Armageddon, the 1998 disaster film directed by Michael Bay, is now streaming on Fandango At Home, according to E! News. The movie starred Ben Affleck, Bruce Willis, Liv Tyler, Billy Bob Thornton and featured Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.”
In an interview with E! News in 2018, executive producer Jonathan Hensleigh said the film worked because it balanced its action with strong character moments. He said that approach helped the movie connect with audiences and gave the blockbuster lasting appeal.
Affleck played A.J., a roughneck oil driller who works with Willis’ character, Harry, and falls for Harry’s daughter, Grace, played by Tyler. Hensleigh said he supported casting Affleck, who was then 25 and coming off the success of Good Will Hunting, which he co-wrote with Matt Damon.
At the time Armageddon was released, Affleck had mainly appeared in supporting roles and independent films. The movie became a major commercial hit, earning $553 million worldwide, and helped push him further into leading-man status.
Although Armageddon has long been criticized for scientific inaccuracies, its popularity has endured. E! News notes that Affleck later joked about the film’s logic, but the movie’s impact on his career was clear.
