New Line Cinema has released the first trailer for the upcoming action comedyShaft, which is an all-new take on the legendary private eye. The film is loosely connected to the 2000Shaftreboot starringSamuel L. Jackson, which itself was based on the 1971 film starringRichard Roundtree. Jackson reprises his role as John Shaft, while Roundtree also repriseshisrole as Shaft’s father—the O.G. John Shaft—as the story brings together three generations of private eyes withJesse T. Usherplaying the long lost son of Jackson’s character. Cultures clash as Usher very much appears to provide the “woke millennial” take on the Shaft character, with Jackson and Roundtree going old school.
This new film boasts some impressive talent behind the scenes, and it shows.Kenya Baris(Black-ish) andAlex Barnow(The Goldbergs) wrote the screenplay, whileTim Story(Ride Along) is in the director’s chair. There’s a solid comedic undertone to the whole proceedings, and I like that they didn’t just bring Usher in to play yet another macho badass private eye. He provides a nice contrast to the proceedings, and adding the incredibly talentedRegina Hallinto the mix as Usher’s mother is a stroke of genius.
Check out theShafttrailer below, followed by the poster. The film also starsAlexandra Shipp,Matt Lauria,Titus Welliver, andCliff “Method Man” Smith.Shaftopens in theaters on June 14th.
Here’s the official synopsis forShaft:
JJ, aka John Shaft Jr. (Jesse T. Usher), may be a cyber security expert with a degree from MIT, but to uncover the truth behind his best friend’s untimely death, he needs an education only his dad can provide. Absent throughout JJ’s youth, the legendary locked-and-loaded John Shaft (Samuel L. Jackson) agrees to help his progeny navigate Harlem’s heroin-infested underbelly. And while JJ’s own FBI analyst’s badge may clash with his dad’s trademark leather duster, there’s no denying family. Besides, Shaft’s got an agenda of his own, and a score to settle that’s professionalandpersonal.
