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Joel Silver and Hollywood’s Scourge of Second Chances

The infamous movie producer had seemingly flamed out of the business until he recently turned up on Sony’s new ‘Executioner’ franchise, one of several (male) figures granted multiple opportunities despite bad behavior and worse judgment.

Joel Silver
The last time Silver was associated with a real hit was Sherlock Holmes, in 2009. Photo: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images
Kim Masters
April 13, 2026

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At a party the night before the Oscars, a group of veteran Hollywood insiders were idly wondering if anyone had heard anything about Joel Silver. Once one of the town’s most successful and powerful producers, shepherding Warner Bros. franchises including Lethal Weapon and The Matrix, Silver was huge in every sense of the word—loud, foul-mouthed, wildly extravagant, and sometimes, allegedly, despicably underhanded.