Although it’s a way off him actually being cast in the role, Brett Ratner (X-Men 3, Rush Hour) has been namedropping Twilight star Robert Pattinson as the man he wants to play Shaft in his comic book adaptation, Youngblood.
No, it’s not that Shaft. Even Pattinson’s legion of fans would find it a stretch for him to play a Blaxploitation legend.
This Shaft used to be an undercover police officer, but was approched to lead Team Youngblood, a government funded team of superheroes. Shaft uses a bow powered by magnets rather than a string to take down the bad guys and is generally a bit of a baddass. Other members of the team include Badrock, a teenager transformed into a living block of stone, gymnast Vogue and assassin Chapel.
To be honest, while you can understand Ratner wanting the dreamboat actor, who brings with him a massive army of devotees, he’s a bit young to be believable as the leader of a secret government superhero squad. I’s also true that with Twilight Eclipse starting to film next week and Breaking Dawn due for to go before the camera next spring, it doesn’t exactly leave him much time to for a role in such a major, effects driven movie. So don’t be shocked if this turns out to be just Ratner’s little fantasy and the role actually goes to someone completely different.