The first trailer for ‘The Thicket,’ a dark western thriller featuring Metallica’s James Hetfield just arrived.
It is seen that the frontman appears in more than one scene. Hetfield plays a sheriff in the film. We don’t hear him speak but he gets in a gunfight. The trailer shows Hetfield firing a gun and walking through snow.
‘The Thicket’ also stars Peter Dinklage, Juliette Lewis, Esmé Creed-Miles, Levon Hawke, Leslie Grace, Gbenga Akinnagbe, Macon Blair, Ned Dennehy, Andrew Schulz, and Arliss Howard.
Dinklage plays Shorty, a bounty hunter. He is hired to find a kidnapped woman. The movie is set in the early 1900s and follows Shorty and his team into the dangerous Big Thicket.
How Did Hetfield Take Part In The Movie?
The film was made last year with Elliott Lester directing and Christopher Kelly writing the script. Lester told Collider about adding Hetfield to the film:
“The casting of James Hetfield in ‘The Thicket’ is a story that feels almost destined. It all began with a dream — one morning I woke up with a clear vision that James had to be in the movie. James Hetfield, a Rock God, embodies a raw poetry that fit perfectly with the character we envisioned. From that moment, Peter Dinklage and I were relentless in our pursuit. We tried every possible avenue: his manager, mutual friends, anyone who could help us reach him.”
The director continued, sharing how they finally connected with Hetfield:
“Our breakthrough came when writer/director Sacha Gervasi [‘Anvil! The Story Of Anvil’], who had a connection to James, stepped in. Despite our efforts, we were unsure if James would even consider the role. We sent him the script, along with a Hail Mary, and waited. To our delight, within days we heard that James was interested. The meeting that followed confirmed our hopes.”
Lester revealed how James reacted:
“James could not have been more humble. He revealed that he had always wanted to do a dark western, aligning perfectly with our film’s vision. From that point on, James was incredible. He was hard-working, diligent, and fully embraced his role with a passion that brought a unique intensity to the film. The journey with James has been extraordinary, and his presence truly elevates ‘The Thicket’ to a new level.”
Based on Joe R. Lansdale’s novel, ‘The Thicket’ will be in theaters on Friday, September 6. This is the second time Hetfield has played a cop. He was Officer Bob Hayward in the 2019 Ted Bundy movie ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile.’