Samuel L. Jackson is famously known for his iconic role in the Avengers films as well as other successful non-mainstream projects, but he also had one of the most loathed superhero movies under his belt. As to why he decided to join the franchise is an interesting focus.
Over the years, Jackson has appeared in more than a hundred films of varied genres, and that’s why he was hailed by the Guinness Book of Records as the King of Box Office for being the highest-grossing actor of all time.
Samuel L. Jackson Reveals Why He Joined Frank Miller’s The Spirit
Pulp Fiction actor Samuel L. Jackson sat down with The Guardian to discuss his projects over the decades. As a late bloomer, the actor started his career in his 40s, and from there, he built his own empire. He has starred in both big-budget and independent movies, but one notable work of his remains a subject of curiosity.
The Spirit (2008) is a neo-noir superhero film penned and helmed by Frank Miller, who also worked on The Dark Knight, 300, and Sin City. The Nick Fury actor joined the project because he wanted to prove the extent of his talent. In the adaptation of Will Eisner’s comic strip, Jackson portrayed the evil Octopus. He recalled:
“It’s a cartoon brought to life. The violence is straight out of Bugs Bunny and Wile E Coyote. At one point, I hit the Spirit with a 12ft wrench and you can almost see the birds whistling and flying around his head.”
Miller’s version differs from the source, where Octopus becomes a mad scientist on a quest to conquer the world. Jackson further talked about his character:
“I’m looking for the Blood of Heracles, which will make me totally indestructible. Basically, Frank [Miller] gave me the license to be as maniacal and larger-than-life as I wanted to be. I mean, who could refuse?”
Truly, he did not refuse, and Jackson ended up starring in the $60 million budget movie that flopped so badly at the box office after only earning $39 million. It also has a 14% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Samuel L. Jackson Shares What Roles He Loves To Play
As an actor, Samuel L. Jackson knows the value of choosing the right roles for him. In fact, he gravitates towards characters with specific personalities. He also shared with The Guardian the types of roles he likes to portray:
“I tend to play characters that I can infuse with certain kinds of humor. Even the baddest guy can be funny in his own particular way. I want the audience to engage with the character on some deeper level so that they leave the cinema still thinking about him. Those are the kinds of characters I empathized with when I was a movie-mad kid.”
Acting has always been Jackson’s passion, and even though he starred in one of the worst-rated adaptations of all time, it did not affect his credibility as an actor.
