As an Ultimates fan, no moment got me flailing my hands about like an excited little girl in 2008 more than Sam Jackson showing up at the end of Iron Man as Nick Fury. It was a lot more than a cameo to me--my nerdy brain decided it also meant that Marvel had a glorious plan for my cinematic future, that they had a plan in place for each of their non-Spidey/X-Men characters, that Avengers was on the way, and it would likely be based somewhat on The Ultimates, still one of the most enjoyable superhero comics I've ever read. It meant a lot to me, obviously.But now Sam Jackson says he's not sure he'll be playing Fury, and I am weeping like a very sad little girl. From the LA Times:
Samuel L. Jackson, clearly bristling, said today that negotiations to put him in the role of Nick Fury have broken down because "there seems to be an economic crisis in the Marvel Comics world."FUCK ME. Marvel, I haven't asked a lot of you, but MAKE THIS FUCKING HAPPEN. You're the guys who put in Jackson as Fury at the end of Iron Man, so you can't drop him now! PONY UP, YOU BASTARDS
...
"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."
Jackson might just have been taking a public position that could lead to a bigger payday (it certainly wouldn't be the first time a Hollywood star used an interview as a negotiating tactic) but he seemed especially sour on the whole the topic of working with Marvel ...
"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.'"
I called Marvel Comics and they gave me a statement that suggested that they still want to see Jackson wearing the eyepatch. "Marvel does not comment on active negotiations," was the boilerplate repsonse, but there was that emphasis on the word "active" in the voice of the spokesman who phoned me back.
12 comments
Comments
"Starman" Matt Morrison said:
Hmmm... yes, it seems that the management at Marvel is cashing checks their ass can't back. Surely this is an amazing newsflash to... everyone who has been under a rock for the last ten years.
Seriously. Ignoring the damage done to their own universe by hack-writers more concerned with gimmicks and big crossovers, Marvel has done a poor job of promoting themselves outside of the comic shop. You want proof? Marvel did have the highest number of direct-market comic title sales (i.e. individual comic books) for 2008, but they didn't have ONE title on the Trade Paperbacks (i.e. the comic book collections that sell at Borders, Barnes and Noble and everywhere else). And let's not even discuss how - after being so careful to give Iron Man to a creative director and writer who were fans of the characters and determined to do it right - Marvel screwed things up by making Iron Man a bad guy nobody wanted to read about in every way that counts in the comics. Brilliant!
Pj Perez said:
MOTHERF*CKER.
If Jackson gets Billy Dee Williams'd, I'm resigning from F.O.O.M.
Motorthing said:
This is not good news. You have a slam-dunk, home-run, sure-fire hit in the wings with IM2 if you just don't cheap-out and fuck it up Marvel, so bite some pillow, pony-up and get the man on board - he's Cinematic Gold, as his recent record attests....er....OK.....scratch that bit about his recent record.....and for fucksake don't watch The Spirit.....
Snoodle said:
Come on Marvel, just do it. You need the good graces the film will get you more than you need a bit of cash.
That being said, seriously SLJ...you were in The Spirit. You were in Snakes on a Plane. You were in anything that anyone will throw you $10 to be in, and that's why we love you. It's not really a good idea to get picky.
dacalicious said:
At this point, Sam Jackson IS Billy Dee Williams. THE SPIRIT? LAKEVIEW TERRACE? SNAKES ON A MUTHABLAH BLAH BLAH PLANE? The joke has worn thin. & his joking about an economic crisis at a time like this is pretty I'm-rich-so-fuck-you tasteless to the rest of us.
MyNoNos said:
I'm with Snoodle and the rest of you on SLJ seemingly taking on any role for any price, but we might want to look at Marvel and it's business practices also.
I Terrance Howard is batshit insane and was asking for more cash than he was technically worth, but didnt they try to low ball Favreau initially as well?
I'm all about Marvel having creative control of their licenses, and with that making their own money, and with IM2 they will essentially be printing money.
Part of what made Iron Man so good was the great actors and the interactions there of. A word to Marvel, let's not fuck this up!
MyNoNos said:
I'm with Snoodle and the rest of you on SLJ seemingly taking on any role for any price, but we might want to look at Marvel and it's business practices also.
I Terrance Howard is batshit insane and was asking for more cash than he was technically worth, but didnt they try to low ball Favreau initially as well?
I'm all about Marvel having creative control of their licenses, and with that making their own money, and with IM2 they will essentially be printing money.
Part of what made Iron Man so good was the great actors and the interactions there of. A word to Marvel, let's not fuck this up!
Flipyap said:
I'm conflicted about this.
On one hand, it would be cool if they could cast the guy who "played" the role in many Ultimate Marvel comics, but at the same time, I'm sick of seeing this man everywhere.
Then again, you mostly see him in crap nowdays... so maybe it's a good sign if he doesn't show up in more Marvel movies? Hmm.
Teev said:
Maybe you would feel better if you did an inventory of the 10 best eyepatch-wearing badassess. Snake Plisskin, Nick Fury, Rooster Cogburn, Elle Driver, Saul Tigh, Lily Charles, etc.
I know I would feel better if I could read it.
Doctor Flarb said:
Damn. Maybe this will open the door to Jackson playing the role of John Stewart in a Green Lantern film.
Make it happen, DC. Samuel L Jackson in a green spandex suit is a license to print money.
Massacre Mike said:
Personally, I'd much prefer to see the real Marvel Universe version of Nick Fury over the Ultimates version of Nick Fury. I'm a stickler for the old school stuff. I'm not a fan of characters changing race or changing sex. That's just me though.
Oh, and I don't think Sammy Jackson is all that. The large portion of everything he's done since Pulp Fiction is that same, slightly low-life, fowl-mouthed, cooler-than-thow sorta character and to me it comes off as kinda fake. It's not the sorta bad-ass that is Nick Fury. Not for me and not in my opinion anyway. I'm sure he'd do a fine job. I'm just wondering if there might be someone better and if it might be better to go with the traditional Nick Fury over the 21st Century/Ultimates incarnation of Nick Fury.
NeoXorn said:
Tsk. Tsk!
What the hell?!
So what's the next news, Marvel? Hasselhoff will get the part?
Samuel L. Jackson IS the ULTIMATE Nick Fury!
