, the most acclaimed film Rockwell starred in was arguably released in 2019. Thanks to Jojo Rabbit's heartbreaking ending and stunning story, it was nominated for many awards. Most notably, it nabbed six Oscar noms, including one for Best Picture, and won the Best Adapted Screenplay Academy Award. Despite its many impressive accolades, it only has an 81% Rotten Tomatoes score.

Between the releases of Blaze and Wild Horse Nine, Rockwell starred in several other notable movies, including Vice, Richard Jewell, Trolls World Tour, and IF. Additionally, The Bad Guys got fantastic reviews, as did its sequel. Despite his praise-worthy filmography, none of the movies Rockwell starred in during those years surpassed 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Instead, his only project to reach higher than that figure between 2018 and now was Sweet Thing, a film he produced but didn't act in.

Wild Horse Nine is slated to be widely released in the United States on November 6, 2026.

Sam Rockwell