‘Tulsa King’ Season 3 First Look Reveals Samuel L. Jackson Alongside Sylvester Stallone

Samuel L. Jackson is one of those actors who instantly captures the attention of audiences as soon as he appears on the screen. From starring in classic movies to dramas, the veteran actor is either cursing someone out in a scene or portraying the ultimate cool guy. That’s why he was the perfect choice to star in NOLA King, Paramount+’s Tulsa King spin-off. When news first broke that the Sylvester Stallone-led crime drama series was getting a spin-off, fans were waiting for an official series order, and according to Deadline, the streaming service recently confirmed it. If you’re wondering how the show will kick things off, Jackson’s character will appear in a few episodes of Tulsa King‘s upcoming season 3.

Paramount+ released a first-look image of Jackson in episode 309 of the original series. Deadline reports that the actor will play Russell Lee Washington Jr. In the photo, you can see him sitting in a reserved booth with Stallone’s Dwight Manfredi. Just from the picture alone, you can tell Jackson’s character is similar to Stallone’s dominant leading role. Russell Lee Washington Jr. befriended Manfredi while in federal prison, during a decade-long stint. However, he was released and sent to Tulsa by New York’s Renzetti crime family to take out his old friend for good.

Instead, Washington becomes inspired by Dwight’s hustle mentality and goes to the place he calls home: New Orleans. Although he hasn’t been there in over four decades, the character sees the possibility of a second chance to connect with old friends, family, and to become the King of the city with so much potential. This takeover isn’t without challenges, as he becomes a target of his former New York employers, old NOLA foes, and cops. NOLA King is executive produced by Jackson, Stallone, and creator Taylor Sheridan. Production might start in February 2026, and was originally written by Tulsa King and Mayor of Kingstown’s showrunner, Dave Erickson.

Paramount+’s Co-CEO Said Samuel L. Jackson Is “The Perfect Choice”

Dave Erickson was supposed to be the showrunner of the spin-off as well, but had to step down due to schedule conflicts, so the search continues for another showrunner. Deadline also revealed that it was Co-CEO of Paramount Global and President of Showtime/MTV Entertainment Chris McCarthy’s idea to expand the Tulsa King universe the way Sheridan did with the hit neo-Western Yellowstone. McCarthy brought the idea up to Stallone, who called it “game-changing.”

“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.”

Take a look at Samuel L. Jackson’s resume, and you’ll see that the actor takes his roles seriously, whether they’re small or not. He has a chance to make NOLA King just as popular as the original series, and Jackson has the support of Paramount+’s Co-CEO of Paramount Global.

“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. 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.”

Source: Deadline

Tulsa King

Release Date

November 13, 2022

Network

Paramount+

Directors

Allen Coulter, Benjamin Semanoff, David Semel, Guy Ferland, Joshua Marston, Kevin Dowling, Lodge Kerrigan, Jim McKay

Writers

Joseph Riccobene, David Flebotte, William Schmidt, Taylor Elmore, Tom Sierchio, Regina Corrado, Stephen Scaia