Samuel L. Jackson Talks Up Nick Fury and the Upcoming Marvel Movies

Samuel L. Jackson is just full of good news this week. The star of the upcoming graphic novel adaptation The Spirit is attending Comic Con in support of that flick (due out at Christmas), and there's news about another Afro Samurai project as well as a Nick Fury/Avengers update. Ace Showbiz says that Jackson aims for us to see more of Nick Fury, the director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in all the upcoming Marvel movies, culminating in "the big one," as he calls it, 2011's The Avengers. "Yeah, I'm looking forward to making that character a bit more integral, in terms of the other stories that are happening," says Jackson, who'll be in his early 60s by the time The Avengers gets here. "Iron Man 2, Captain America, Thor, and hopefully the big one that's coming in 2011, when they put everybody together." Apparently, Jackson's dying to start crankin' out the cameos, too. He says, "Iron Man 2 is coming sooner! I'd rather go to work than wait three years and be in The Avengers. I'm looking forward to going to work soon." Getting to work soon hasn't been a problem for Jackson, who has averaged one movie in theaters every three months since Pulp Fiction was released back in 1994. That's quite a run. One other character he's honing, although it won't be seen in theaters, is Afro Samurai. Jackson voiced the title character in the original, and the sequel is due to premiere on Spike TV next January. Lucy Liu and Mark Hamill will contribute their voices to Afro Samurai: Resurrection, as well. In the meantime, the never dormant Jules Winnfield will pop up in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lakeview Terrace, Soul Men, and of course, The Spirit between August 15th and December 25th.

Comments

[John McClellan]

My first reflex is to call him a whore. But is a plumber who works every week a whore as well? This guy is on pace for the Jack Nicholson award for most imitated and most cast guy in Hollywood. But what we fail to see as self made critics is that this ABOVE ALL ELSE is this is how you make a living. I go to work every week as do most of you and some of my weeks are better than others. So are his... I would rather watch him than Mike Myers, and we get another dose of that bullshit when Mike wants us all to think he is Keith Moon (laughing until my own piss fills my pants). Jackson is interesting and his sheer will is better than most peoples acting.

[Get The Big Picture]

I agree with you. He does work an awful lot, and the percentages are that he'll make some garbage along the way (*cough* The Man). If he worked 2/3rds as much and said no to some of the rubbish where he's in full-on self-parody mode, Jackson would have a much stronger legacy at this point.

Still, when he's on his game, he's a powerful force. And as you said, even when he's not, he's usually better than the other guy.