Will Smith’s Oscar slap marked a significant turning point in his career – one that some speculated that he might not come back from. However, nearly two years after that televised moment, he’s continuing to stay busy work-wise. Amid his comeback, he has a few high-profile movie roles on the horizon. Now, he can add yet another entry to this string of gigs, as Smith has lined up a film that sounds intense. Not only that, but the project has some A+ talent attached to it as well.
The Academy Award winner is set to lead a thriller called Sugar Bandits, according to Variety. He’s set to play the lead role, and he’ll also produce the film under his Westbrook Studios banner. The film is an adaptation of the 2010 book Devils in Exile, which was written by Chuck Hogan, who’s writing the screenplay. Cinephiles may recognize Hogan’s name, because his 2004 novel, Prince of Thieves, was adapted into Ben Affleck’s acclaimed 2010 crime thriller The Town. That should give you an idea of what you can probably expect from this latest production in terms of intensity.
Devils in Exile will see the Concussion alum take on the role of an Iraq War veteran, who joins forces with other veterans in an attempt to take down Boston’s drug trade. As of this writing, only the Golden Globe winner has been announced as part of the cast, and a director has not been announced either. However, the leading man and Chuck Hogan’s involvement are surely enough to get someone excited for what’s to come.
It goes without saying that the rapper-turned-actor is no stranger to action movies such as this one. Such fare ranks among some of Will Smith’s best movies. Independence Day, Bad Boys and Men in Black are just a few of the titles he’s starred in that fall into that category. So, when it comes to whether he’ll be able to deliver in such a film, I’ll give the 55-year-old the benefit of the doubt.
For the past year or so, rumors have been swirling around Will Smith as he seeks to distance himself from the televised incident at the 94th Academy Awards. It was reported in early 2023 that Smith was seeking to re-establish his career by filming a few productions back to back. Though some criticized him after what happened on Hollywood’s biggest night, many have voiced support for his comeback, including Cedric the Entertainer.
His first post-slap film was Apple TV+’s Emancipation, which received mixed reactions. It’s also known that he’s working on the fourth Bad Boys movie, which somewhat remains in limbo after production shut down in mid-2023 due to the Hollywood strikes. Additionally, he’s returning for the long-awaited sequel to I Am Legend, in which he’ll star alongside Michael B. Jordan. Per an update Smith shared this past December, the movie is still indeed moving forward.
Despite the controversy that surrounded him, it would appear that the A-lister is still relatively sought-after in Tinseltown. Sugar Bandits could end up being a major feather in his professional cap, should all pan out accordingly. Of course, it still seems to be early days for the production, and we’ll have to see who else ends up boarding it.