Samuel L. Jackson and Djimon Hounsou join Margot Robbie and Christoph Waltz in Warner Bros’ “Tarzan,” which stars Alexander Skarsgård as the hero.
David Yates (director of 4 “Harry Potter” movies) directs this adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ creation.
In this incarnation of the series, Tarzan will be re-assimilated into society, where he is asked by the Queen of England to investigate the wrongdoings of a warlord in the Congo with the help of an ex-mercenary. Jackson plays George Washington Williams, an ex-mercenary who teams up with Tarzan to save the Congo from the warlord who controls a massive diamond mine. And Hounsou plays the warlord – a wise old patriarch, as he’s described, who uses the superstitious fears of his people to his own ends, with the help of a witch-doctor.
It’s worth noting that George Washington Williams is a real life historical figure who was a Civil War veteran, and is maybe best known as the author of “History of the Negro Race in America,” widely considered the first objective history of African Americans. In addition to being an author, Williams was also a pastor, attorney and legislator, as the first African American to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives. What was his Congo connection in real life? He is said to have visited the country when it was controlled by Belgian King Leopold II, and was outspoken on the suffering the indigenous people experienced under Leopold’s rule – a humanitarian disaster that saw the death’s of millions, which Williams would report on. This was all in the late 1800s to early 1900s.
Williams own story could be at the center of a movie its own, don’t you think?
Jamie Foxx was apparently also in consideration for the role, but there were some scheduling difficulties.
This new Tarzan is being produced by Jerry Weintraub, Alan Riche, Peter Riche, Mike Richardson and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment.
“The Legend of Tarzan” as the movie is officially titled, will be released in July 2016.
I must say that I have absolutely no interest in seeing this; but I’m sure some of you do.
First trailer below:
