Samuel L. Jackson in Talks to Play U.S. President in Indie Action Movie The Beast
Samuel L. Jackson is reportedly in talks to play the President of the United States in a new independent action movie titled The Beast, which will go to market at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF).
As reported by Deadline, The Beast is an independent project packaged prior to the commencement of the Hollywood actors’ and writers’ strikes. It has received an interim agreement from the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and is currently in pre-production.
The casting team is in talks with Samuel L. Jackson to take on the lead role of the U.S. President in the movie, starring alongside The Suicide Squad’s Joel Kinnaman as Secret Service agent Taft. The two would be central to the story, with the action unfolding around the impenetrable presidential limousine nicknamed “The Beast”.
“When a militia of unidentified hostiles coordinates a coup against the U.S. presidency, the President uncovers the extent of The Beast’s highly classified offensive capabilities,” reads the synopsis for the action-thriller. “Separated from his wife, the President must learn to control The Beast — and the monster inside himself — in order to save his life, the life of Secret Service agent Taft, and America.”
There is a good reason why the presidential limousine is known as The Beast because the luxury vehicle has everything it needs to protect its VIP (very important passenger). It comes rigged with grenades, shotguns, armour plating, and bullet- and bombproofing, ready to launch an attack or defence at any time.
It is not the first time that Jackson has portrayed the President; he previously took on the role in the 2014 action-adventure movie Big Game. This time, Jackson would be working under the directorship of James Madigan, who served as the second unit director on The Meg and Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts.
The script comes courtesy of Umair Aleem, who previously penned the 2021 action-thriller Kate. Producers on the project include Keith Kjarval for Unified Pictures, Fifth Season, John Logan Pierson, and Peter Berg for Film 44.
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. Follow her on Twitter.
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