Samuel L. Jackson Refused to Do ‘Snakes on a Plane’ Without This One Thing
Samuel L. Jackson once revealed a behind-the-scenes story about the making of the 2006 film Snakes on a Plane in an interview on the podcast Pardon My Take.
The actor explained that early in production, the studio, New Line Cinema, wanted to change the film’s title to Pacific Flight 121.
“The first day I got there, they were passing out new pages, and they gave me this script that said Pacific Flight 121, and I’m like, ‘The f** is this?’”
Jackson said, describing his shock at the change. He emphasized that the original, bold title was crucial to the movie’s appeal. “You exactly want to do that! I’m not here to do Pacific Flight 121, I’m here to do Snakes on a Plane, and if that’s the name of the movie, I quit,” he added.
Snakes on a Plane, directed by David R. Ellis and co-written by David Dalessandro, John Heffernan, and Sebastian Gutierrez, tells the story of a plane overrun with venomous snakes set loose to kill a key witness.
Released on August 18, 2006, in North America and the UK, the movie gained massive attention online before it even hit theaters. Fans were drawn in by the title, the premise, and Jackson’s casting, turning it into an Internet phenomenon. In response to fan feedback, New Line added five days of reshoots to the film.
Despite the buzz, the movie received mixed reviews and underperformed at the box office, earning $15.25 million in its opening weekend and $62 million worldwide. Review aggregators reflect the mixed reception: Rotten Tomatoes gives it 69% based on 178 reviews, and Metacritic scores it 58 out of 100. Critics noted that audience participation, like cheering and call-and-response, became part of the film’s charm.
Some reviewers praised the movie’s self-aware, B-movie style. Randy Cordova of The Arizona Republic called it “an exploitation flick that knows what it wants to do, and it gets the job done expertly” and “a Mecca for B-movie lovers.”
Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, “If you can find a better time at the movies this year than this wild comic thriller, let me in on it.” Ty Burr from the Boston Globe highlighted Jackson’s presence, saying he “bestrides this film with the authority of someone who knows the value of honest bilge” and that the actor’s energy added a unique joy to the film.
Jackson’s insistence on keeping the title is now part of movie lore, showing how the actor’s influence helped preserve the film’s outrageous, iconic identity.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!
