The Unbreakable Duo: All 3 Films Starring John Travolta And Samuel L. Jackson (And Their 2024 Reunion)

Few cinematic pairings in modern Hollywood history carry the same weight and cultural resonance as John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson. As of this writing in December 2025, the legendary actors have officially starred together in three feature films, each providing a unique snapshot of their on-screen chemistry, though none ever quite recaptured the lightning-in-a-bottle magic of their first collaboration. Their shared filmography is a fascinating study of post-comeback careers, directorial styles, and the enduring power of a truly iconic duo.

The relationship between Travolta’s smooth, often anxious characters and Jackson’s intense, commanding presence has become a benchmark for buddy-movie dynamics. The recent 30th-anniversary celebrations of their most famous work in 2024, alongside their surprising commercial reunions, prove that the world is still captivated by these two titans whenever they share a screen, be it on the big screen or in a quick-witted advertisement.

John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson: A Dual Biography

The careers of John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson followed distinctly different paths before intersecting in the mid-90s, with Travolta experiencing an early peak and subsequent lull, while Jackson steadily built a reputation as a powerhouse character actor before achieving superstardom.

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• John Joseph Travolta
  • Born: February 18, 1954, Englewood, New Jersey, U.S.
  • Key Early Career: Rose to fame as Vinnie Barbarino on the TV series Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979) and became a global cultural icon with Saturday Night Fever (1977) and Grease (1978).
  • Career Resurgence: His career was dramatically revitalized by Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction in 1994, earning him his second Academy Award nomination.
  • Key Films (Non-Shared): Carrie, Blow Out, Face/Off, Get Shorty, Hairspray.
• Samuel Leroy Jackson
  • Born: December 21, 1948, Washington, D.C., U.S.
  • Key Early Career: Studied at Morehouse College, began on stage, and gained early recognition through collaborations with director Spike Lee in films like Jungle Fever.
  • Career Breakthrough: Achieved global fame and an Academy Award nomination for his role as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction (1994).
  • Key Films (Non-Shared): Jurassic Park, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Unbreakable, and his extensive role as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

The Trinity of Travolta-Jackson Films: From Iconic Hitmen to Subway Hijackers

While many fans wish for a dozen more pairings, the duo’s shared feature filmography stands at a solid three. Each movie showcases their chemistry under the vision of a different major director, exploring various genres from crime noir to military thrillers and action-packed suspense.

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)

This is the collaboration that redefined a generation of filmmaking and cemented both actors as legends. Directed by auteur Quentin Tarantino, Pulp Fiction is a non-linear crime masterpiece that earned Travolta an Oscar nomination for his role as the philosophical hitman Vincent Vega and Jackson a nomination for the Bible-quoting, righteous assassin Jules Winnfield.

The film is an entity-rich text in itself, featuring other iconic characters like Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) and Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames). The dialogue, particularly the exchanges between Vincent and Jules, is endlessly quotable, from discussions about Ezekiel 25:17 to the metric system in Europe. The movie’s success was a massive career resurgence for Travolta, famously known as "The Travolta Comeback," and propelled Jackson into the superstar status he holds today. The film’s 30th anniversary in 2024 saw the cast, including Travolta and Jackson, reunite on the red carpet at the TCM Classic Film Festival 2024, proving the film's lasting legacy.

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2. Basic (2003)

Nine years after their first iconic pairing, Travolta and Jackson reunited for the military mystery-thriller Basic, directed by John McTiernan (known for Die Hard and The Hunt for Red October). The film was a stark departure from Tarantino’s stylized crime world, offering a complex, twist-heavy narrative set during a military training exercise in Panama.

In Basic, Travolta plays Tom Hardy, a former DEA agent hired to investigate a deadly incident involving a squad of Army Rangers. Jackson takes on the role of Sergeant Nathan West, the drill sergeant whose disappearance is at the center of the mystery. The film's plot is infamous for its confusing, multi-layered structure, which film critic Roger Ebert described as a "matryoshka doll" of twists, where every new revelation is immediately contradicted by another. While not a critical success like Pulp Fiction, Basic remains a key point in their shared filmography as the first attempt to harness their legendary chemistry outside of the Vincent and Jules roles.

3. The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009)

Their third and most recent feature film collaboration to date is the high-octane action thriller The Taking of Pelham 123, a remake of the 1974 classic. Directed by the late Tony Scott (Scott is also known for Top Gun and Man on Fire), the film is a masterclass in tension and fast-paced editing, often described as a "loud, fast, and action packed" thriller.

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This film is notable for placing the actors on opposite sides of the law, communicating primarily through radio and phone. John Travolta plays the villain, a ruthless criminal mastermind named "Ryder" who hijacks a New York City subway car and holds the passengers hostage for a massive ransom. Samuel L. Jackson plays the role of the transit authority dispatcher, Lieutenant Garber, who is forced into the role of negotiator with Ryder. The intense, high-stakes dialogue between the two actors, though separated by the subway tunnels, formed the emotional core of the film, reminding audiences of their unparalleled ability to deliver sharp, memorable exchanges. The movie also featured a strong supporting cast, including Denzel Washington as the protagonist dispatcher, and James Gandolfini.

The Enduring Legacy and Recent Collaborations (2024–2025)

While the pair has not announced a fourth feature film, their professional relationship and cultural impact remain highly relevant in the mid-2020s. The 30th-anniversary celebration of Pulp Fiction in 2024 was a major media event, with Travolta and Jackson reflecting on the movie's unexpected, enduring success.

In a surprising, yet welcome, twist for fans, the duo also reunited for a series of high-profile commercial spots. They notably appeared together in a Capital One commercial, playing on their classic hitman personas in a humorous, self-referential way. These commercial appearances, along with the 2024 reunions, serve as a modern continuation of the Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield dynamic, proving that the world still craves to see them together.

The three films—a crime epic, a twisty military mystery, and a subway hijacking thriller—show the versatility of their pairing. While Pulp Fiction remains the undisputed pinnacle of their collaborations, Basic and The Taking of Pelham 123 are essential viewing for any fan interested in how two of Hollywood’s most compelling actors bring their unique chemistry to different genres and directorial visions. Their legacy is not just in the films they made, but in the unforgettable cinematic moments they created together.