Jaafar Jackson Joins Will Smith in Amazon Thriller Supermax

Jaafar Jackson, the breakout star of the billion-dollar biopic "Michael," has been cast in the upcoming action thriller "Supermax," joining lead actors Will Smith and AnnaSophia Robb. The film, from Amazon MGM Studios and Miramax, will be directed by David Gordon Green and is scheduled to begin filming in mid-August. Jackson's specific role is being kept under wraps, though insiders describe his character as pivotal to the central story.

The film follows two FBI agents, played by Smith and Robb, who investigate a murder inside a maximum-security prison where escape and outside interference appear impossible, creating a locked-room mystery. The project marks Jackson's first major role following his celebrated portrayal of his uncle, Michael Jackson, in the Lionsgate film. "Michael" grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing biopic in cinema history and establishing Jackson as a promising new leading man.

For Will Smith, the film represents a return to the action-thriller genre and adds another high-profile project to his slate, with the actor also serving as a producer through his Westbrook Studios alongside Adam Fishbach. The screenplay was written by...