The Wrap is tonight reporting that “the cat that won’t cop out when there’s danger all about”, John Shaft, is set to undergo the reboot treatment after New Line Cinema acquired the rights to the franchise, alongside John Davis of Davis Entertainment.
Based on the 1970 novel of the same name, the original 1971 film Shaft starred Richard Roundtree in the title role with Gordon Parks behind the camera. Roundtree later returned in sequels Shaft’s Big Score a year later, and Shaft in Africa in 1973, which then led to a short lived TV series. In 2000, Roundtree returned as the original Shaft for a cameo in the Samuel L. Jackson reboot, which saw Jackson play Shaft’s nephew, also called John Shaft, as he tried to take down Christian Bale’s spoilt rich kid who is accused of a racially-motivated murder. John Singleton directed the most recent version.
While no new actor has been sought out just yet for the role, there is no clear word as yet as to whether the new version will be a straight remake of the original film/book, or if it will be a “reinterpretation” of the character.
So, who could play Shaft this time out? Idris Elba or Will Smith seem like obvious choices, as well as the likes of David Oleyowo and Anthony Mackie, or perhaps they could go younger with someone like Michael B. Jordan. Give us your thoughts as always in the comments section below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QUX1lTmOqc&list=PL18yMRIfoszH_jfuJoo8HCG1-lGjvfH2F
Originally published February 18, 2015. Updated April 13, 2018.
