[Trailer] Terry Crews & Ludacris Star In Thriller ‘John Henry’

Terry Crews and Chris ‘Ludacris’ Bridges are teaming up on the big screen for the dramatic thriller John Henry, a modern adaption of the story of an African-American folk hero of the same name.  Will Forbes will make his directorial debut on the project.

Crews, Brooklyn Nine-Nine lead and Fast & Furious alum, will headline the indie film. It follows ex-gang member, John Henry (Crews) after he trades violence for a quieter life taking care of his aging father (Ken Foree) in South Los Angeles. Henry meets two immigrant children running from his former gang leader (Ludacris) and has to decide whether to revisit his troubled past to help give the two children a better future. Empire’s Jamila Velazquez, JJ Soria (The Oath) and Tyler Alvarez round out the cast.

As for taking down Ludacris in John Henry, Terry Crews’ character should have no problem. Crews is seen with a sledgehammer more than once in the trailer and he looks menacing, to say the least. With that being said, the story won’t be that cut and dry. Henry is going to have to take down a gang before he can get his hands on his former leader and we all know how this is going to go. It’s possible that John Henry will take a different approach to the storyline, but the ending is already out there.

The original folk hero story centers on a “steel-driving man” tasked with hammering a steel drill into rock to make holes for explosives to blast the rock in constructing a railroad tunnel. He won a race against a steam-powered rock drilling machine.

Crews and Ludacris are executive producers along with Matthew Antoun and Mark Strome on behalf of iWood Studios and DJ Quik. Saban Films, announced Tuesday (12/24) that it had acquired North American rights to the drama. John Henry hits select theaters and video on demand starting January 24, 2020.