Hollywood star SAMUEL L. JACKSON is set to play an evil 'Octopus' in a big screen adaptation of comic book The Spirit.
The actor is in talks to play a supervillain in the Frank Miller-directed film.
The movie follows the story of a young cop who is murdered on duty, but reborn as a mystery masked man called The Spirit.
Jackson will play a lab assistant who reinvents himself as The Spirit's arch nemesis, Octopus.
Miller, who adapted the film from a Will Eisner comic book, will makes his solo directing debut - after co-directing 2005's Sin City with Robert Rodriguez.