Fews actors have the natural star power that Will Smith so charmingly radiates. More than that, few have his very powerful street cred. We’ve spent so many years loving him as a leading man that it only takes his name on a poster to get theater seats filled. Which is exactly the kind of effect theaters are aching for.
Thankfully, Will Smith loves to stay busy and his upcoming slate of movies ranges from biopics, to crime dramas, to thrillers, and remakes you didn’t even want, but will surely endure for Will Smith. Here’s what to look out for among Smith’s upcoming titles.
King Richard
Don’t let the title throw you, Will Smith will not star as a past king of England. This biopic hits a lot closer to home and is based on the story of Richard Williams: the father and coach of Serena and Venus Williams.
The film focuses on Richard’s role in raising his daughters and encouraging them on their path to success. Seeing as they go on to become two of the greatest tennis players of all time, there’s certainly plenty of story to tell. Based on the trailer, the role has Smith undergo quite a transformation, which might be enough to get him some buzz for the upcoming awards season.
The film comes from Joe Bell director Reinaldo Marcus Green. Smith leads the film with Saniyya Sidney as Venus and Demi Singleton as Serena.
King Richard will be released in theaters on November 19, 2021 and available on HBO Max for a 31-day window.
The Council
Taking the lead on another biopic, Will Smith signed on to star in and produce the Netflix crime drama, The Council, where he’ll play notorious crime boss Nicky Barnes. Smith will reteam up with Peter Landesman, the Concussion filmmaker who penned the script for this new film, to tell the story of the Harlem crime syndicate that ruled New York throughout the 1970s. The organized crime unit Barnes was a member of comprised of seven Black men who envisioned a self-sufficient, self-policing African-American city-state, which they planned to fund via drug money.
Though the film was first announced in 2019, no director is attached to the project.
Emancipation
In Emancipation, Will Smith stars as a runaway slave being chased through the Louisiana swamps by cold-blooded hunters. Based on a true story, the film centers on escaped slave Peter, who went on to join the Union Army. Photos taken of his scarred back, from his time on a plantation, were used to solidify the cause of abolitionists across the country and spark a new wave of interest in the effort. The film is directed by Academy award-winner Antoine Fuqua, the filmmaker behind Training Day and The Magnificent 7.
The rights to the film were recently purchased by Apple, meaning the series could be heading straight to Apple TV+.
Aladdin 2
The live-action Aladdin went down a lot better than anyone imagined, so via the rules of Hollywood, it already has a sequel on the way. This second stab at the Dinsey classic will see the return of Guy Ritchie in the director’s chair, but contrary to your immediate assumption, will not be adapting the animated Aladdin sequel, The Return of Jafar. Instead, it’s expected to take inspiration from the folk tale collection, One Thousand and One Nights.
Will Smith returns to reprise his role as Genie, with Mena Massoud back as Aladdin and Naomi Scott returning as Jasmine.
Bad Boys 4
It took 17 years for Bad Boys II to get its sequel, and the minds behind the franchise clearly won’t let history repeat itself. Bad Boys 4 was announced soon after Bad Boys For Life hit theaters last year, meaning Will Smith will once again reprise his role as Detective Lieutenant Mike Lowery.
He’ll be joined on the project by co-star Martin Lawrence and Bad Boys For Life co-writer Chris Bremner, who’s signed on to pen the script. Even though the third film in the franchise felt like a send-off to the characters, the team behind the films is clearly happy to give us more. Who are we to complain?
Maybe the fourth film will see the return of the franchise’s original director Michael Bay or simply bring back Adil & Bilall, who worked wonders with the third installment. For now, few details are known.
Bright 2
A David Ayer-directed disaster, Bright was an urban fantasy set in a world where humans and mythical creatures co-existed. Smith starred as an LAPD officer, whose partner Nick (Joel Edgerton) was the nation’s first orc officer. And despite all of its many flaws, Bright was watched by millions of people and earned a top spot among Netflix’s list of original films. So Netflix ordered a sequel that same year, with both Smith and Edgerton onboard to reprise their roles.
It’s been a good couple of years, but when the film was initially confirmed, Smith had a full slate of films in production. He’s still plenty busy, but recent reports say that Netflix is close to a final script, so production might not be too far off. Ayer is staying on to produce the sequel, but Now You See Me director Louis Leterrier will helm the film.
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Well given he has so many sequels on the docket, it was only a matter of time before Smith found himself a remake. This 1987 comedy is set to star Smith and Kevin Hart in leading roles. The script comes from Brooklyn Nine-Nine and The Carmichael Show writer Aeysha Carr, making her feature film debut. Smith and Hart also signed on to produce the Planes, Trains, and Automobiles reboot.
The John Hughes classic originally starred Steve Martin and John Candy as they embarked on a hilarious three-day journey to get Martin’s character home in time for Thanksgiving dinner. Our best guess is, Hart and Smith will replace the duo in a similar dynamic.
Brilliance
In Brilliance, Will Smith will play Nick Cooper, a federal agent tasked with keeping tabs on special individuals, dubbed “Brilliants.” Cooper himself has a special ability — the ability to read body language so well he can predict people’s next move. This will likely come in handy when dealing with those who have more dangerous powers than his own.
The sci-fi film sees Smith reteaming up with old collaborator, Akiva Goldsman, the screenwriter/director who previously worked on I Am Legend, I, Robot and Winter’s Tale.
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