Whoopi Goldbergtrades the comfortable confines ofThe Viewfor the dusty trails of the Wild West in the first image fromOutlaw Posse.Mario Van Peebleswrote, directed, and stars in the upcoming Western from the Highland Film Group.Varietyhas the first look at the film, which is currently being shopped to distributors.
Set in the still-untamed Wild West of 1908,Outlaw Possefocuses on cowboy Chief (Van Peebles), who assembles a posse of misfits and outcasts to reclaim a hoard of stolen gold. Along the way, they run afoul of vengeful lawman Angel (William Mapother,In the Bedroom) and ally themselves with fearless mail carrier Stagecoach Mary (Goldberg). The film will also starEdward James Olmos(Battlestar Galactica),Cedric the Entertainer(The Neighborhood),John Carroll Lynch(Zodiac),D.C. Young Fly(House Party),Jake Manley(The Order),Mandela Van Peebles(Reginald the Vampire),Amber Reign Smith(Wu-Tang: An American Saga),William McDonough, andNeal McDonough(Justified).
Who Was Stagecoach Mary?
Born into slavery in Tennessee,Mary Fieldswas emancipated following the Civil War and worked as a chambermaid, a tavern owner, and as a labor forewoman at a convent, where she performed many tasks that were considered “men’s work” at the time. She wrote her name in the history of the Old West at the age of 60 when she became a mail carrier, delivering mail via stagecoach across the treacherous badlands of Montana. Known for her fearlessness and unwavering commitment to her duty, she was nicknamed “Stagecoach Mary”, and fought off bandits and wolves with the Smith & Wesson pistol she kept concealed beneath her apron. One of the most fascinating figures of the Wild West, she has been portrayed numerous times on film and TV, includingThe Cherokee Kid,Hannah’s Law, andHell on Wheels; she most recently depicted in the 2021 filmThe Harder They Fall, where she was played byZazie Beetz.
Outlaw Posseis currently being shopped to distributors. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates, and watch Collider’s interview with Whoopi Goldberg below, where she talks about her now-realized-dream of starring in a Western.
