Samuel L. Jackson has been one of Hollywood’s most visible stars for over 25 years, with a staggering number of appearances in high-profile franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He’s rarely associated with horror movies, at least in the public eye, but he's carved out a quietly impressive resume in the genre nonetheless. His upcoming appearance in Spiral: From the Book of Saw has brought renewed attention to his darker films.
Jackson’s horror resume goes back to Def by Temptation and The Exorcist III, both of which he made as a working actor in the early 90s. His subsequent horror work covers a wide array of themes and subgenres, and he periodically returns to the genre every few years. The films provide a unique barometer for his very long career.
Jackson’s first horror film after The Exorcist III was Jurassic Park, where he played a key supporting role as the titular dinosaur preserve’s chief engineer. The movie was as much science fiction as horror, and Steven Spielberg’s family-friendly approach meant exposure to audiences who didn’t normally seek out horror. His affinity for blockbusters subsequently found its way to similar projects like Kong: Skull Island, which crossed genre barriers and gave him another platform to connect with more casual horror fans. He also slipped frightening elements into overtly non-frightening films, such as Star War: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith when his death at Palpatine’s hands carries shocking overtures of body horror.
The same technique applied to some of Jackson's quieter projects: most notably his work with director Kasi Lemmons. Both Eve’s Bayou and The Caveman’s Valentine contain strong elements of Gothic horror and insanity, the polar opposite from the giant monsters of Jurassic Park and Skull Island. Instead of playing against large effects and responding, he turned inward and found dark things inside his character's souls. As with Revenge of the Sith, he brought the same energy to more tangential projects such as The Red Violin, an ostensible historic drama with horror undercurrents.
Jackson’s star power comes with an undeniable persona, and while he often vanishes into his role, horror gives him a chance to lean into audience expectations. For instance, 1408 depicted a paranormal skeptic trapped inside a haunted hotel room. The film had a PG-13 rating, which meant the f-word could only be used once. Naturally, it went to Jackson, playing the cryptic hotel manager trying to talk the skeptic out of it, rather than John Cusack, playing the skeptic who subsequently has to suffer the torments of the damned. Cusack and Jackson also played opposite each other in another Stephen King adaptation, Cell, which had no such limitations.
That tendency led to perhaps his two most notable horror appearances: both of them less than classic movies that gained memorability through his presence. Snakes on a Plane earned a great deal of buzz when he famously agreed to star in the project provided they didn’t change the name. The film’s early attempt to generate internet buzz bombed, but its star’s tongue-in-cheek take ensured that everyone took it in good spirits. However, Snakes on a Plane pales in comparison to Deep Blue Sea, a decent if unremarkable summer action film about marine biologists hunted by super-intelligent sharks. Jackson’s character paused in the film's middle for an unexpected, thunderous speech, setting up a brilliant shock that the rest of Deep Blue Sea couldn’t quite match. It wouldn’t have worked with any other actor, and he happily became the butt of the joke for the sake of a truly memorable horror moment.
Jackson’s periodic return to horror suggests he doesn’t consider the genre beneath him. He hasn’t limited his excursions into the genre to a single type of horror film. This has helped him avoid pigeonholing while dabbling in a range of scary pictures. They don’t always stand out, and some of the choicest came amid the shadows of bigger and splashier productions. However, they speak to just how much Jackson has accomplished in his career, as well as the never-ending joys of giving the audience a good scare.