Whoopi Goldberg, Cedric The Entertainer, Edward James Olmos & More Join Quiver Western ‘Outlaws’ Directed By & Starring Mario Van Peebles

EXCLUSIVE: Mario Van Peebles (Power Book III: Raising Kanan) has wrapped production in Montana on Outlaws, a new Western that he wrote, directed and stars in for Quiver. Others joining Van Peebles in major roles include Whoopi Goldberg (Till), Cedric the Entertainer (The Neighborhood), Edward James Olmos (Mayans M.C.), John Carroll Lynch (Big Sky), William Mapother (Son of Monarchs) and M. Emmet Walsh (The Immaculate Room). 

Outlaws follows Chief (Van Peebles), a renegade cowboy putting together a multicultural team of new and old friends in order to ride into dangerous unsettled territory to retrieve gold from an abandoned mine. Hot on Chief’s tail is Angel (Mapother), a spurned lawman and Civil War veteran with a thirst for vengeance. So begins a cross-country journey, with Chief and his band of Outlaws crossing paths with a number of interesting historical characters along the way, including a true-to-life Stagecoach Mary played by Goldberg.

Pic’s ensemble also includes Cam Gigandet, Allen Payne, Neal McDonough, Mandela Van Peebles, D.C. Young Fly, Amber Reign Smith, Jake Manley, Joseph Culp, Brian Presley and Sean Bridgers. Joshua Russell and Gerald Olson produced for Iris Indie, alongside Swen Temmel and Meadow Williams for Diamond Films, and Kip Konwiser for Konwiser Brothers Media. Exec producers for the film to be distributed by Quiver are Berry Meyerowitz, Jeff Sackman, Larry Greenberg, Mark Goldberg and Mario Van Peebles.

“I wanted to make a fresh kickass Western like we’ve never seen, a savvy action adventure with pluck served up in a dirty glass!” Van Peebles told Deadline. “I knew I’d need a gregarious band of producers to go on this rough and tumble journey with me, and the team at Quiver was ready for the ride!”

“We’re thrilled to partner with Mario and this epic ensemble cast for a one-of-a-kind action adventure set in the west, at the dawn of America’s Age of Invention,” added Quiver Distribution Co-Presidents Meyerowitz and Sackman. “We can’t wait for audiences to saddle up for this action-packed, wild adventure. With Mario at the helm as director, writer, and star, this film certainly doesn’t hold back.”

Goldberg is an EGOT winner best known for her Oscar-winning performance in Ghost, her Oscar-nominated turn in The Color Purple and the Sister Act films, among other projects. The decorated performer produced and can currently be seen starring in United Artists Releasing’s Till, which tells the true story of Mamie Till Mobley’s fight for justice following the lynching of her son, Emmett Till. 

Cedric the Entertainer is an NAACP Image Award-winning actor and comedian who currently stars in and executive produces The Neighborhood, a hit CBS sitcom now in its fifth season. He’s also recently appeared in films like First Reformed, as well as series including Woke and The Last O.G. The multi-hyphenate will also soon be seen in the films The Plus One and Down by the Water.

Olmos earned an Oscar nomination in 1989 for his lead role in the drama Stand and Deliver and has also been recognized over the course of his career with three Emmy noms — winning in 1985 for his role as Martin Castillo on Miami Vice. Other notable credits include films like Blade Runner and Selena, and such series as Battlestar Galactica and Mayans M.C. Also coming up for the actor is the motorcycle racing pic One Fast Move for Gulfstream Pictures and Luber Roklin Entertainment.

Lynch has recently been seen on series like Gaslit and Big Sky, as well as in features like The Trial of the Chicago 7. He’ll next be seen in an as-yet-untitled comedy that Better Things‘ Pamela Adlon is directing for FilmNation Entertainment and Range Media Partners.

Best known for his work in films like In the Bedroom and series like Lost, Mapother’s recent credits include the indie Son of Monarchs and series like FBI: Most Wanted and 9-1-1: Lone Star. Also coming up for him is the topical drama On Sacred Ground from Shout! Studios.

Known for turns in films ranging from Blade Runner to Blood Simple and The Jerk, Walsh has most recently been seen in titles including Knives Out and The Immaculate Room, as well as series like The Righteous Gemstones and American Gigolo.

Quiver just produced and released Walter Hill’s Western Dead for a Dollar with Christoph Waltz, Willem Dafoe and Rachel Brosnahan. Other recently released titles from the company include the crime thriller Bandit, with Mel Gibson, Josh Duhamel and Elisha Cuthbert, and the buddy comedy Bromates from writer-director Court Crandall. Also coming up for Quiver is The Wrath of Becky — the sequel to its horror-thriller Becky, which emerged as a sleeper hit in 2020. The new film starring Seann William Scott and the original’s Lulu Wilson will be released early next year.

Mario Van Peebles is represented by Buchwald and Luber Roklin Entertainment; Goldberg by WME and Italy’s International Artists; Cedric the Entertainer by CAA, Visions Management Group and Del Shaw Moonves; Olmos by CAA and Untitled Entertainment; Lynch by Suskin/Karshan Management and Schreck Rose Dapello; Mapother by Buchwald and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; Walsh by Buchwald and SLJ Management; Gigandet by APA, Luber Roklin Entertainment and Vybe Trybe; Payne by Vanguard Management Group; McDonough by Luber Roklin Entertainment and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman; Mandela Van Peebles by Canada’s Trisko Talent Management and Luber Roklin Entertainment; D.C. Young Fly by Innovative Artists and Fox Rothschild; Smith by Eris Talent Agency and Alexa Model & Talent Management; Manley by Canada’s Ambition Talent and Luber Roklin Entertainment; Culp by Almond Talent Agency and Optimism Entertainment; Presley by Gersh; and Bridgers by Innovative Artists, Louisiana’s LTA and Canada’s OAZ.