Samuel L. Jackson in Talks to Play the President in New Movie

After a prolific career that includes the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Pulp Fiction, Samuel L. Jackson is setting his sights on an iconic role — the commander in chief. According to a new report, Jackson, who most recently starred in the MCU Disney+ series Secret Invasion, is expected to portray the President of the United States in The Beast, a new movie co-starring The Suicide Squad star Joel Kinnaman. The Beast is reportedly in pre-production, securing an interim agreement amid the ongoing SAG-AFTRA Hollywood strike. This is the second time Jackson will portray the President of the United States, after playing fictional president William Alan Moore in 2014’s Big Game.

The Beast will be directed by James Madigan, the second unit director on The Meg and Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts. The script is written by Umair Aleem, who previously wrote Kate. Producers on The Beast include Peter Berg (Lone Survivor), Fifth Season (Ambulance), John Logan Pierson (Netflix’s Thai Cave Rescue) and Keith Kjarval (Dragged Across Concrete).

What Is The Beast About?

The Beast centers around the Presidential limousine nicknamed ‘The Beast’ by the Secret Service. The impenetrable tank is stocked with grenades, shotguns, armor-plating and bullet-and-bomb-proofing. When a militia of unidentified hostiles coordinates a coup against the U.S. presidency, the President (Jackson) uncovers the extent of The Beast’s highly classified offensive capabilities. 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 (Kinnaman), and America. 

Will Secret Invasion Get a Season 2?

As Secret Invasion director Ali Selim revealed in an interview with The Wrap, his priorities for the show’s ending were not necessarily to set up a sophomore season, but to establish compelling stories to be told in future MCU installments.

“I didn’t feel any constraints. All I was told is, Fury’s got to go up. That was it,” Selim revealed to the trade. “So we just had to have Fury go up at the end, and it would be great if Rhodey — if his legs didn’t work. And that’s it.”

What Was Secret Invasion About?

Secret Invasion sets its focus on MCU veterans Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Talos (Mendelsohn) as they handle an invasion of shape-shifting Skrulls who have infiltrated all aspects of life on Earth. Other MCU alumni that show up in the series will include Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Cheadle as James “Rhodey” Rhodes / War Machine, and Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross. New cast members will include Emilia Clarke, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Olivia Colman, Carmen Ejogo, Christopher McDonald, Dermot Mulroney, and Killian Scott. The series will be written and executive produced by Kyle Bradstreet, and directed by Thomas Bezucha and Ali Selim.

What do you think of Samuel L. Jackson portraying the President of the United States in a new movie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

h/t: Deadline