For the director, see Morgan J. Freeman

2015–2024: Independent films, return to television, and box office bombs

Freeman at the Deauville Film Festival in 2018
Kazuaki Kiriya’s action-thriller Last Knights was Freeman’s first film of 2015, starring opposite Clive Owen. The plot centers on a band of warriors who seek to avenge the loss of their master at the hands of a corrupt minister. Reviews were largely underwhelming;[149] Sara Stewart of New York Post called it “bloody bad”, adding: “Once-proud box office names are its first casualties.”[150] Freeman next joined the cast of Ted 2, a comedy sequel to Ted, directed by Seth MacFarlane. The story follows the talking teddy bear Ted as he fights for civil rights in order to be recognized as a person. Freeman portrays Patrick Meighan, a highly respected civil rights attorney.[151] A television series, Madam Secretary, also occupied Freeman’s time. He played Chief Justice Frawley of the United States Supreme Court in a recurring role in the series. He and his producing partner Lori McCreary were executive producers.[152] Freeman directed the first episode; McCreary remarked of his directing style, “What’s riveting is that he can achieve a complete tonal change in performance with the least amount of direction … Everybody behaves better when Morgan is there … but he’s very fun.”[153] At the end of 2015, Freeman played a U.S. senator in the thriller Momentum.[154]