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Samuel L. Jackson May Not Be Nick Fury?!

Posted on Tuesday, January 13th, 2009 by Devindra Hardawar

These are troubling times for America—unemployment is on the rise, and entire industries face their end—but one thing we geeks have had to look forward to in the next few years is everyone’s favorite bad motherfucker himself, Samuel L. Jackson, as Nick Fury. Now it seems we may even be robbed of that one slice of happiness. In an interview today over at the LA Times blog Hero Complex, Jackson hints that all is not well at Marvel, and that his role as Nick Fury is anything but a sure thing at this point.

In response to the character’s appearance in Iron Man 2, Captain America, and The Avengers, he says that the role may be recast (with a cheaper actor of course), or Fury may not appear at all. Jackson elaborates further:

I saw ['Iron Man' and 'Iron Man 2' director] Jon Favreau at the Scream Awards and we had a conversation. He said, ‘I hope things are working out for you because we’re writing stuff for you.’ Then all of a sudden last week I talked to my agents and manager and things aren’t really working that well.

There was a huge kind of negotiation that broke down. I don’t know. Maybe I won’t be Nick Fury. Maybe somebody else will be Nick Fury or maybe Nick Fury won’t be in it. There seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world so [they're saying to me], ‘We’re not making that deal.’

Of course Marvel is not alone in the economic crisis, but they certainly seem to enjoy kicking their fans in the balls when it comes to cutting costs. First we had Terrence Howard replaced with Don Cheadle in Iron Man 2, and now this?

I’ll save my unfiltered vitriol for further developments on this news, but for now I’ll say this: There should be no discussion Marvel. Samuel L. Jackson is the best actor for the role (the resemblance of Ultimates Nick Fury to Jackson is what we in the biz call a big fucking hint). And if it’s a cost issue, I suggest you look back at the release of Iron Man and see just how much audiences were excited by Jackson’s 10 seconds of screen time.

Getting him in the future Marvel films at this point should be your top priority. Lose him, and you’ll lose much of the goodwill you’ve built up this year.

Discuss: How awesome of an idea is this, folks?

Source: LA Times

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Casting, Comic Book/Superhero, Gossip/Controversy, Marvel Studios, , , ,

  • johnnywestside
    I have read alot of the comments and see alot of Sam-bashing, and hopes of a George Clooney Nick Fury. Clooney is a great actor, he does resemble Nick Fury (pre Ultimates), but you all seem to have forgotten that this man killed the batman series of moveis back in 1997. DONT LET IRONMAN SUFFER THE SAME FATE!!!!
  • Name
    I, for one am delighted at the prospect of Jackson leaving the franchise. Everyone I know agreed he was just awful. Just awful. Nobody wants to spend a couple of hours in the dark with such a sad excuse for an actor. He should turn in his SAG card.
  • Name
    It would be a disaster if Jackson did play Nick Fury. If I didn't love Iron Man so much I would boycott the franchise over his casting in the role. Jackson sucks. He ain't Nick Fury, and he ain't worth the scratch.
  • Name
    How totally awesome it would be if they shitcanned that asswipe. He's a pompous, preening jerkoff. Look at the comments on the board. You've got a serious problem when at least half of your audience reviles your very name. He's always Samuel L. Jackson, an arrogant, loud-mouthed, anal-repulsive stain. Please, God, let them give the part to George Clooney.
  • Name
    I would be glad to see some other actor play Nick Fury. I can't stand Jackson. This is so cool. I was afraid we were going to be stuck listening to his obnoxious persona through multiple films. Please let the negotiations fail, and Jackstone bail. My prayers have been answered.
  • hugh
    I definitely don't think Samuel Jackson should leave. Almost every movie that I have seen that has Samuel in it was a good one. What better than to have him put into the marvel universe, it would make every marvel movie coming out more worth while.
  • JedK
    If we're going to put washed up pampas actors in Marvel movies, I would actual rather see Robin Williams play Nick Fury.
    I'm not kidding.
  • Enthropii
    It needs to be Sam L Jackson! I got friends who rewatched the movie to watch that scene. This cannot be happening. First War Machine and now Nick Fury. What's wrong with the world?!
  • Name
    People got excited about the appearance of Nick Fury, not the Jackson portrayal thereof. Everyone I know was severely pissed that this preening asshole got the part.
    Fuck Jackson. You could find fifty-thousand unemployed actors in the LA area who could run circles around that talentless hack. The guy ruins every movie he's in.
  • K.W.
    Marvel Studios doesn't care about black people
  • Name
    Oh, ma petite pauvre.
  • Mr. Pendragon
    Joker must of burned all of Marvel's money.
  • Tom
    Can't believe some numbskull modded my comment down a notch clearly because they disagree with me. Screw you, pindick.
  • Anti-Septic
    Well said Jason B. I too am a comic collector and the Nick Fury/Samuel L. Jackson re-imagining of the character is a disgrace to real Nick Fury fans. Its hard to disgrace Nick anymore than they have already done allowing "The Hoff" to portray him in a movie, but any chance Marvel gets to piss on the legacy of Nick Fury they do it.

    Who should play Nick Fury? Well hell I just don't know actually, but I do know it shouldn't be Snakes on a Plane Jackson. Whoever portrays Nick Fury should come off as a "Grizzled War Veteran"! Sorry, Jackson and Hoff do not fit that bill.

    peace
  • Renaissance Man
    I'm sure that people were COMPLETELY serious about casting the Hoff. Completely serious. Completely. Serious.
  • Fury-ous!
  • Wait, Punisher: War Zone has already been released?!
  • If Samuel L. Jackson doesn't return I think they shouldn't put Nick Fury in at all. And if the economic crisis is so bad maybe its time that some actors should stop being paid ridiculous amounts of money.
  • Name
    I am going to go out and get some champagne. Jackson is leaving the cast. I haven't been this happy since George Bush broke out the weed-whacker and moved back to Crawford, Texas. Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
  • Jr.
    CheAp...spelling :)
  • Jr.
    Clearly Marvel thinks all African Americans look the same - Terrence Howard / Don Cheadle - Samuel L. Jackson / "Any black guy who will work cheep", all the same to them. And it's pretty uncool how John Favreau doesn't seem to be going to bat for his fellow actors.
  • Andy
    Favreau and the producers couldn't stand Terrance Howard. The pay dispute was a convenient excuse to get rid of a sloppy actor who was awkward to work with. If they like Sam The Man (and who wouldn't?) then I'm sure they'll work something out and won't be quick to replace him.
  • Your post was racist and funny at the same time
  • The truth, though, is that Sam Jackson is a racist. He hates white people. I know from personal experience.
  • i think everyone hates white people deep down
  • If Samuel L. Jackson doesn't return I think they shouldn't put Nick Fury in it at all. And if the economic crisis is so bad maybe its time that actors should stop being paid ridiculous amounts of money.
  • What in the hell are most of you thinking? This is great news. Cheadle's left testicle can act better than Howard. And my dog's two missing testicles can act better than Jackson. Samuel, we get it, you're a fanboy. You don't have to be in every damn movie.
    I hope they cast my dog as Fury. He's bad ass.
  • yur a dumb bitch
  • No
  • Hopefully Marvel will see sense and cast Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Furty in 'The Avengers' film, as Jackson is a name that could propel a film to new audiences and new revenue streams for the studio (SLJ is that big, in his own right he is becoming a brand!).
  • Name
    Really? Have you taken a look at the box office receipts for his last several films? The guy's had less hits than the Mets.
  • Burt
    Fuck Marvel. May the rest of their films fall flatter than the retarded Hulk reboot.
  • jason B
    nick fury is a white guy, and marvels 'ulitimate' universe - where fury was reinvented as a jackson-esque guy - is attrocious; a laugh out loud joke of a 'series'. so this is wonderful news for me.

    i am not a racist - which is usually the first rebuttle from people who are angry at fans who want fury to be a white guy. i am the comic collector who has been buying and reading these stories for almost 20 years. i like continuity, and as we are in times where the reaches of technology can keep up with the vast imagination of comics, i'd like to be able to see the stories and characters that i've been supporting for 2 decades - before it became popular to like comics and go to comic-con - faithfully brought to the screen, in the incarnation i have known for so many years.

    aside from the fact that sam jackson has become a sad parody of himself in recent years, i will no doubt feel the wrath of people who cannot comprehend why i want a white actor to play a white character, so all i'll say in my defense is that: i am no racist, to say so is ignorant. and i am not alone in wanting fury to be white. (for the record, i thought 'fox' from the wanted movie should've been black - like her comic book character - no matter how hot angelina jolie is.)
  • Renaissance Man
    Oddly enough, it is that same continuity that makes many, such as myself, want to keep Jackson in the role. I started reading comics heavily when the Ultimate line began. It got me back into all things Marvel and now I'm an avid reader. In many ways it was a gateway drug. So for me and millions of others, the black Nick Fury is the only way to go. When I first started seeing white Nick Fury in the canon Marvel books, it just felt off.
  • Name
    For many of us who grew up with the white Nick Fury from the Silver Age, the black version is a travesty. Come up with new characters for racial diversity, don't re-write existing ones. Today, nobody would dream of casting a white actor in the part of Othello, so why the double standard?
  • Breaking news....

    Robert Downey Jr is recast for Iron man 2...

    Serious Marvel dont recast Jackson the amount of hype those 10 secs had at the end of iron man...

    and you know iron man 2 will make you a lot of money...so stop being so cheap ...rehire howard and odnt fire jackson
  • Wow first they get rid of terrance howard as war machine. Then get rid of Iron Mans's dad now this. They might as well scrap all existing marvel characters and make them new people. Everyone loves when you change the characters from the original >:(
  • i'm still upset about howard's departure...but this is baaaaad, and not in a blaxploitation themesong kinda way
  • i'm still upset about howard's departure...but this is baaaaad
  • I'm a HUGE Mavel comic and film fan but I would really start to lose hope in the next set of films if Jackson isn't in it.
    He doesn't strike me as the sort of guy to want lots of cash*, he knows he will be in 2-3 of the films and will get good money from them all.
    The Ultimate character is based on him, who would want to play the part knowing it was meant for someone else all along and your on in it for been cheaper?!

    It's sad if Marvel are wanting to take the cheap way out, with the money Iron-Man made they should know that with Cap and Thor will do good money .. depending on who plays them and the Avengers flick will rack in loads from all the Fanboys like myself and the new fans built up from the film series.



    *I mean look at Snakes On A Plane
  • Name
    Jackson sucks. Most of his movies suck, and the ones that were good would have been even better without him, with the possible exception of Pulp Fiction. Tarantion writes movies about asshole, so it was typecasting. When was the last time he had a major role in a movie that got good reviews. He's a shithead.
  • Antony
    actually toys are their biggest source of income. licensing accounts for roughly the same amount as publishing. and the fact they have destroyed their previous records this year in publishing in a never before seen unprecedented manor would indicate the economy isn't as much of a factor to them as it is to other businesses that have seen their bottom line marganilze over the past year. and i think the profits from secret invasion alone could safely cover sam jackson's check.

    but once again, i don't even really care if he's in the rest of the franchise. i think he's over rated and even when i read the ultimates i don't think of him as nick fury, even though the physical similarity is very striking.
  • Clint Barton
    "i don't think of him as nick fury, even though the physical similarity is very striking."!?!
    Marvel asked Sam Jackson (almost a decade ago now) if they could use his likeness for the character of Nick Fury. Sam Jackson is Nick Fury.
  • samir j
    I think I'm going to send my congressman a letter advocating for a Marvel Studios bailout package.
  • gah
    you couldn't finance 1/4 of the cost of Iron Man 2 with Marvel Publishing's annual earnings. Licencing and film are really their big sources of income.
  • Tom
    Remember, you wouldn't be getting Pulp Fiction/Die Hard/Shaft Jackson, you'd be getting The Spirit/Jumpers Jackson, and there is no comparison. Get somebody else and say it was budget related. I'll bet Marvel just doesn't want The Octopus anymore and they are making it a money thing.
  • Antony
    economic crisis my ass. those bastards had an unheard of + 50% of TOTAL market share for comic books sales in the month of november. it's never happened before. of all comic books purchased domestically in november, 1 out of every 2 was a marvel book. i don't know the distinctions between marvel studios as an entity and marvel entertainment as a publisher, but those fuckers are so NOT hurting. and they've successfully raised the prices on several of their core selling titles 33% without seeing a significant drop off in sales since the price increase this month.

    that being said, i guess i really don't care. i'm down for a 616 version of nick fury. he had like 15 seconds of post credit screen time in iron man, is it really "that" big of a deal? it would bother me if they blamed it on the economy, since they are killing the comic competition.
  • He'd be good in it, but anyone else think SLJ is rather overexposed the last 5 years or so? He's in so much stuff that its hard to keep all his roles straight. And poor Marvel (the comic book part anyway) has been on the borders of struggle for years. I remember about 8-9 years ago they almost folded, IIRC.
  • Fucking Marvel. You're giant vaginas.
  • I would love to see someone else play him. I'm sorry but Sam Jackson isn't great in everything he does and even as Nick Fury it's going to feel like watching Sam Jackson. He's Sam Jackson in everything, I never once recognize him for his roles, just his performance and being himself. I was grateful his time in Kill Bill vol. 2 was very short.

    Personally I still have the image of a white Nick Fury in my mind from the Spider-man cartoon, with the small bits of white hair. George Clooney would be awesome but from a financial standpoint I guess that doesn't really work too well. Anyone but Jackson - please. I just can't stand the guy at this point, no disrespect to his previous works but he doesn't need to be in EVERYTHING. I understand they modeled the new Nick Fury after him but I'd rather not see him overpower all the scenes he would be involved in.
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