ENTERTAINMENTBack From The Slap? Will Smith Plans His Hollywood Career Comeback With Movie Sequel
Ready for his close up!
Will Smith's bustling Hollywood career took a hit after he took the stage at the 2022 Academy Awards and slapped Chris Rock across the face for making a joke about his wife's shaved head, but Smith is reportedly planning his return to the big screen with a sequel that has been a long time coming.
The King Richard star is allegedly still in talks to work on the sequel to the sci-fi thriller I Am Legend, 15 years after he starred in the first film. Smith's company Westbrook Studios is said to be producing the fun flick with the actor reprising his role as Robert Neville.
"The script is being written mentioning his character and as yet Will remains attached to the project," a source spilled to The Sun. "The concept is still to be signed off by Warner Brothers, but there has been no indication that Will is off the project.
"Obviously he is the producer of the film and his production company is in charge while the development continues," the source continued. "The reality is that Will will make a comeback at some point and it will be simply down to which studio will be the one to take a chance on him."
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The source also added that the public buzz around Johnny Depp and Amber Heard's $50 million defamation trial helped audiences move on from Smith's scandal and onto the next topic.
"Certainly Hollywood loves comeback stories where stars seemingly done with the business bounce back with a big project such as with Robert Downey Jr., Mel Gibson, Drew Barrymore and Winona Ryder," the source explained. "In two years time things could look very different — and Will could return to the screen. "
As OK! previously reported, prior to Smith's infamous slap incident, some of the biggest streaming services in the industry were in a heated bidding war over the rights for a biopic based on the Independence Day star's life.
However, after the altercation at the Oscars, both Netflix and Apple+ reportedly took back their sizeable offers. It is unclear if the rights have been bought yet, or if talks on development of the project are entirely on hold.
