Will Smith Producing & Eyed To Star In Paramount’s Upcoming Project ‘Brilliance,’ Six Months After Oscars Slap

Will Smith

Will Smith Producing & Eyed To Star In Paramount’s Upcoming Project ‘Brilliance,’ Six Months After Oscars Slap

Will Smith appears to be making a return to acting nearly six months after infamously slapping Chris Rock onstage at the 94th Academy Awards.

According to reports, actor Will Smith, 53, is being eyed to star in filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s feature directorial debut, “Brilliance,” with Paramount Pictures.

Will Smith

The film has been described as a “passion project” for Will Smith, who will also produce the project with his longtime collaborator, director Akiva Goldsman, who wrote the script. The two did a number of Smith-starring features together, such as “I, Robot” (2004), “I Am Legend” (2007), and “Hancock” (2008).

Despite Smith landing his first major movie role and potentially making a comeback since the Oscars incident, a source said Smith “hasn’t committed” to starring in the film as of yet.

Will Smith

“Brilliance” was adapted from the novel of the same name by author Marcus Sakey, who is also listed as one of the film’s producers. It centers on 1% of the human population that, since 1980, have been born with extraordinary abilities. The plan is for Smith to portray the film’s protagonist, federal agent Nick Cooper who works for the Department of Analysis and Response. His job is to track down and use his abilities to terminate criminal abnormals who use their gifts for ill.

Smith has been making a slow return to Hollywood since slapping comedian and actor Chris Rock, 57, at the Oscars in March. As you may already know, Smith walked onstage during the live ceremony and assaulted the comedian after he made a bald joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, who shaved her head because she has alopecia.

Although he apologized to the Academy and his fellow nominees during his acceptance speech for the best actor Oscar, the “King Richard” star did not issue a public apology to Chris Rock until the following day. As previously reported, in July Smith also took to social media to apologize again to Rock for slapping him. Smith said,

“I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk. And when he is, he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable, and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”

Following his seemingly genuine apology to Rock, insiders said that Smith is in a better place. A source claimed,

The source continued,

“He was in very low spirits prior to making his public apology. He feels less ashamed now and more comfortable being out and about in public again because he has and continues to do the work that needs to be done for himself, his wife, his family, his friends, his colleagues, his fans, The Academy, Chris and Chris’ family.”

Will Smith, Chris Rock

The source shared,

“He still has a lot of making up to to do and that it will all take time.”