©The Hollywood Reporter - Paramount+NOLA King follows Russell Lee Washington Jr., who, after serving a ten-year prison sentence, befriends Dwight Manfredi (Stallone). At the behest of New York's Renzetti crime family, he is sent to Tulsa to eliminate Dwight.
Inspired by what Dwight has built there and moved by the idea of a second chance, Washington decides to return to his birthplace, New Orleans—a city he left behind forty years earlier. There, he attempts to rebuild relationships with his family and old friends and regain control of the city. His return, however, ignites conflict with his former New York clients and reopens old wounds with New Orleans enemies, both inside and outside the law.
The series marks a milestone in Jackson's career: his first starring role in an ongoing television series. Although he previously appeared in limited series like The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+) and Secret Invasion (Marvel/Disney+), this marks his first time helming a television franchise. For Sheridan and Paramount+, his casting is a significant step in expanding the Tulsa King universe.
Samuel L. Jackson, known worldwide for over 150 films such as Pulp Fiction, Jurassic Park, and the Avengers franchise, was named the highest-grossing actor of all time in 2023, with a combined box office total of over $7 billion.
Chris McCarthy, co-CEO of Paramount Global, called Jackson the perfect choice to expand Tulsa King into a franchise: "His charisma and global appeal make him uniquely suited to add a new dynamic to this series." Sylvester Stallone also expressed enthusiasm for the project: "When Chris McCarthy approached me with the idea of taking the series to the next level—towards a family-driven franchise—I was immediately sold. Sam Jackson was the only logical choice to carry this new storyline in New Orleans."
