Laurence Fishburne Discusses New Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Slingshot’ and His Iconic Superman Role

Laurence Fishburne, the celebrated actor renowned for his diverse and impactful roles, is back in the spotlight with his latest project, Slingshot. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Fishburne delved into the intricacies of his role in the new sci-fi thriller and took a moment to reflect on his memorable portrayal of Perry White in the Superman films.

Slingshot, directed by Mikael Hafstrom, is set to debut this weekend. The film, which stars Fishburne as Captain Franks, revolves around a perilous multi-year mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. As the mission progresses, tensions rise among the crew, especially when fellow astronaut John, portrayed by Casey Affleck, begins to struggle with his grip on reality.

Despite his extensive background in the science fiction genre, Fishburne emphasized that his focus on Slingshot was purely driven by the story itself, not by a desire to surpass his previous work. “I’m not thinking about the other things that I’ve done in the genre,” Fishburne explained. “With Slingshot, I was just really intrigued by the story and very surprised at the twist and the way that everything resolves itself—or doesn’t resolve itself, depending upon your point of view. It was written in such a way that I couldn’t figure out where it was going, and that is very exciting for me.”

Fishburne also praised Hafstrom and the film’s design team for their innovative approach, which made the spaceship environment both vast and confined. “The ship is deceptively small and large,” he noted. “It’s basically a circle, so there are times when it seems really huge, and then there are these other places in it where it’s really tight and cramped, and you can’t turn around without stepping on somebody.”

The actor expressed his enthusiasm for working alongside Casey Affleck, whom he admires greatly. “I’m a big fan of Casey’s work and always wanted to work with him,” Fishburne said, comparing Affleck’s acting style to the late trumpeter Chet Baker. “He’s really cool. He’s got this great sense of lyricism, sense of humor, a great sense of romance, and this beautiful melancholy. He has a genuine intelligence and a great vulnerability and sensitivity that I just really, really admire.”

In addition to Slingshot, Fishburne continues to be a significant force in the entertainment industry with upcoming projects such as Megalopolis, The Astronaut, and the animated film Transformers One. His recent roles, including Bill Foster in Marvel’s Ant-Man and the Wasp and Perry White in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, have further solidified his legacy.

Reflecting on his portrayal of Perry White, Fishburne expressed pride in his contribution to the Superman films. “That was beautiful. Man of Steel is a wonderful movie. If I’ve been influential in any way in terms of that whole nontraditional casting thing, I love it. That’s great,” he said.

When asked about the possibility of returning as the Silver Surfer, a character he voiced in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, Fishburne responded with a laugh, “Well, we’ll see.”

As he looks back on his prolific career, Fishburne acknowledged the recent surge in projects, attributing it to the pandemic and industry strikes. “It’s weird,” he admitted, “It’s just a lot of stuff.”

In conclusion, Fishburne reflected on his journey in the film industry with gratitude. “It’s been a beautiful, beautiful career, and I’m extremely grateful for all of it,” he said.