Paramount+ gave a series order to “NOLA King,” the first spinoff of the hit series “Tulsa King,” with Samuel L. Jackson signed on to star and EP the show.
Jackson will play Russell Lee Washington Jr., a former federal inmate who met Stallone’s character, Dwight Manfredi, in prison. The character will be introduced in the upcoming Season 3 of “Tulsa King,” which premieres this September, before spinning off into his own New Orleans-based storyline. “NOLA King” will follow Washington as he returns to his hometown to reclaim his life and power, sparking conflict with both New York and local adversaries.
“Inspired by what Dwight created in Tulsa and impressed with the possibilities of second chances, Washington returns to New Orleans, the home he abandoned forty-years ago, to rekindle his relationship with his family, friends, and to take control of the city he left behind. In so doing, he incurs the wrath of his former employers in New York, and makes himself vulnerable to old NOLA foes, both criminal and cop,” the official synopsis reads.
The series is executive produced by Oscar nominees Taylor Sheridan, Stallone and Jackson, alongside David C. Glasser, Ron Burkle, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Michael Friedman and Keith Cox. It will be produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios, with Paramount Global Content Distribution handling global distribution outside Paramount+ markets.
“Samuel L. Jackson brings unparalleled presence and global appeal, making him the perfect choice to maximize the momentum of one of our biggest hits and transform it into a hit franchise,” Chris McCarthy, Co-CEO of Paramount Global and president of Showtime/MTV Entertainment, said in a statement. “Building on the breakout success of Sylvester Stallone’s “Tulsa King,” audiences will now experience the full force of Jackson’s dynamic, layered performance — supercharging one of Paramount+’s flagship series.”
Sylvester Stallone praised the expansion of the series, saying, “Chris McCarthy came to me with a game-changing idea: to elevate my show beyond a mob boss series, creating a dynamic, family-driven franchise. I was immediately on board. Sam Jackson is the only choice to anchor this new adventure in NOLA and David Glasser and 101 are the perfect partner to bring it to life.”
The spinoff comes on the heels of the breakout success of “Tulsa King” as the #1 global Paramount+ original series of 2024 and a Top 10 SVOD original in Q4. The announcement reflects Paramount’s strategy to extend the “Tulsa King” universe into a broader franchise.
Jackson’s inclusion adds significant star power to the franchise. With over 150 film credits and a global box office gross of nearly $15 billion, he is among the highest-grossing actors in cinema history. Jackson’s iconic performances include movies “Pulp Fiction,” the Marvel Cinematic Universe, “Star Wars” and “The Incredibles.” He has received Academy Award, Emmy, Golden Globe, SAG and Tony Award nominations, and is the recipient of a BAFTA Award, two Independent Spirit Awards and four NAACP Image Awards. In 2022, in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to cinema, Jackson received an Honorary Academy Award.
