Will Smith Departs Blockbuster And Questions Arise
Will Smith has withdrawn his acting talents from Sugar Bandits, an upcoming action film that he was originally set to co-star in. Based on the novel Devils in Exile by Chuck Hogan, Sugar Bandits has been in development for several years. The screenplay was adapted by Hogan, and Will Smith’s production company, Westbrook, came on board to produce, with Smith set to star in the central role before dropping out due to scheduling conflicts.
Will Smith’s Withdrawal From Sugar Bandits
Neither Will Smith nor his production company are commenting further on his sudden withdrawal from the acting role. Westbrook, and Smith, will remain in the role of producers, however. Sugar Bandits will be directed by Stefano Solima (Without Remorse), and filming is supposed to begin just a few short months from now, but the film’s production may end up being stalled again.
Will There Be Buyer’s Remorse?
Sugar Bandits was sold at Cannes and the European Film Market for around $80 million to Amazon Prime and independent distributors with Will Smith attached to star. How those buyers will now react to their major draw withdrawing is anyone’s guess, especially if the filmmakers can’t find a star to match his star power.
Rising, Falling, And Rising Again
Will Smith lost some of that power back in 2022, right as his star was shining brighter than ever, thanks to films like Spies in Disguise, Aladdin, Bad Boys for Life, and King Richard, but the Oscar slap may have changed everything.
Shortly after Smith took to the stage and slapped Chris Rock for an off-color joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett, his film Emancipation was released, and it bombed.
Still, Bad Boys: Ride or Die hit theaters back in June and earned over $400 million at the box office, making fans wonder if Will Smith is back. Audiences have given the film 97 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Sugar Bandits Rundown
The story of Sugar Bandits, much like The Town, also by Hogan, is set in Boston and focuses on a group of vigilantes led by an ex-special forces soldier, the role meant for Will Smith. The vigilantes aim to take down the major drug dealers in the city, but they end up in an impossible standoff between a cartel and the DEA. Will Smith may have been perfect for this role, and it could have stretched his acting chops even further, as he rarely plays anything close to a villain or an anti-hero.
Possible Reasons For Scheduling Conflict
It remains to be seen what the cause of Will Smith’s scheduling conflicts may be, especially since he’s still attached to the project in a producer capacity. If he has taken on another acting role that would be a direct scheduling conflict to Sugar Bandit’s production, that information has yet to be disclosed as of this writing. Given the recent success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die, the actor could have received an offer for an acting job that he couldn’t refuse.
It has recently been reported that Smith had his name attached to the upcoming sci-fi thriller, Resistor, but the project is currently in the pre-production phases with no set release date.
Source: Deadline
