Samuel L. Jackson Set To Join Chris Pratt In New 'Garfield' Animated Movie

Movie star Samuel L. Jackson's versatility in acting can hardly be called into question given that the renowned actor has starred in a range of films since he rose to fame in the Hollywood classic "Jungle Fever."

The 73-year-old is most known for his roles in action flicks, mostly portraying a hard-core, sarcastic, foul-mouthed character, as seen in "Django," "The Hitman's Bodyguard," and many Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster blockbusters.

Beyond that, Jackson has shown a knack for voicing characters in animated films, documentaries, television programs, and video games, racking up a slew of credits over his 50-plus years illustrious career.

Now, the Hollywood legend has signed on to lend his voice to Alcon Entertainment's forthcoming animated theatrical motion film based on the renowned comic strip "Garfield."

The upcoming "Garfield" film is directed by "Emperor's New Groove" Mark Dindal and is based on Jim Davis' renowned comic strip of the same name. Like the previous film installments, it will center on the life of a cynical and lethargic orange cat, particularly his relationships with his owner, Jon Arbuckle, and his fellow pet, Odie.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jackson will play Garfield's father Vic, a brand-new character not seen in previous chapters of the franchise. Pratt was also previously confirmed as the voice of the lasagna-loving, Monday-hating comic strip cat.

The new screenplay was developed by the scriptwriting trio of David Reynolds, Paul A. Kaplan, and Mark Torgove, while Alcon Entertainment and DNEG Animation will animate and produce the film. Heading the production team are Alcon co-founders and co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove, DNEG CEO Namit Malhotra and President Tom Jacomb, with John Cohen and Steven P. Wegner rounding up the list.

Davis, Bridget McMeel, and Craig Sost will exec produce, and Sony Pictures will handle film distribution across the globe.

The Garfield comic strip debuted in 1978. Since then, the title character has been voiced by several people in different on-screen adaptations. Bill Murray was the most recent actor to lend his voice to the grumpy feline, appearing in "Garfield: The Movie" in 2004 and "Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties" in 2006.

Fans are eager to watch Jackson's performance, which will take on a unique viewpoint not seen in prior versions. However, it's uncertain what Vic's role will be in the film, as the showrunners are still keeping all the important details under wraps.

Given Jackson's background, one can only presume Garfield inherited his father's personality. Similarly, it can allude that Vic would be a screen extension of Jackson's now-famous persona as one of the most foul-mouthed actors in Hollywood.

Having recently courted a certain amount of controversy, some on the internet have advocated for Pratt to get replaced with someone else. However, director James Gunn alongside many Hollywood celebrities, has backed up the actor, who next appears in "Jurassic World Dominion" and Marvel's "Thor: Love and Thunder."

Given his previous history with other animated films, Jackson is hyped to deliver a stellar performance in the upcoming movie.

The actor portrayed Lucius Best/Frozone in the Pixar animation "The Incredibles" and its sequel "Incredibles 2." He also starred as Whiplash in "Turbo," played the lead role in the anime television series Afro Samurai and acted as Frank Tenpenny in the video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas."

Over the years, the 73-year-old has appeared in more than 150 films, including award-winning blockbusters such as "Pulp Fiction." His feature film career has grossed billions of dollars, making him one of Hollywood's most successful performers.

Jackson received an Honorary Governors Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in March 2022, a fitting cap to his exceptional contribution to the film industry.

In addition to producing a live-action rendition of "Afro Samurai," the Hollywood icon will play Sho'nuff in a remake of "The Last Dragon." He'll also star in "The Marvels," the sequel to the superhero blockbuster "Captain Marvel" from 2019.

In a recent interview, Jackson hinted that he might feature in the third installment of Marvel's Ant-Man saga, "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania," but he has yet to confirm the news openly. Jackson will also reprise his Marvel persona in the forthcoming Disney+ series "Secret Invasion." Ben Mendelsohn plays Talos with Cobie Smulders, Martin Freeman, and Don Cheadle, also featuring in the film.

The series began filming in September 2020, with London as the initial location, and ended in late April 2022. Filming also took place in West Yorkshire and Liverpool, England. "Secret Invasion" will consist of six episodes and premiere later in 2022 as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Four.