Samuel L. Jackson Will Produce the Live Action ‘Afro Samurai’ Movie

Takashi Okazaki’s legendary manga comic Afro Samurai has moved even more into the mainstream, this time with actor extraordinaire Samuel L. Jackson jumping into the producer role — not all that much of a surprise since Jackson is the voice behind the samurai.

Word has it that the film will commence shooting next year in the Dominican Republic. No word on who’s attached to star, but Jackson’s dedication and enthusiasm for the project is very very promising.

Los Angeles, CA – July 21, 2011 – It was announced today that The Indomina Group, the fast-growing U.S. and Dominican Republic based producer and distributor of film, TV and trans-media content, is teaming with Samuel L. Jackson and Gonzo Studios to produce a new live action film based on the popular “Afro Samurai” animated series that has spawned an impressive franchise and a global following. The announcement was made by Indomina Group Vice Chairman and CEO Jasbinder Singh Mann who will serve as producer with Samuel L. Jackson and Gonzo Studios’ Shin Ishikawa. Eli Selden of Anonymous Content is executive producing.

Academy Award® nominee Samuel L. Jackson has been close to the franchise for a number of years having voiced Afro Samurai for the 2007 anime TV mini-series “Afro Samurai” and again for the 2009 Emmy® winning animated TV movie “Afro Samurai: Resurrection.”

Said Jackson, “This has been one of my very favorite properties ever since our amazing debut at Comic Con with the original series pilot out of Japan. I can’t wait to produce the epic feature film version with our new partners at The Indomina Group.”

“When Indomina was launched, ‘Afro Samurai’ was quickly identified as the perfect property for us to option and exploit through our vertical channels targeted to a fanboy audience,” said Singh Mann. “We never took our eyes off the property and are very pleased to not only have the opportunity now to make an extraordinary film, but to do it with Samuel L. Jackson, who is just as passionate about ‘Afro Samurai’ as we are. This is a perfect collaboration in the eyes of Indomina. We look forward to going to work with Sam and Gonzo on this and making something discernibly unique.”

Producers plan to attach a writer and director this summer and complete casting by the end of the year. The film will be shot at Pinewood Indomina Studios in the Dominican Republic in 2012.

Indomina optioned the rights to “Afro Samurai” from Japanese rights holder Gonzo and will make “Afro Samurai” the first feature film production from The Indomina Group, which over the last six months has debuted its North American distribution arm (Indomina Releasing), international sales division (Indomina International) and Studio operations and facilities (Pinewood Indomina Studios).

Stacey Smart Stanley is overseeing the project’s development for Indomina while Chris Carlisle will be point person for Gonzo.

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