Samuel L. Jackson Producing A Live-Action Afro Samurai Movie

Samuel L. Jackson has revealed he will produce a live-action feature film based around his unconventional warrior Afro Samurai, which immediately begs the question, “How does this tie in to Joss Whedon’s Avengers film?”

OK, it won’t, but that doesn’t mean Jackson and his partners at Gonzo Studios and The Indomina Group can’t come up with a very cool premise that’s cut from the same cloth as, say, Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, Takashi Miike’s brilliant 13 Assassins, or even Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films.

They have plenty of material from which to draw. Takashi Okazaki's Afro Samurai character originated in a manga magazine in 1999. Set in a futuristic version of Japan, it centered around a lanky, big-haired hero named Afro who’s on a mission of vengeance against Justice, the warrior who beheaded Afro’s father. The story has been told over several different formats over the years, from anime comic books and animated feature films to a popular video game. Jackson has lent his voice to the character, while the franchise also have been characterized by its hip-hop soundtrack by RZA of the Wu-Tang Clan.

FirstShowing, which reports the progress of the live-action film, says the 62-year-old Jackson isn’t attached to star in this new Afro … and why would he? His voice might be right for the angry assassin, but the live-action feature would benefit from finding a fresh-faced actor to step into the vicious role. Producers are setting out to fill the Afro cast by the end of summer, with an eye on a 2012 shoot.