10 Actors Who Just Quit Huge Movies

In February 2024, Will Smith was confirmed to be starring in Sugar Bandits, an $80 million action-thriller based on Chuck Hogan's book Devils in Exile, with Smith playing an Iraq War veteran who teams up with fellow ex-soldiers to fight Boston's drug trade.

Hogan also penned the script, while Stefano Sollima (Sicario 2, Without Remorse) was attached to direct.

However, Smith took leave of his acting duties on the film late last year, after months of stalled production as his availability to shoot the project became uncertain. Though scheduling conflicts are cited as the reason for Smith's departure, it isn't clear precisely which other movie he walked away for.

Smith will however remain onboard as a producer, but the filmmakers are now faced with the tricky task of finding a replacement for Smith, whose starring role had helped pre-sell the film to distributors around the world.

Needless to say, it won't be easy to find an actor with Smith's global appeal that'll satisfy everyone involved.