Superhero movies are all the rage nowadays, with Hollywood titans known as the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe having run the genre for years now. Though both franchises have provided us with some amazing films, there hasn’t been much room for other kinds of heroic fare. Now, Sylvester Stallone is hoping to get in on the action with his own flick, Samaritan. The veteran actor has been toting it as a fresh take on the genre, and his director believes he’s the perfect fit it.
Samaritan is the realization of a childhood dream for director Julius Avery, as he grew up in the ‘80s and was a fan of Sylvester Stallone. For Avery, it’s actually Stallone’s status as an action star of that era that makes him right for a superhero role in the present:
We didn’t really have superheroes. We only had action heroes. And Sly was the closest thing we had to a superhero. So to put him in a superhero movie? That feels fresh and cool and something that people will get a kick out of.
Julius Avery brought up an interesting point while discussing Samaritan with Total Film. Back in the day, the big screen was ruled by action stars like Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jean-Claude Van Damme, yet there was barely a superhero to be found. So taking one of the most influential names of the time and transforming him into this superpowered, cinematic landscape is fitting.
This actually won’t be the first time Sylvester Stallone has dabbled in the world of costumed heroes. He previously appeared in James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 as Stakar Ogord a.k.a Starhawk and has also been tapped for a mysterious role in Gunn’s The Suicide Squad.
Samaritan has been a passion project of sorts for Stallone. The film tells the story of a young boy who discovers that a superhero thought to have disappeared decades earlier is actually his next-door neighbor. Both Stallone and Avery have stressed that the film will bring a more grounded nature to the superhero genre.
Sylvester Stallone’s excitement for the film has been infectious, as he consistently kept fans updated on its progress during the shoot. Based on the behind-the-scenes images he shared, the cast and crew put in the work and avoided any distractions. Although, Stallone did humorously take a call from his wife while shooting a scene.
Samaritan has a chance to serve an audience that has been looking for superhero tales outside of the Marvel and DC universes. And with Sylvester Stallone playing a superhero in hiding within a grounded world, it’s sure to be interesting.
Samaritan is slated to open in theaters on June 4, 2021.
