Superstar Will Smith, the most bankable actor working today and the man who recently chose to end a four year absence from movie screens to star in Men in Black 3, has now shed a little bit more light on why he turned down the leading role in the next Tarantino movie.
According to The Playlist, the former rap idol told Empire Magazine the following:
“I came really close, it was one of the most amazing screenplays I had ever ever seen. I was in the middle of Men In Black 3 and [Tarantino] was ready to go, and I just couldn’t sit with him and get through the issues, so I didn’t want to hold him up. That thing’s going to be ridiculous. It is a genius screenplay.”
Well, if you’re in the middle of Men in Black 3, Will! At this stage it looks like the only way we’ll see Smith in a cowboy hat again is if he makes a 3D sequel to Wild Wild West. We can but dream.
Questions abound about the nature of his “issues” with the “genius” screenplay, though we can probably take an educated guess that Smith – a man who has repeatedly stated an ambition to one day run for high political office – was nervous about the potential harm appearing in such a violent and sweary movie might do to his reputation, let alone his mainstream leading man status.
Smith’s comments come as the new international trailer breaks for Quentin Tarantino’s slavery revenge western Django Unchained, which now stars Jamie Foxx in the leading role alongside Inglorious Bastards Oscar winner Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio – in a rare bad guy role. Check it out below:
In other news, the same publication has quoted Smith as rejecting the offer to be involved with I Am Legend 2 – though the film is apparently in development, having been a substantial money-maker for Warner Bros. back in 2008.
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2 Comments
Hollywood is in the grip of a slave fetish right now. From Blind Side to The Help to Django to 12 Years a Slave.
Will Smith, wisely decided not to play to white racial psychoses. it’s a total insult to demand that the most bankable actor on the planet be in chains and whipped on by white people. What horsecrap and Quintin knew it.
Tarantino’s writing for the Django role (dialogue, action, character arc) was weak in comparison to that of the roles written for King Schultz, Calvin Candie, and Stephen. Lead actors such as Will Smith tend to decline weakly-written roles.