Samuel L. Jackson to lead Tim Story’s western Man of War
Samuel L. Jackson is to star in the western ‘Man of War’ for Paramount Pictures.
The 76-year-old will portray a recently retired and highly respected general who returns to his rural Georgia hometown following the death of his wife. Upon his arrival, he finds the community plagued by corruption, gentrification, and deep-rooted racism.
Drawing on his military experience and tactical skills, he launches a fierce battle against the powerful billionaire exploiting the town and its people.
‘Man of War’ is to be helmed and produced by ‘Ride Along’ director Tim Story, who will be working from a script written by Sheldon Turner.
Meanwhile, Turner and Jennifer Klein will be producing ‘Man of War’ under their 100 per cent Productions banner alongside the director’s The Story Company - with the filmmaker’s wife Vicky Story to serve as executive producer.
In recent years, Jackson has become known for playing S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), and has portrayed the character since 2008’s ‘Iron Man’.
Jackson - whose last outing as Nick Fury came in the Disney+ spin-off show ‘Secret Invasion’ in 2023 - recently revealed his ‘Die Hard with a Vengeance’ co-star Bruce Willis advised him to find a character he could also return to if his movies ever started to bomb at the box office.
Speaking with Vanity Fair magazine, Jackson said: "He told me, ‘Hopefully you’ll be able to find a character that, when you make bad movies and they don’t make any money, you can always go back to this character everybody loves.
"He said, ‘Arnold’s [Schwarzenegger] got ‘Terminator’. Sylvester’s [Stallone] got ‘Rocky’, ‘Rambo’. I’ve got John McClane’."
The ‘Pulp Fiction’ star revealed his reaction to Willis’ advice was “oh, okay”, but years later, he realised he had done exactly what ‘The Sixth Sense’ actor had told him to do once he landed the role of Nick Fury.
Jackson recounted: "It didn't occur to me until I got that Nick Fury role - and I had a nine-picture deal to be Nick Fury - that, ‘Oh, I'm doing what Bruce said. I've got this character now’."
The ‘Star Wars’ actor previously admitted he was taken aback after he signed the nine-picture deal with Marvel, and was worried he may not live long enough to see out the contract.
He explained to GQ magazine: "How long do you have to stay alive to make nine movies?
"It's not the quickest process in the world. I didn't know they were going to make nine movies in like two and a half years. That's kind of crazy."
Jackon’s future as Nick Fury is currently unknown, with the actor being absent from the ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ cast announcement in March.
Other notable actors not included in the cast reveal included Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Chris Evans (Captain America/ The Human Torch), Mark Ruffalo (Hulk) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange).
