Will Smith, fresh off renewed ‘Bad Boys’ success, set to star in sci-fi thriller ‘Resistor’

By Jami Ganz, New York Daily News

Will Smith is no longer persona non grata in Hollywood, with the Oscar winner set to follow up the success of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” by starring in Sony’s “Resistor.”

The “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” star, 55, will headline the sci-fi thriller, based on Daniel Suarez’s 2014 novel, “Influx,” according to Deadline and Variety.

A hunt for a director is underway for the film, currently in development, Deadline reports.

The film will center on physicist Jon Grady and the machine he and his team invent to manipulate gravity, after which he’s “sent to a technological nightmare of a prison,” according to IMDbPro.

The film marks a return to form for Smith, who alienated mainstream audiences after slapping Chris Rock onstage at the 2022 Academy Awards, just before he was crowned best actor for his role in “King Richard.” The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences quickly banned Smith from attending a decade of Oscars ceremonies.

The fourth installment in his “Bad Boys” franchise hit theaters on June 7 and has so far made over $215 million at box offices domestic and abroad — bringing the franchise as a whole to over $1 billion worldwide.

The success of “Bad Boys” is a far cry from that of 2022’s “Emancipation,” which, prior to the Slap, was expected to garner Smith further Oscar buzz but ultimately flopped.

But the forecasted success of the “Ride or Die” opening weekend was enough to secure Smith his new project. After receiving a script last month, the production company behind the film “wanted to move fast,” and it wasn’t long before Smith and the studio agreed to move ahead, Deadline reports.

Insiders told the outlet that while “Resistor” is a go, it likely won’t be Smith’s next project as it’s still in extremely early days.

Smith has a long history of starring in sci-fi flicks, including, among others, the “Men in Black” films, “Independence Day,” “I, Robot,” and “I Am Legend.”

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