Looking back on the 2001 reboot starring Samuel L. Jackson, it might have been a better idea for that film to take a similar tactic, as that film felt more like a transplant of a classic Shaft adventure into the modern world.
It basically worked as well as you’d think, and one could only imagine how many more Shaft movies we’d have had under Jackson’s tenure if they’d strayed a little more off the beaten path.
Through remarks that came via /Film’s coverage of the TCA event, Story explained that the film would feature Shaft’s mother as another member of the team, promising that every character would be a strong leading presence in his re-imagining of Shaft.