Film star Samuel L. Jackson announced plans yesterday to direct, star and produce a new movie in Madison entitled “Badgers on a Bus.” In what is being called the spiritual successor to “Snakes on a Plane,” Jackson plans to shoot on location at UW-Madison, which has many students and retailers excited.
“I haven’t been this pumped since they released the director’s cut of ‘Deep Blue Sea,’” gushed UW-Madison sophomore and Jackson aficionado Jon Spike.
When asked to comment, Jackson spoke passionately about the project. “Well, I had been trying to move away from the nonsense of ‘Snakes on a Plane’ by concentrating on more serious roles, like ‘Pootie Tang 2’ and ‘You Got Served: Mission to Mars,’ but this movie was just meant to be, Jackson said.
The idea for “Badgers” originated while Jackson was working on the film “Ninja Babysitters.” While relieving himself in the woods, Jackson inadvertently urinated in a mother badger’s den, causing the irate badger to bite his ankle in retaliation. “That’s when I knew this movie had to be made,” Jackson said, who envisions ‘Badgers’ as being a hybrid between “Speed” and “Strange Wilderness.”
To make the movie as authentic as possible, Jackson plans to hold an open casting call for Badger Bus employees to fill the role of the bus driver. Some, including veteran driver Danny Marchewka, see this as a golden opportunity.
“I was a theatre major in college, so I think the stars have really aligned for me. Plus, I can show Sam my screenplay!” Marchewka said, who mentioned his role in “Sweeney Todd” as “Man in Crowd Number 5” gave him the dramatic experience he needed to land the role.
Marchewka is not the only one with Hollywood aspirations, however. Chancellor John Wiley was reportedly seen pacing back and forth muttering quotes from “Pulp Fiction” under his breath, no doubt an attempt to curry the favor of Jackson to land a leading role.
“He could have made ‘Gophers on a Go-Kart’ or ‘Hoosiers on a Hummer’, but the esteemed Samuel L. Jackson has chosen our university and we are very honored,” Wiley said, who insisted at the press conference reporters call him “Jonathan L. Wiley,” and left no doubt that Madison now has Samuel L. Jackson fever.
