Samuel L. Jackson Goes on a Dreamlike Side Quest to Find His Superstar in New adidas Spot

The adidas Superstar doesn’t really need a roll call at this point. For more than 50 years, it’s moved through locker rooms, soundstages and sidewalks, worn by the kind of people who shift culture. In its latest campaign, titled “The Original Icon,” the story leans into that legacy once more with Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as cultural narrator. This time, he wanders through a fictional “Hotel Superstar” in search of his “Superstar” — a playful metaphor that nods to how deeply the shoe is embedded in different rooms, eras and identities.

In last season’s spots, we got a taste of how adidas defines what it means to be “original.” “CLOCKS” and “PYRAMIDS,” both directed by Thibaut Grevet and also starring Samuel L. Jackson, is set in black and white, opting for an avant-garde approach to storytelling. In “CLOCKS,” Missy Elliott, JENNIE, Anthony Edwards, GloRilla, Mark Gonzales, Teezo Touchdown, and Gabbriette are captured through movement, music performance and clever dialogue signifying that “Icons don’t follow time, they set it,” as told by Jackson. In “PYRAMIDS,” Jackson goes all out in monologue form explaining that the Superstar is a cultural pyramid, built to last forever.

Now, we see the return of Grevet and Jackson once more in “The Original Icon.” The video is reminiscent of the visual styles of Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch – think The Shining and Eraserhead – and scored by the ever-funky Herbie Hancock classic “Watermelon Man” from the jazz Icon’s monumental Head Hunters album.

Inside “Hotel Superstar” we see a new cast of icons, Kendall Jenner, Lamine Yamal, Baby Keem, James Harden, Tyshawn Jones and Olivia Dean (Jackson and JENNIE return from last season). Jenner wakes up from a dreamstate in stop-motion fashion, while Tyshawn effortlessly Jones ollies over Jackson. Elsewhere, Baby Keem hypnotizingly marches towards his pair of Superstars while crossing paths with Harden in the hotel hallway.and JENNIE are seemingly stuck in a time loop, and Yamal’s voice echoes through the halls calling out for “Samuel!” The twists and turns of the video are enough to make you scratch your head but stunning enough to make you watch on repeat.

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Adidas Originals

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Adidas Originals

Tying everything back into the Originals line, the Spring 2026 Superstar range levels up with tone and texture. A black-and-white foundation is now punctuated with strong red accents. The men’s lineup leans into looser-fitting tracksuits with red, black and white color blocking across the 3-Stripes, alongside Tyshawn denim shorts, neutral tees and jacquard jerseys that signal a deeper push into denim this season. On the women’s side, the Superstar Tracktop is reworked in multiple directions — from the Equipment Blocking Red Jacket seen on Kendall Jenner to faux leather and crochet iterations — expanding the track jacket beyond sport and further into everyday styling.

So did Samuel L. Jackson ever find his Superstar? Watch the video above and check out all the campaign images to find out. Discover the latest Superstar styles now at adidas.com and through adidas Originals retail channels.