Bad Boys: Ride or Die star Will Smith has officially took his name out the hat of the highly anticipated action-thriller “Sugar Bandits.” Now the production is without its headline star.
So what’s up with that? Well, according to Deadline Hollywood, Smith’s departure is attributed to “scheduling conflicts.” That’s interesting as most scheduling is lined up before stars commit to big tentpole projects but what do we know.
Still, it remains unclear which of his upcoming projects may have caused the alleged conflict. Smith has several projects in the pipeline, including the much-anticipated “I Am Legend 2”, where he is set to co-star with Michael B. Jordan.
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Get this, Smith’s exit places the film’s future in a weird position, especially in terms of box office potential. Distributors had eagerly signed on to back the $80 million production at both Cannes and the European Film Market (EFM), largely because of Smith’s involvement as the lead.
What’s interesting is Smith will continue to be attached to the project as a producer through his production company Westbrook, but finding a replacement actor who can carry the same star power is now a real concern.
There are some big shoes to fill and the clock is ticking.
”Sugar Bandits” was scheduled to begin filming in the coming months. Despite the setback, the filmmakers are still eyeing a 2025 release date, but that will depend on how quickly a new lead can be secured.
What’s more, is the film is set to be directed by Stefano Sollima (“Sicario: Day of the Soldado”), and is based on Chuck Hogan’s novel “Devils in Exile”.
The story centers on a former special forces soldier who leads a team of vigilantes to take down Boston’s drug trade. Hogan is also attached as the film’s screenwriter.
Deadline wrote in their report that Smith’s departure “throws a major wrench into the film’s production schedule,” and without a new lead, the distributors who initially supported the project may reevaluate their commitment. It remains to be seen whether a new actor can step into the role and satisfy the high expectations that distributors and fans alike had for the film with Smith in the driver’s seat.
Wait a go, Will.