Twenty years after Snakes on a Plane became one of the most recognizable B-movie titles of the 2000s, Samuel L. Jackson is looking back at what made the project impossible to resist. Entertainment Tonight’s Vault has revisited archival on-set interviews from the campy horror-comedy, revealing just how quickly Jackson connected with its outrageous premise. The movie became a cultural phenomenon long before its release, helped by its deliberately ridiculous concept, internet buzz, and Jackson’s larger-than-life performance.

But what convinced the Oscar-nominated actor to board a plane filled with hundreds of snakes? As it turns out, the answer was surprisingly simple.

Samuel Jackson’s enthusiasm for Snakes on a Plane came from its title and the sheer absurdity of its premise. After initially becoming interested when Ronny Yu was attached to direct, Jackson remained committed even after Yu departed, reportedly asking, “It’s still called Snakes on a Plane, right?” He also resisted attempts to give the film the more generic title Pacific Air Flight 121.

“To be a sort of a prisoner in a big flying tube with, you know, 300 poisonous snakes and kind of not know what to do or not have a lot of defense against them seemed to be a pretty exciting idea to me,” said Samuel Jackson on set as revealed by Entertainment Tonight Vault Unlocked.

Samuel Jackson also pushed for the film to embrace its R-rated potential, including the now-iconic profanity, as shown in the ET Vault Unlocked video. His insistence helped shape the movie’s deliberately outrageous tone, with reshoots eventually adding more intense material and the famous line that became synonymous with the film.

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That appetite for larger-than-life performances and unusual premises also connects Jackson to another fan-favorite project with a very different kind of fantasy.

Brie Larson and Samuel L. Jackson’s Unicorn Store has attracted new audiences in recent years. Released in 2019, the comedy-drama follows Kit, an aspiring artist whose life takes an unexpected turn after she is expelled from art school and begins struggling to reconcile her creativity with adulthood. Kit eventually receives an invitation to “The Store,” where a mysterious salesman (Jackson) offers her the unicorn she has always dreamed of owning.

To receive it, she must build a stable and prove that she is capable of balancing responsibility with her imagination. Along the way, her relationship with hardware-store employee Virgil (Mamoudou Athie) helps her confront her fears and rediscover her confidence.

Unlike the chaotic thrills of Snakes on a Plane, Unicorn Store uses magical realism to explore growing up, acceptance, and holding onto childhood dreams. Its heartfelt story and talented ensemble have helped the film continue finding viewers through streaming. Twenty years later, Snakes on a Plane remains a defining example of internet-era B-movie madness, with Samuel L. Jackson at its unforgettable center. His willingness to embrace the film’s absurdity helped turn a strange concept into a cult classic.

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What do you think about why Samuel L. Jackson joined Snakes on a Plane? Let us know in the comments!