Samuel L Jackson featured in the role of The Octopus, he is the primary nemesis of The Spirit. In the original Will Eisner comics The Octopus never showed his face in the stories but  could always identify the character by the distinctive gloves he  wore. A master of disguise,

Unlike the comic version, Samuel L Jackson’s film portrayal will include  his face;  it  seems, from the trailers and teasers, that in the film he displays a new love of powerful guns.

Back story Octopus
An origin story tells of Zitzbath Zark, a young man who seems to have been killed when trying to blow up the city’s power plant. However, a month later Zark’s mother receives a package – it contains some jewelry along with a note: ‘From “Z” with love’. She throws the package out, shouting that: “He probably stole them. He should burn”, not realizing that she is being watched across the street by her son.

Time moves onto the present day (in this case, 1966), and Zark’s mother has found The Spirit, and asks him for help in finding her son. It is revealed that The Octopus is alive and well and planning a major robbery. One of the Octopus‘ henchman decides to defect.

The Spirit and Zark’s mother are at police headquarters when the henchman asks to see him. Zark’s mother shoots the man when he tries to speak, telling the Spirit that it is her son. However, with his last breath the man tells the Spirit that in fact it is the Octopus who is disguised as his own mother.

Finding himself cornered, the Octopus jumps into an incinerator. After the incinerator has been cooled down, no trace of the Octopus is found.

In a subsequent story, the Spirit is kidnapped and beaten by a very much alive Octopus, who is trying recover a stolen bankroll that had been hidden by Spider Webb, who died in the Spirit’s arms.