Here’s a First Look at James Hetfield Playing a Lawman in Western Thriller The Thicket
For a dude that’s played in a thrash metal band all his life, it really looks like James Hetfield‘s got an affinity for law enforcement. Dude played a cop for his acting debut in that Ted Bundy biopic Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile and now we’re getting a first glimpse at his role in an upcoming western thriller titled The Thicket.
This news isn’t exactly new, as we previously reported on this movie back in March 2023. The photo posted above was also released online right at the tail end of June, so we’re a little behind on this one too. Still, it’s the first time I’m getting a look at this, so you get to see it too.
As you can see in the Facebook post shared below, the movie was made for online streaming platform Tubi and was shot in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Hetfield’s starring in the movie alongside Levon Hawke, Esmé Creed-Miles, Juliette Lewis, Peter Dinklage, Gbenga Akinnagbe, and Leslie Grace.
The movie is actually an adaptation of and shares its name with the Joe R. Lansdale novel of the same name. Though it wasn’t initially reported what Hetfield’s role would be, we now know the dude’s a lawman — you know, the hall monitors of the wild west. (Does this mean that if ACAB that now includes Hetfield? I hope not…)
While speaking about Hetfield’s involvement in the film, director Elliott Lester told Collider that he was extremely adamant that they get the Metallica frontman into the movie.
“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. 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.
“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.”
According to Deadline, the film will be released in theaters on Friday, September 6.
