Here Is The First Look At METALLICA's JAMES HETFIELD In Upcoming Dark Western Thriller 'The Thicket'

Tubi Films has released the first photos for its upcoming dark western thriller "The Thicket", which includes a role by METALLICA's James Hetfield. Check out the pictures below.

Based on Joe R. Lansdale's novel of the same name, "The Thicket" will be released in theaters on Friday, September 6.

Peter Dinklage plays Shorty, a bounty hunter enlisted to find a woman who has been kidnapped by a violent killer. The movie, which is set at the turn of the 20th century, follows Shorty and his fellow trackers as they travel into a violent and chaotic place known as the Big Thicket.

"The Thicket" also stars Juliette Lewis ("Yellowjackets"),Esmé Creed-Miles ("Hanna"),Levon Hawke ("The Crowded Room"),Leslie Grace ("In The Heights"),Gbenga Akinnagbe ("The Old Man"),Macon Blair ("I Care A Lot"),Ned Dennehy ("Peaky Blinders"),Andrew Schulz ("Infamous") and Arliss Howard ("Mank").

Production on the film took place last year with "Blitz" director Elliott Lester behind the camera and Christopher Kelly penning 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. 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."

Back in 2019, Hetfield had a part in the Netflix thriller "Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile". That film followed the relationship between notorious serial killer Ted Bundy, played by Zac Efron, and his longtime girlfriend, played by Lily Collins, who at the time had no knowledge of the crimes. Hetfield played officer Bob Hayward, a no-nonsense Utah highway patrol veteran who was the first law enforcement officer to arrest Bundy in 1975 after pulling the killer over and discovering burglary tools in his car but wisely suspecting much worse. While Hetfield had played himself in other films and television productions, this was his first dramatic role taking on a different character.

Five years ago, Efron praised the METALLICA guitarist/vocalist's acting chops during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", saying: "James Hetfield, to his credit, and absolutely nailed the part, he just crushed it. It's like he’s been acting his own life. He had no fear. He did a great job. I was ready to maybe give James Hetfield [an acting] tip, but he didn't ask for a single one. James Hetfield is the shit!"