Search icon

Movies & TV

07th Feb 2019

#TRAILERCHEST: 19 years later, Samuel L. Jackson is back as Shaft

Rory Cashin

shaft

More Shaft than you can handle.

Welcome to #TrailerChest, where we’re taking a sneak peek at the brand new trailer for Shaft.

Plot’s it all about? Way back in 2000, Sam Jackson took up the mantle of John Shaft, kicking a not inconsiderable amount of ass in the process. It did okay at the box office ($107 million on a $48 million budget), and did okay with the critics (68% on Rotten Tomatoes), but while there was plenty of set-up for a sequel, one just never materialised.

Jump forward almost two decades, and that movie’s racially-charged action-thriller tone has been more-or-less completely replaced by this long-delayed sequel’s (or is it a reboot?) comedy vibe.

Here, Shaft’s son (played by Jessie T. Usher, best known for playing Will Smith’s grown-up son in the Independence Day sequel) is an IT expert who hires his dad to help uncover the shady dealings around the death of his best friend.

Cue the arrival of Shaft’s dad (played by the OG Shaft Richard Roundtree), as well as Shaft’s ex (Regina Hall – Scary Movie, Girl’s Trip), who also get on board the plot.

The fact that this one is directed by the guy behind the two Ride Along movies should tell you everything you need to know about the kind of comedic tone they’re aiming for here.

Starring: Samuel L. Jackson, Jessie T. Usher, Regina Hall, Richard Roundtree, Method Man.

Directed by: Tim Story

Irish release date: 14 June

Enjoy!

Clip via Warner Bros. Pictures

LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Conor Sketches | Tiger Woods loves Ger Loughnane and cosplaying as Charles LeClerc