Netflix cancels Will Smith’s upcoming movie, ‘Bright’
Netflix cancelled Will Smith’s sequel to 2017 action film ‘Bright’ and National Geographic delays production on ‘Pole to Pole’ after he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.
The actor’s 2017 sci-fi action thriller ‘Bright’ directed by David Ayer, has been cancelled by the streaming giant.
Also his National Geographic nature series, ‘Pole to Pole’ which follows the 53-year-old star to the North and South Poles, and was set to begin filming in three weeks, has been paused until fall 2022, the news outlet reported.
The sudden cancellation of ‘Bright’ is apparently unrelated to the recent controversy surrounding Smith, who made global headlines after he slugged Chris Rock during last month’s Academy Awards show.
In additional, Smith had lined up that have been getting smacked down, include a movie for Sony that has been delayed and another Netflix project for the ‘Fast and Loose’.
Netflix was in the midst of finding a new director for the film after David Leitch left the film ahead of the Academy Awards.
The Sony film, ‘Bad Boys 4,’ which had started pre-production before the awards ceremony, was also put on hold.
After the March incident, Smith had resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The Academy issued a statement banning Smith from attending and being part of any Academy event or programs: ‘The Board of Governors has decided, for a period of 10 years, from April 8, 2022, Mr. Smith shall not be permitted to attend any Academy events or programs in person or virtually,’ the statement read, in part.
“We want to express our deep gratitude to Mr. Rock for maintaining his composure under extraordinary circumstances,’ the organization continued. ‘We also want to thank our hosts, nominees, presenters and winners for their poise and grace during our telecast.”
Smith told Page Six after the Academy’s April 8 board ruling, “I accept and respect the Academy’s decision,” he said.
Chris Rock, 57, was presenting the Oscar for Best Documentary during the event at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood when he joked about Will Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head.
The actress has openly shared her alopecia struggles, and did not laugh at the joke when he compared her to the shaved head look of Demi Moore in the 1997 movie G.I. Jane.
Smith then approached the stage and slapped Rock hard across the face with his right hand.
After being hit, Rock stood on stage, and said, “Will Smith just smacked the s*** out of me.”
Smith returned to his seat next to his wife after the outburst and yelled at the comic.
‘Keep my wife’s name out of your f***ing mouth!,’ Smith twice shouted at a shocked Rock.
Rock, who appeared shocked and flustered, continued to present the best documentary feature category.
The shocking scene was broadcast live around the world and stunned both the live audience at the Dolby Theatre and TV viewers.
The exchange was muted on a delayed telecast in much of the US, but was aired in full to some international audiences.
Smith won Best Actor for his portrayal of Richard Williams, the determined father who raised tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams, in ‘King Richard.’
He used his acceptance speech to defend his on-stage meltdown, but did not mention Rock while apologizing for his physical outburst during his speech.
‘Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family,’ Smith said at the start of his speech. He continued: ‘I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people,’ he said.
Smith added: ‘Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, but love will make you do crazy things.
During his sold-out comedy show in Boston, the comedian broke his silence on being slapped by Smith, and told the crowd that he was ‘still processing what happened on the night, before promising that at ‘some point I’ll talk about that s***’.
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