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Unlike its oft compared to rival, the Glock, the Springfield XD series of polymer frame handguns have not been in hundreds of films. With that being said, the XD has made a number of appearances in the past few years. XD Forum took a day off to go to the movies and see what we could find.
Why film appearances count
So what, you may ask, does it matter if a gun makes supporting actor roles in films? It doesn't make the gun a better carry piece, more effective, or shoot even one bit better after all. What it does do is make it more popular due to putting it in the public's eye. While this type of publicity does not matter from a tactical standpoint, it does always help garner a larger appreciation of a gun type.
For instance one of the biggest reasons why people fawn over the Franchi SPAS12 series of shotguns and the venerable 1970s-era .44 Auto Mag is due to their central showing in popular movies in the hands of such tough guys as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Clint Eastwood. While these guns are quality pieces in their own right, their film legacy helps keep demands for them on a constant simmer.
This in turn helps make the guns better sellers and the more they sell the lower prices are for the public. With more guns out there come more diverse holsters, after market accessories, and other items. Its win-win.
With that being said, the XD has been shown off in the hands of a few modern movie toughs in recent years.
2006 Introduction
While the XD was derived from the 1999-vintage HS2000 pistol, it took a few years for it to first gain enough popularity to appear in movies. When it finally did in 2006, the XD was one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood, showing up in several movies in that year alone. These included Lucky Number Slevin, Miami Vice, and Crank.
View attachment 1783
Willis brandishing an XD for the first time in film...or at least film publicity photos..image from the IMFDB
It was in Lucky Number Slevin (take a minute and watch it if you like hit man movies, the 'Kansas City Shuffle' scene is great stuff), that hitman/anti-hero Goodcat (played by Bruce Willis) appeared on the cinema poster-- with a full sized XD. Oddly though, the Croatian pistol isn't actually used in the movie, with Willis brandishing a pair of suppressed Czech CZ 75B pistols, a Colt 1911 in a flashback scene, and a similarly suppressed Walther. It should be noted that the Glock, Willis's go-to gun in a number of films, was also absent from the film and the XD was the sole polymer to make an appearance. Maybe he has a polymer pistol rider in his contract...
Chev Chelios
View attachment 1781
Statham with a Springfield XD in 2006's Crank, photo from the IMFDB
Another 2006 appearance of the Springfield XD came in the hands of Jason Statham. British Statham, a former martial artist and up and coming action film star, played English born hitman Chev Chelios in the movies Crank and its 2009 sequel, Crank: High Voltage. Chelios's weapon of choice in both films: a 9mm chambered Springfield XD full sized pistol. While Chelios is no good guy, he is something of the people's champ in a Punisher kind of way (but without the groovy skull t-shirt).
View attachment 1782
Staham upgraded to a stainless model in 2009s sequel, which leads to wonder if there is a third movie in the series if his gun will be an XD(M) in flat dark earth.
After its initial 2006 splash, the XD has appeared in other films such as 21 Jump Street (the movie remake of the old Fox TV show) as well as on the smaller screen and in video games.
One thing for sure, it's probably coming to a film near you. Grab your popcorn and XD Forum will keep you informed.
*As always, special thanks to the Internet Movie Firearms Database, keepers of the guns of record in all films big and small. They have settled many bets between friends and family.
Why film appearances count
So what, you may ask, does it matter if a gun makes supporting actor roles in films? It doesn't make the gun a better carry piece, more effective, or shoot even one bit better after all. What it does do is make it more popular due to putting it in the public's eye. While this type of publicity does not matter from a tactical standpoint, it does always help garner a larger appreciation of a gun type.
For instance one of the biggest reasons why people fawn over the Franchi SPAS12 series of shotguns and the venerable 1970s-era .44 Auto Mag is due to their central showing in popular movies in the hands of such tough guys as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Clint Eastwood. While these guns are quality pieces in their own right, their film legacy helps keep demands for them on a constant simmer.
This in turn helps make the guns better sellers and the more they sell the lower prices are for the public. With more guns out there come more diverse holsters, after market accessories, and other items. Its win-win.
With that being said, the XD has been shown off in the hands of a few modern movie toughs in recent years.
2006 Introduction
While the XD was derived from the 1999-vintage HS2000 pistol, it took a few years for it to first gain enough popularity to appear in movies. When it finally did in 2006, the XD was one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood, showing up in several movies in that year alone. These included Lucky Number Slevin, Miami Vice, and Crank.
View attachment 1783
Willis brandishing an XD for the first time in film...or at least film publicity photos..image from the IMFDB
It was in Lucky Number Slevin (take a minute and watch it if you like hit man movies, the 'Kansas City Shuffle' scene is great stuff), that hitman/anti-hero Goodcat (played by Bruce Willis) appeared on the cinema poster-- with a full sized XD. Oddly though, the Croatian pistol isn't actually used in the movie, with Willis brandishing a pair of suppressed Czech CZ 75B pistols, a Colt 1911 in a flashback scene, and a similarly suppressed Walther. It should be noted that the Glock, Willis's go-to gun in a number of films, was also absent from the film and the XD was the sole polymer to make an appearance. Maybe he has a polymer pistol rider in his contract...
Chev Chelios
View attachment 1781
Statham with a Springfield XD in 2006's Crank, photo from the IMFDB
Another 2006 appearance of the Springfield XD came in the hands of Jason Statham. British Statham, a former martial artist and up and coming action film star, played English born hitman Chev Chelios in the movies Crank and its 2009 sequel, Crank: High Voltage. Chelios's weapon of choice in both films: a 9mm chambered Springfield XD full sized pistol. While Chelios is no good guy, he is something of the people's champ in a Punisher kind of way (but without the groovy skull t-shirt).
View attachment 1782
Staham upgraded to a stainless model in 2009s sequel, which leads to wonder if there is a third movie in the series if his gun will be an XD(M) in flat dark earth.
After its initial 2006 splash, the XD has appeared in other films such as 21 Jump Street (the movie remake of the old Fox TV show) as well as on the smaller screen and in video games.
One thing for sure, it's probably coming to a film near you. Grab your popcorn and XD Forum will keep you informed.
*As always, special thanks to the Internet Movie Firearms Database, keepers of the guns of record in all films big and small. They have settled many bets between friends and family.
