Laurence Fishburne lauds writing of new sci-fi thriller 'Slingshot'

Laurence Fishburne. Pic/AFP

Laurence Fishburne, the acclaimed actor known for his versatile roles across genres, recently shared insights about his latest project, 'Slingshot', and reflected on his impactful portrayal of Perry White in the Superman films.

Fishburne's new sci-fi thriller, 'Slingshot', directed by Mikael Hafstrom and set to debut this weekend, features the actor as Captain Franks, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film follows a daring multi-year mission to Saturn's moon Titan, where Franks and his team face escalating tensions, particularly as fellow astronaut John, played by Casey Affleck, struggles with his grasp on reality.

Despite his extensive experience in the science fiction genre, Fishburne is not driven by the desire to outdo his previous work.

"I'm not thinking about the other things that I've done in the genre," Fishburne explained during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

"With 'Slingshot', I was just really intrigued by the story and very surprised at the twist and the way that everything resolves itself -- or doesn't resolve itself, depending upon your point of view. It was written in such a way that I couldn't figure out where it was going, and that is very exciting for me," he added.

The actor commended Hafstrom and the film's design team for their creative approach, which made the spaceship both expansive and claustrophobic.

"The ship is deceptively small and large," Fishburne quipped, adding, "It's basically a circle, so there are times when it seems to be really huge, and then there are these other places in it where it's really tight and cramped, and you can't turn around without stepping on somebody," during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Fishburne also expressed enthusiasm for working with Affleck, whom he admires greatly.

"I'm a big fan of Casey's work and always wanted to work with him," Fishburne said, likening Affleck's acting style to that of the late trumpeter Chet Baker.

"He's really cool. He's got this great sense of lyricism, sense of humor. He's got a great sense of romance. He's got this beautiful melancholy, this genuine intelligence and a great vulnerability and sensitivity that I just really, really admire," he said.

In addition to 'Slingshot', Fishburne continues to make waves in the entertainment industry with upcoming releases such as 'Megalopolis', 'The Astronaut', and the animated film 'Transformers One'.

His role as Bill Foster in Marvel's 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' and his portrayal of Perry White in Zack Snyder's 'Man of Steel' and 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' have also garnered significant attention.

Fishburne reflected on his portrayal of Perry White with pride, noting, "That was beautiful. 'Man of Steel' is a wonderful movie. If I've been influential in any way in terms of that whole nontraditional casting thing, I love it. That's great," during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

When asked about the potential return of his Silver Surfer character from 'Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer', Fishburne responded with a laugh, "Well, we'll see."

He also acknowledged the recent surge in his project lineup, attributing it to the pandemic and industry strike. "It's weird," Fishburne admits, "It's just a lot of stuff."

Reflecting on his prolific career, Fishburne concluded, "It's been a beautiful, beautiful career, and I'm extremely grateful for all of it."

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