The upcoming martial arts feature Paper Made is continuing to build out its ensemble as production moves forward in Tampa, Florida, with Michael Jai White, Jaden Lucas Miller, Zephaniah Terry, and Marrese Crump officially joining the cast of the Ryan Watson-directed film.
The four additions expand a project already drawing attention for placing Black legacy, discipline, and brotherhood at the center of a martial arts story set within an HBCU environment — a perspective rarely explored in mainstream action cinema.
A Martial Arts Story Rooted in Brotherhood
Written and directed by Ryan Watson, Paper Made follows Tavon Watkins (Myles Truitt), a promising college student whose future is thrown into uncertainty after a severe hazing incident. Searching for purpose, Tavon is introduced to a secret fraternity of Black martial artists — an elite brotherhood that challenges him to confront identity, legacy, and personal discipline.
The film is a feature reboot of Watson’s award-winning extended short Paper Line, which earned 10 awards on the festival circuit between 2022 and 2024.
New Cast Additions Strengthen the Ensemble
Among the newly announced cast, Michael Jai White brings decades of action-film experience to the production and will also serve as an executive producer. Widely respected within martial arts and action cinema, White became the first non-Asian recipient of the Bruce Lee Award in 2025.
Crump is also an accomplished martial artist and performer known for his work across film and stunt performance
Their addition strengthens a multi-generational ensemble blending established martial arts figures with emerging talent.
Previously Announced Cast
The new additions join a growing lineup that includes:
- Taimak (The Last Dragon)
- Walter E. Jones (Mighty Morphin Power Rangers)
- Quartay DeNaya (Pizza Guys Vs Vampires)
- Wrestler Daria Rae Berenato
- Jamara Garrett (Mara Sadé)
- Sam Lee Herring (Back in Action)
- Jair Muhammad
Additional performers include Devante Thomas, De’Andre Asbury, and viral martial artists Michael Quick McGee and Cequence Henry.
This marks the first time Michael Jai White, Taimak, and Walter E. Jones, three pioneering black action heroes, share the screen.
Behind the Camera
The screenplay is co-written by Watson and Jerron Horton (Forever). Producers include Shaun Greenspan (Amber Alert), Brian Yuran, and Daria Rae Berenato, with casting by Karlie Loland-Ringer.
Executive producers include Michael Jai White, Taimak, Walter E. Jones, Miranda Motlow, and Jonathan Blitt.
Watson, a Baltimore native filmmaker and educator at the University of South Florida, has emphasized that the film aims to highlight a long-standing cultural connection often overlooked onscreen.
“Martial arts have been a part of the Black American experience for generations,” Watson previously shared. “Our film brings that excellence to the forefront from a perspective that has rarely, if ever, been seen in American cinema.”
A Growing Shift in Martial Arts Storytelling
At a time when action films continue to lean on familiar formulas, Paper Made reflects a broader industry movement toward culturally grounded genre storytelling — expanding who gets centered in martial arts narratives and whose traditions shape the genre’s future.
As production continues, Paper Made positions itself not only as an action feature but as a story rooted in mentorship, community, and legacy — with ambitions that could extend well beyond a single film.