Tubi Films has unveiled the first images for its upcoming dark western thriller The Thicket, which will star Metallica frontman and actor James Hetfield.
Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”) stars as Shorty, a bounty hunter tasked with finding a kidnapped woman in the ruthless wilds of the early 20th century. The film follows Shorty and his companions as they venture into the treacherous Big Thicket in pursuit of the culprit.
Hetfield joins a star-studded ensemble that includes Juliette Lewis (“Yellowjackets”), Esmé Creed-Miles (“Hanna”), Levon Hawke (The Crowded Room), Leslie Grace (In The Heights), and Gbenga Akinnagbe (The Old Man).
Director Elliott Lester describes the casting of James Hetfield as a stroke of fate. Inspired by a vision, Lester and co-star Peter Dinklage relentlessly pursued Hetfield for the role. Their efforts paid off, with Hetfield expressing a lifelong desire to act in a dark western.
Hetfield previously played a police officer in the Ted Bundy biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile. He has also lent his voice to multiple characters in the series “Metelocalypse,” as well as “The Simpsons,” “American Dad,” and “Dave the Barbarian.”
Lester praised Hetfield’s talent in a statement to Collider.
“The casting of James Hetfield in ‘The Thicket’ is a story that feels almost destined. It all began with a dream — one morning I woke up with a clear vision that James had to be in the movie. James Hetfield, a Rock God, embodies a raw poetry that fit perfectly with the character we envisioned. From that moment, Peter Dinklage and I were relentless in our pursuit. We tried every possible avenue: his manager, mutual friends, anyone who could help us reach him. Our breakthrough came when writer/director Sacha Gervasi [‘Anvil! The Story Of Anvil’], who had a connection to James, stepped in. Despite our efforts, we were unsure if James would even consider the role.
We sent him the script, along with a Hail Mary, and waited. To our delight, within days we heard that James was interested. The meeting that followed confirmed our hopes. James could not have been more humble. He revealed that he had always wanted to do a dark western, aligning perfectly with our film’s vision. From that point on, James was incredible. He was hard-working, diligent, and fully embraced his role with a passion that brought a unique intensity to the film. The journey with James has been extraordinary, and his presence truly elevates ‘The Thicket’ to a new level.”
The Thicket, adapted from Joe R. Lansdale’s novel of the same name, will premiere on September 6th, 2024.
