Samuel L. Jackson Starring in ‘The Beast’

in Movie

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Samuel L. Jackson at the red carpet premiere of Marvel Studios’ ‘Secret Invasion.’

Perhaps the most famous action thriller about a U.S. President getting tough with terrorists on one of his vehicles is 1997’s Wolfgang Peterson’s ‘Air Force One’, in which Harrison Ford plays James Marshall.

He’s none too pleased when Gary Oldman’s band of communist rebels take over the plane and hold his family and staff hostage on board, eventually growling one of the most famous lines of action movie dialogue.

Since then, there have been a few pretenders to the throne (Aaron Eckhart and Morgan Freeman have been Commanders in Chief in peril, but they both had Gerard Butler’s Secret Service tough guy to help out in the ‘..Has Fallen’ movies that launched with 2013’s ‘Olympus Has Fallen’.

And the same year as that movie, we got Jamie Foxx’s President and Channing Tatum’s cop protecting the former’s place of residence in ‘White House Down’.

Now, though, ‘The Beast’ promises to deliver Samuel L. Jackson kicking ass as a President, who has to utilize the many facilities of his limo.

What’s the story of ‘The Beast’?

Joel Kinnaman as Rick Flag in ‘Suicide Squad.’

The real-life limo used to transport the President is famously nicknamed ‘The Beast’ by the Secret Service agents who ride in and maintain it.

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 (Joel Kinnaman), and America.

Who is making ‘The Beast’?

Director Peter Berg at the world premiere of Netflix’s ‘Spenser Confidential.’ Photo: Charley Gallay.

This one is still in pre-production, and other casting has yet to be announced. But we do know that James Madigan, who has segued from a career in visual effects to second unit director on movies such as ‘The Meg’ and ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’, will direct this one from Umair Aleem’s script.

And Peter Berg, no stranger to action movies himself, will be one of the producers.

Since the film is not yet associated with a studio (it’ll be offered to distributors as a package deal at this year’s Toronto International Film Market), it has a waiver with performers’ union SAG-AFTRA to shoot this year.

Interestingly, it marks the second time Jackson has played the role, since he was the Leader of the Free World in 2014’s ‘Big Game’ in which a teenager helps him survive in a forest after baddies shoot down Air Force One. Could it be the same president? Probably not, but it would be fun to watch Jackson get frustrated about his ride being compromised again.

For Marvel fans, it’ll be a chance to see Jackson getting tough in a tricked-out vehicle again after Nick Fury took on some enemies in ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. Hopefully he won’t have to deal with a metal-armed, defrosted assassin this time…