Will Smith Resurrecting A Beloved Franchise?
If anyone can bring this franchise back, Will Smith can.
This article is more than 2 years old
Somedays, it seems like every franchise that could ever be covered is already out there. However, that is an underestimation of Hollywood. One franchise we haven’t successfully seen brought back is that of the 1980s television series The A-Team. They attempted to bring this series back in a 2010 feature film that failed to meet expectations. Studios then discussed trying again with a television series in 2015, but that never happened. Perhaps because they were missing the talents of Will Smith?
Insider Daniel Richtman claims they’re not willing to try again. If possible, with the A-list actor that could make The A-Team really shine. The franchise is part of the intellectual property that Disney acquired from Fox. Richtman shared this information with his Patreon page and didn’t offer any more information other than that his sources have heard they’re bringing The A-Team back and the studio wants Smith if possible. At this point, this is only a rumor, and one that only suggests what the studio wants. He hasn’t heard that Will Smith is entertaining conversations or what character Disney would like the actor to take on. Presumably, if you’re getting a big-name actor like Smith, you’d want him to play John “Hannibal” Smith, who has previously been the one to lead the group.
In the 2010 movie, John was played by Liam Neeson. That reboot for A-Team was a strange misstep. The failure there may make Will Smith be more cautious when approaching this franchise. In 2010, they had the budget to make something great with $110 million on their side. They had a cast that included Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper. And then the movie earned a disappointing $177 million worldwide at the box office. This was largely blamed on a disappointing script that turned out a movie that just fell flat. The movie also suggested that turning a television sitcom, especially one from the 1980s, into a feature film may be more difficult than some creators think.
We can assume a Will Smith remake would borrow from the original A-Team plot. Traditionally, the idea behind The A-Team is that a group of veterans are court-martialed for a crime they did not commit. The group escapes from military prison. They are then always on the run and watching their backs, while also working as heroes who protect the innocent. On a television series, protecting the innocent helps frame each episode. The original television series was a hit that ran for five seasons.
The rumor from Daniel Richtman doesn’t clarify whether Disney is looking to bring back The A-Team as a major motion picture of a television series, possibly for Disney+. However, it would seem like the interest in Will Smith suggests a major film is in the works. There’s no news on how far long as they are on this idea or if they’ve considered any other casting.
Right now, Will Smith is involved in some interesting projects. We hear he may be returning as Deadshot. He’s all set to appear in Bright 2 for Netflix and is in pre-production for Bad Boys 4. We’ll have to wait and see if Disney approaches him for The A-Team reboot.
