Samuel L Jackson will starin a live-action adaptation of Takashi Okazaki's Afrosamurai comic franchise that is being put together byJapanese teen animation company Gonzo KK, Fuji Television Network and LA-basedMosaic Media Group.

Mosaic's Charles Roven andAlex Gartner are producing the project and The Firm's Eli Selden and Julie Yornwill serve as executive producers.

Shinichiro Ishikawa,president of Gonzo's parent company GDH KK, will serve as co-producer alongwith Fuji Television Network's head of motion picture department ChihiroKameyama. Gloria Fan will shepherd the project for Mosaic.

Afrosamurai tells the storyof the No 2, the Afrosamurai, who travels the road seeking to avenge hisfather's murder.

Production is set to beginin 2006 for release in the US the following year, and an animated version isalso being prepared for 2006 with Jackson lending his voice for the lead.

"Our company has astrong commitment to the global market for animation titles and feels that thedecision to produce a live-action, Hollywood movie version of this Gonzo titlesupports our belief that Japanese animation has a global reach," Ishikawasaid in a statement.

"We believe that Afrosamurai will be the first in a number of joint productionsthat will create additional global entertainment titles and continued companygrowth."

"Afrosamurai is an enormously exciting concept that we think willtranslate strongly into a feature film," Roven and Gartner said.

"We look forward to workingwith Samuel, as well as with Gonzo and Fuji Television Network as we embark onthis new venture together."