Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Hart are greatly known for their work on the silver screen, as the two actors stay booked when it comes to movie gigs. However, from time to time, they also dip their toes into the TV sphere. Well, it would seem that the two A-listers are collaborating on a brand-new production that’s set to hit the small screen. The stars are joining forces for a true crime series that’s being produced for streaming. A few details are already known about the project and, all in all, it sounds epic!
The Oscar nominee is joining the veteran stand-up comedian in the upcoming show Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist. An offering that’ll be available for Peacock subscribers, the limited series is based on the Fight Night podcast. Shaye Ogbonna serves as the show’s creator and is taking on showrunner duties alongside Jason Horwitch. As explained by Variety, the production received a series order from the aforementioned streaming service in December, with the Jumanji star already attached to serve as the star and executive producer. Among the EPs joining him is Will Packer, whose past credits include, Think Like a Man, Girls Trip and the 2023 holiday flick Dashing Through The Snow.
Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is set to the backdrop of 1970 Atlanta, and the show’s events are set in motion due to an armed robbery that takes place the night of Muhammed Ali’s comeback fight. As of this writing, Kevin Hart’s role is unknown, but Samuel L. Jackson’s has been revealed – and it’s really juicy. Jackson is set to play Frank Moten, an infamous crime boss of that era who was ominously known as “The Black Godfather.”
This has the makings of what could be an intriguing piece of TV. The premise for this period piece is interesting and will shine a light on historical events that haven’t received wide attention. It’ll also be fun to see the veteran Marvel actor sink his teeth into a role that should allow him to flex his more malicious acting muscles. As for the Ride Along star, it’s interesting that he’s slowly but surely moving into more serious fare. He’s done dramedies like The Upside and Fatherhood, but he also has True Story (which is similar to a few other crime shows) under his belt.
Kevin Hart’s TV-related career moves over the past few years have been intriguing. True Story (which is available to Netflix subscription holders) is a prime example of that. He’s also served as the lead of Die Hart, an action-comedy series that has aired two seasons across the now-defunct Quibi as well as The Roku Channel. What’s somewhat ironic about the upcoming true crime show is that it’s similar to Hart’s latest Netflix movie, Lift, which also focuses on a heist. However, that’s going to be a lot more comedic than the small-screen period piece.
As for Samuel L. Jackson, he’s headlined or appeared in a few streaming shows as of late. 2022 saw him play the eponymous character in the drama limited series The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, which Apple TV+ subscribers tuned in for. In 2023, Disney+ subscription holders also saw the star reprise his role as Nick Fury in Secret Invasion. Jackson, that same year, appeared as Fury again in a few episodes of What If…? Season 2.
It goes without saying that Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Hart are both on-screen forces in their own rights. So it’ll be interesting to see how their talents collide when they appear in their latest project. Let’s hope it turns out to be a thoroughly compelling production that’s as awesome as it sounds.
A release window for Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist has yet to be revealed. With that, be sure that you keep your eyes on the 2024 TV schedule so that you’ll know when it lands.
