Jackson’s Shaft Sequel Targeting Atlanta

A new Shaft movie starring Samuel L. Jackson will be filming in Atlanta in December. Jackson, of course, starred in the 2000 version of the Blaxploitation franchise, which was less a reboot than a continuation, as he played the nephew of Richard Roundtree’s original 1970s John Shaft. This new one, currently titled Son of Shaft, also fits that description, with Jessie T. Usher (Survivor’s Remorse, Independence Day: Resurgence) playing Jackson’s spawn, an FBI agent and cyber security whiz. Alexandra Shipp (X-Men: Apocalypse) is also in the announced cast, with Tim Story (Ride Along) directing. Roundtree is expected to show his face as well. In an unprecedented deal, Netflix will pony up more than half of the $30 million budget in exchange for the rights to stream the film outside the U.S. two weeks after New Line releases it theatrically in the States.