Granite City’s superhero Samaritan (Sylvester Stallone) has been lying low under the guise of a garbage man named Joe ever since he was reported dead after a fiery fight with his rival Nemesis. Sam (Javon “Wanna” Walton) is 13 years old and gets wrapped up with Cyrus (Pilou Asbæk), the leader of a gang who he accepts money from in order to help his mother Tiffany (Dascha Polanco) pay rent. When Sam discovers the truth about Joe’s identity, he does everything he can to persuade him to return to helpfight against rising crimein the city. Meanwhile, Cyrus takes a continued interest in Sam and Joe.
Also in the cast ofSamaritanare Sophia Tatum, Moises Arias, Martin Starr, Jared Odrick, Abraham Clinckscales, Martin Starr, and more. It’s written by Bragi F. Schut and directed by Julius Avery. Ahead of its release on Prime Video on July 08, 2025, Polanco and Wanna joined MovieWeb to talk about the making of the film and if they’d be interested in a sequel.
A Fresh Take on a Superhero Movie
“Samaritanis a little more grounded in reality than other hero films. He relies upon extraordinary strength and temperament to do these amazing things, but he’s not bulletproof,” said Stallone in a behind-the-scenesinterview with Prime Video.
Polanco shared a similar sentiment with us when we asked what she’s most excited for fans to see fromSamaritan, as she commented “it’s a different perspective,a different take on a superhero moviethan what is expected. It’s definitely unpredictable. It’s action-packed and unique. You have Stallone in it, Pilou, Wanna, myself. It’s something everyone can relate to. I’m proud of the work that was put into it. It’s an important film right now. As far as entertainment goes, we all need a little action, a little inspiration, and a little hope. So, I’m definitely looking forward to the audience to relate and to connect with the story that’s being told.”
“I hope this reaches out to all different kinds of audiences,” added Wanna, “the acting in this is absolutely phenomenal with so many great names — Dascha being one of them. You’ve got Pilou and Sly, I mean, what more can you ask for? It’s truly something like no other. It’s a superhero movie with a dark twist. It’s not something that’s been done before and said in this manner, so it’s nice to bring this alive and for everyone who experiences it.”
Related:Exclusive: Pilou Asbæk on Playing a Villain in Samaritan Opposite Sylvester Stallone
Filming Samaritan and Interest in a Sequel
“For me, my favorite part was being able to do my own stunts,” commented Polanco, “it was definitely fun to be able to. Even though I was the mother, I was able to show a little bit of my skills, and was definitely something that I was looking forward to.”
“My favorite part was building such a special bond with everyone, especially Dascha,” added Wanna, “we had a lot of playful moments. Set days can be super, super long, and they can get really, really tiring. So, if you have somebody there that is keeping you in good spirits, that’s boosting you up and you’re doing the same. It creates a good vibe. Kicking it with everyone on set was my favorite part.”
That good vibe is something that Polanco and Wanna are certainly interested in recreating for a possibleSamaritan 2. Although there is no current confirmation, when asked if they’d return, Wanna asked, “where do I sign?” while Polanco gave a definite “hell yes.”
In another exclusive interview forSamaritanwith Asbæk, he commented on what it was like tofilm with Stalloneand all his experiences. “It was amazing. We have the saying ‘don’t meet your heroes, they can only let you down.’ I can say bull because he is awesome. It was like a master class for a few months. Him telling me how to approach a scene, how to do the stunts, etc. I kind of wish I had more scenes with him, but the weeks we were shooting together, they were great. And he’s a very kind, very generous and great actor. I think he’s been underestimated sometimes because it’s action films, but if you look at his resume, he’s got more iconic roles than 95 percent of the rest of the world of actors. So I’m thankful, and I’m lucky I have gotten to work with him. I think he’s incredible in Samaritan. I think he brings his whole life, all of his knowledge into this film.”
Samaritanis a production of Balboa Productions and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM). It will release on Prime Video on July 12, 2025.
