Summary
Will Smithis in talks to star in a new TV show from the creative team behindWestworldandFallout, a stepping stone as his career begins a road to recovery. Smith became a controversial figure after slapping Chris Rock during the 2022 Oscars, resulting in the actor getting banned from events involving the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for 10 years. Since then, he’s starred in two movies,Emancipationand the recentcritical successBad Boys: Ride or Die.
Now,Puckreports that Smith is having conversations withWestworldandFalloutcreatives Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy about starring in a sci-fi TV show.The report claims the actor pitched a series to them that tackles the subject of A.I., and would either star him for season 1 or be a limited series altogether. However, he’s allegedly had multiple meetings with Nolan, indicating his interest in TV could be the start of a new path for his career’s recovery.
Why A Sci-Fi TV Show Would Be Perfect For Smith’s Next Project
Smith Has Been Largely Successful In The Sci-Fi Genre
Smith’s career is slowly starting to recover following his incident at the Oscars, withBad Boys: Ride or Dieon track to become a global box office success.His next big movie is expected to be theforthcomingI Am Legend 2, which sees him return as Dr. Robert Neville following the alternate ending of the first one. In addition to his work in front of the camera, he’s also a producer on the forthcomingKarate Kidmovie, showing how he’s continuing his filmmaking as usual despite the prior controversy.
However, TV would be the perfect medium to continue advancing his career, as it would offer him a new way to tell stories by going back to his roots. Smith’s first major role was as a fictionalized version of himself inThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, something that helped catapult him into movie stardom. By returning to the medium in a starring role following decades of its evolution, he could bring an interesting story to life that’s just as captivating as his first performance.
Smithis no stranger to sci-fi movies either, withsome of his most popular films likeMen in Black, Independence Day, andI, Robotadding to the genre. Since he already has an idea for a story that could work on the small screen, this could lead to close collaboration should the TV series come to fruition. However, since the report says meetings are still ongoing, it may be some time until the actor’s possible TV role gets revealed.
Smith’s latest sci-fi movie was 2019’sGemini Man, where he played an older and younger version of an assassin.
