Samuel L. Jackson is returning for his fourth stint as host of the sports-centric ESPY Awards this summer.
The Oscar-nominated actor, who is also known as an avid golfer, previously hosted the ESPYs in 1999, 2001 and 2002. Last year’s event was hosted by Justin Timberlake.
The awards show, which pays kudos to the year’s top sports performances and moments, will tape July 15 and air July 19 on ESPN. The event, which usually takes place at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, moves this year to the Nokia Theater in downtown Los Angeles.
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In an innovative promotional move for new movie “Snakes on a Plane,” Samuel L. Jackson is making (kind of) personal phone calls urging viewers to see the flick.
The campaign was launched by “Snakes” studio New Line Cinema and VariTalk, a company specializing in cell phone marketing.
Those wanting to check out the nifty technology can log-on to snakesonaplane.varitalk.com. After entering a friend’s cell phone number, their name, and a few details about their personality and life, a custom phone message is generated in Jackson’s voice. The message can then be sent by phone or e-mail.
“This is what we have done throughout the entire ‘Snakes’ campaign — allow people to take ownership of the film and its marketing messages,” said New Line marketing chief Russell Schwartz. “However, the fact that there have been over 1.5 million calls placed within the first week is astounding to us.”
The film itself — which seems to have become a secondary entity to the hype, jokes and ad campaigns — opens on Friday, August 18.
50 Cent is in final negotiations to star in Home of the Brave, a dramatic wartime film concerning the conflict in Iraq.
Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Biel, Christina Ricci and Brian Presley have already signed on to star in the project, which follows three soldiers and the difficult adjustments they must make upon their return home from the battlefield.
The independently financed film will begin shooting next month in Morocco with a budget of U.S.$12 million. When production moves to Spokane, Washington, producers will then approach studios for a distribution deal.
