Samuel L Jackson set to Star in upcoming Western film: Everything we know about the new Man of War film so far

Paramount Pictures’ upcoming project, Man of War has officially got its lead actor and director.

According to Deadline, Western drama Man of War is set to star Samuel L Jackson in the lead role, with Tim Story directing and producing. The screenplay has been written by Sheldon Turner.

The plot follows Samuel L Jackson as a retired general who returns to his hometown in rural Georgia after his wife’s death, only to find it plagued by corruption, gentrification, and racism among other issues. In classic Western style, the battle-honed underdog - Jackson - will fight back against the town and its corrupt billionaires who are exploiting it and its people.

Jennifer Klein and Sheldon Turner are producing through their company 100% Productions, alongside Story. The Story Company’s Vicky Story will executive produce. Turner is also part of the Oscar-nom club with Jackson following his 2009 adaptation of Walter Kim’s novel Up in the Air starring George Clooney.

If the team behind it are anything to go by, this film will be a smash hit; Jackson has had one of the most impressive and prolific Hollywood careers, starring in over 150 films including his Oscar nominated role in Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Jurassic Park, Hitman’s Bodyguard, Django Unchained, as well as multiple features in the Marvel Cinematic Universe including Captain Marvel, The Avengers, and Captain America: The First Avenger. His upcoming projects include Afterburn and Avengers: Doomsday.

have they done Western before?

Jackson has starred in two previous Western movies - Django Unchained, and The Hateful Eight - both of which were critically and commercially successful. In an interview with Eye For Film in 2016, Jackson said his favourite Western movie is Unforgiven, claiming it is a classic story whose narrative boldly redesigned the western drama genre.

Story meanwhile has directed ten (highly well-received) feature films with eight of them reaching number one in the box office during their opening weekends. His films include the Barbershop franchise, Ride Along (1, 2 and 3), Shaft, Fantastic Four, and Taxi. Alongside Man of War, Story has an upcoming film, teaming up with Kevin Hart once again for a new Netflix film, 72 Hours. The film stars Hart as a 40-year-old executive who hopes to save his failing career by joining a group of twenty-somethings on a wild three-day bachelor party after being accidentally added to their group chat.

Further casting and release date are yet to be announced for Man of War, although its likely to be 2026 if Jackson’s schedule is anything to go by.

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