Tim Curry has passed away at the age of 80, and the world is in mourning. His family shared that he passed away in his home on Aug. 25, 2026, and it comes 14 years after a paralyzing stroke.
Curry had made a name for himself in the worlds of both horror and comedy. After making his movie debut in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” as the lead, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, he would then go on to land roles in the classic “Clue,” the horror movie that left everyone terrified of clowns, “It,” and the fan-favorite “Home Alone 2.” After 2012, he turned mostly to voice acting, but he did return to the “Rocky Horror” universe in a completely different role.
Tim Curry’s Return to ‘Rocky Horror’
GettyIn 2016, Fox aired a tribute to the original movie, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again.” Kenny Ortega directed it, using the original script by Richard O’Brien and Jim Sharman, and it led to Laverne Cox taking on the iconic role of the Mad Scientist, Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
Victoria Justice and Ryan McCartan took on the roles of Janet and Brad, while Adam Lambert took on Meatloaf’s outstanding role of Eddie, the Ex-Delivery Boy. However, the event managed to get one of the original movie cast members, Tim Curry.
He took on the role of Narrator, who was also known as the Criminologist. Charles Gray had played this character in the original 1975 movie.
Sadly, the production didn’t gain positive reviews from the critics. While Cox was praised, the rest of the cast didn’t quite do the original movie justice. However, many welcomed Curry’s appearance in the movie, marking one of his first appearances since his 2012 stroke. His appearance did need to be cut slightly due to his health, but the performance left tears in viewers’ eyes and reminded everyone of the greatness of the original.
Viewers took to Reddit to share their thoughts on the TV movie, sharing that some of the singing was a high point of it, particularly Cox and Lambert. One user said, “Lambert on Hot Patootie was my fave. I hated most of the rest. 😅”
Another commented, “The only thing I will give it is Laverne is a great choice for Frank.”
A third said that Curry’s part was one of the best, saying, “Keep the Science Fiction Double Feature scene and all the bits with Tim Curry, burn the rest. It’s almost like adapting Rocky Horror for prime time network television was a bad idea.”
Where to Watch the ‘Rocky Horror’ Remake Now
GettyIf you missed the performance in 2016, there is some good news. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again” was released on DVD on Dec. 6, 2016, and it is available to purchase today. There was also an extended cut made available, which included the song “Once in a While,” which was sung by Brad and usually cut out of productions.
You can also buy the remake on Digital via Prime Video, Apple TV, and anywhere you get your Digital copies of movies.
As for the original “Rocky Horror Picture Show,” you can currently only buy it on DVD and Digital. Every now and then, it manages to get a streaming home, but that’s currently not available just yet due to licensing negotiations.
When Curry originally agreed to star in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” he had worried that it would be a career-ending moment. However, he never regretted the decision, making it clear that it was a liberating decision.
