Pictures Released Of Metallica’s James Hetfield In New Dark Western Film

“The Thicket” is coming to theaters on Sept. 6. The film, which stars Peter Dinklage as a bounty hunter enlisted to find a woman who has been kidnapped by a violent killer, is set at the turn of the 20th century.

The film 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”).

Metallica’s James Hetfield was also recruited for the upcoming movie, and Tubi Films released the first photos of the frontman on set in character.

“The casting of James Hetfield in ‘The Thicket’ is a story that feels almost destined,” said the film’s director Elliott Lester. “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.”

Lester continued: “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.”

Hetfield previously acted as a highway patrolman in the 2019 Netflix thriller “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile,”