Samuel L. Jackson to Join John Cusack in Film Adaptation of Stephen King's CELL

By: Nov. 04, 2013
Enter Your Email to Unlock This Article

Plus, get the best of BroadwayWorld delivered to your inbox, and unlimited access to our editorial content across the globe.




Existing user? Just click login.

Samuel L. Jackson and John Cusack are prepping for the zombie apocalypse.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jackson has boarded the film adaptation of Stephen King's CELL for Benaroya Pictures, which has been in pre-production for a number of years. King co-wrote the screenplay with The Last House on the Left screenwriter Adam Alleca. Cusack will also executive produce.

"It's really exciting to have such a great cast continue to come together on this project," said Benaroya Pictures' Michael Benaroya. "Our goal is to create exciting commercial fare with top talent to really deliver on the concept of an elevated genre film."

The novel is described as follows:

Artist Clayton Riddell had been in Boston negotiating a successful deal to sell his comic book project. His joy at finally hitting it big is shattered by an event called The Pulse which causes all those who were using their cell phones at the time of The Pulse to become zombies attacking and killing anyone in their way. Fortunately for Clay, he does not own a cell phone. In the panic to get out of Boston and find his way home to his wife and son in Maine, he is joined by Tom McCourt, a man he meets in the meleé immediately following The Pulse and a young girl, Alice, who they rescue from being killed by one of the "crazies."

The story follows their terrifying journey, avoiding capture-and worse-by the "crazies" who are beginning to "flock" and are led by one they call Raggedy Man as they attempt to reach Maine and a place called Kashwak which they hope will be their salvation."

Jackson will play McCourty in the film, whiich is set to begin production this week.

Last year, Jackson starred in the Broadway production of The Mountaintop as Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1991, he appeared in films such as Patriot Games, Amos & Andrew, True Romance and Jurassic Park. In 1994 he was cast as Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction, and his performance received several award nominations and critical acclaim.

Jackson has since appeared in over 100 films including Die Hard with a Vengeance, The 51st State, Jackie Brown, Unbreakable, The Incredibles, Black Snake Moan, Shaft, Snakes on a Plane, as well as the Star Wars prequel trilogy and Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill Vol. 2, Inglourious Basterds, and most recently, Django Unchained. He played Nick Fury in Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, and The Avengers. He also lends his voice to the summer animated film Turbo, and has signed on to star in the upcoming remake of Robocop.

Photo by: Peter James Zielinski



Videos