Will Smith’s dominoes are still falling even a month after the smack heard ’round the globe. Smith’s problems have only gotten worse. He has been kicked out of the Academy, has received a decade-long ban from the Oscars, and has his numerous film projects put on hold indefinitely. Bright 2 has been permanently canceled on Netflix, putting two more of his films in peril.
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Netflix Canceled Bright 2 After Will Smith Oscar Incident
Bright 2, directed by David Ayer and starring Smith, has been officially canceled by Netflix. Smith planned to reprise his role as an LAPD investigator living and working in a version of Los Angeles where humans coexist with supernatural beings in the sequel.
The sequel was announced about a month after the film’s premiere in January 2018, and it has been in the works ever since. Sources tell Bloomberg that the cancellation is “unrelated” to the smack. However, it is a bit unusual for a film that had been in development for years to get abruptly and neatly canceled less than a month after its star gets embroiled in a worldwide scandal.
National Geographic delays Pole to Pole series
National Geographic has postponed Pole to Pole, a nature series starring Smith as he visits both the South Pole and the North Pole. Bloomberg first reported the story, citing a source close to the project. Smith’s third NatGeo show, following One Strange Rock in 2018 and Welcome to Earth in 2021, would be this one. The show was supposed to begin in three weeks, but it gets pushed back to the fall.
Bloomberg Claims
According to the Bloomberg article, the delay stems from Smith slapping presenter Chris Rock at the Oscars last month when the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith. Shaw quickly clarifies in a tweet that the cancellation of Bright 2 is “unrelated” to the slap. Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the aftermath of the incident. Moreover, the Academy imposed a 10-year ban on him. Other projects halted by the slap include Bright 2 and the upcoming action film Fast and Loose, which stars Smith.
Smith Visits India
Perhaps Smith can visit Mrs. Rock in his newfound spare time and channel his Oscar-winning enthusiasm into an award-worthy apology. But, for the time being, he appears to be employing the tried-and-true “go away from my issues” technique. He appeared at a private airport in Mumbai when he posed for photos with the fans. Smith reportedly visited India for spiritual reasons, practicing yoga and meditation.
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