Exclusive: Will Smith In Talks With Marvel But There’s A Catch
Will Smith has had talks with Marvel studio boss, Kevin Feige. As a seasoned pro, Smith went into these talks apparently knowing what he wanted.
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Will Smith has already had a long career in Hollywood, but his fame certainly hasn’t diminished. He can ask for what he wants in his work opportunities. Thanks to work from one of our trusted and proven inside sources, Giant Freakin Robot has learned that Will Smith has had talks with Marvel studio boss, Kevin Feige. As a seasoned pro, Smith went into these talks apparently knowing what he wanted. He told Kevin Feige that he would join Marvel, but there is a catch: he will only join if he gets to be a huge part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward.
Will Smith isn’t interested in appearing in a small role in one or two movies, he wants to be a major player for the Marvel Cinematic Universe going forward. That’s a big ask, but it’s one that a major star can pull for if that’s what they want to do. We’ve seen bigger stars like Angelina Jolie sign up for Eternals, but when she did so, she took on a smaller role as part of an ensemble. She’s even said that she has no interest in a solo movie for Thena. That isn’t the case with Will Smith, not at all.
While we were able to learn what Will Smith said to Marvel, we haven’t learned what Kevin Feige replied. It’s safe to say that a request like that is going to take some time for Feige to consider. He’s the architect of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He knows what roles he has coming up. The ones for “huge” parts are going to be more limited, and he’ll have to find one that specifically interests Will Smith.
The actor’s interest in signing on for a huge role at Marvel makes some sense after his time at DC. He played Deadshot in Suicide Squad, a movie that was heavily panned by critics. It’s been reported that Will Smith didn’t want to sign on for more DC movies after that experience, though he has been reconsidering his DC options since James Gunn made The Suicide Squad for the franchise. Still, at this point, it doesn’t appear that she has a “huge” role with DC, not something comparable to the career someone like Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Evans has had at Marvel.
It will be interesting to see if Kevin Feige decides to play ball and offer Will Smith a part large enough to bring him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We previously learned that Fantastic Four is looking to cast diversely. It’s unclear if they’re going to stick with that requirement as they move forward, but it seems likely. Marvel hasn’t thrown any names around for their main characters yet, or told audiences much about how heavily they’ll be using the Fantastic Four in Marvel’s future, but it would seem like Reed Richards is going to be an important role. As a powerful leader of an ensemble cast, Will Smith could be a strong choice. Of course, as the actor has been popular for decades, he’d likely be a strong choice for many roles.
In recent years, Marvel has made it a policy to no longer require longer contracts. They are giving more freedom to their actors. Previously, they appeared to be using star power across their movies to help carry them forward, but they have a wider strategy these days as the franchise has grown. Will they want to have Will Smith as a main figure? How big will be big enough for Will Smith? It’s going to be interesting to see these talks play out.
