The term “movie star” is practically synonymous with Will Smith. For years, it seemed like any project he touched – such as Independence Day, the Men in Black movies, the Bad Boys franchise, and Disney’s live-action remake of Aladdin, to name a few – was destined to become an enormous box office success. His career has certainly had its ups and downs over the years, but there is more to come from the man otherwise known as “Big Willie” or “The Fresh Prince,” as you can see from the following guide to the upcoming Will Smith movies we are excited to see.
Aladdin 2 (TBA)
While 2019's Aladdin didn't necessarily show us a whole new world, it did bring in a massive audience eager to revisit the classic tale. The live-action remake to Disney's immensely popular 1992 animated film made more than a whopping $1 billion dollars worldwide, so you better believe Disney is making a sequel.
It was announced that Aladdin 2 was in the works at the Mouse House in 2020, with Guy Richie returning to the director's chair while John Gatins (Flight) and Andrea Berloff (Straight Outta Compton) are writing the screenplay. After years without any news since, rumors suggested that the follow-up had been cancelled. In 2023, star Mena Massoud told ScreenRant that he could not confirm or deny the sequel’s chances of finally happening.
Brilliance (TBA)
In addition to all the sequels, remakes, and other IP-based properties lined up in Will Smith's future, the Gemini Man actor is also looking to produce and star in Brilliance – an intriguing new sci-fi property based on Marcus Sakey's 2013 novel of the same name. Reuniting the actor with screenwriter Akiva Goldsman, who co-wrote I Am Legend and I, Robot, this new movie takes place in a world in which, since 1980, one percent of the population has been born with special powers.
As THR reported in September 2019, Smith will play the role of Nick Cooper, a federal agent tasked with keeping tabs on individuals with these special gifts. The project has been in development since 2013 with several false starts since and even talk of Jared Leto replacing Smith at one point, so it's hard to know if it's still moving forward. But it's certainly intriguing and, if successful, could spark another franchise for the actor.
The Council (TBA)
Telling the true story of a crime syndicate consisting of seven Black men who ruled Harlem in the 1970s and 1980s, The Council will see Will Smith adopting the role of Nicky Barnes, a crime boss deemed Mr. Untouchable, in this new Netflix crime drama, as IndieWire reported. The project will reunite Smith with screenwriter Peter Landesman, who wrote and directed 2015's Concussion.
It's unclear at the moment if Landesman is expected to direct this movie as well, but he will also serve as an executive producer. Likewise, Smith is on-board to produce in addition to starring in this new movie, which was announced in 2019, but without any further updates revealed since.
Fast And Loose (TBA)
Very rarely has Will Smith played a “bad guy” – save when he joined 2016’s Suicide Squad cast as Deadshot or when he led one of the best Margot Robbie movies, Focus, as an experienced con artist. However, the actor’s role in Fast and Loose is described as the leader of a criminal organization whose reunion with his crew following a bout of memory loss is met with suspicious circumstances.
The crime thriller comes from brotherly writing duo Jon and Erich Hoeber (known for penning 2012’s Battleship and the Meg movies) and is being produced by Netflix, which put development on hold following the Oscar slap incident. In early 2023, Variety reported that the streaming platform opted to continue moving forward with Fast and Loose again after Sony greenlit Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
I Am Legend 2 (TBA)
As fans of the 2007 adaptation of Richard Matheson’s post-apocalyptic novel I Am Legend will recall, the film has two different endings. SPOILER ALERT: in the theatrical cut, Will Smith’s character dies, but in an alternate ending found on home video releases, he survives. The second, more widely favored conclusion will be recognized as canon when the follow-up is released.
Smith is producing the upcoming sequel to I Am Legend, in which he will also reprise his role as Dr. Robert Neville – one of the few survivors of a global outbreak he is responsible for, which killed some, but turned the rest into vicious, nocturnal mutants. Variety reported in late 2023 that the actor revealed at the Red Sea International Film Festival that there is a script for the sci-fi thriller, which Michael B. Jordan is also starring in and producing.
Resistor (TBA)
Following the success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Smith is already set to recollaborate with Sony as the lead of Resistor. According to the Deadline, the upcoming sci-fi thriller is based on Daniel Suarez's novel, Influx, in which a revolutionary device that reflects gravity makes its discoverer a target by a covert group specializing in suppressing technological progress.
Sugar Bandits (TBA)
Smith has signed on to lead the cast of Sugar Bandits -- a project first announced by Universal in 2013. According to Variety, the action thriller is based on Chuck Hogan's book, Devils in Exile, in which a group of Iraq War veterans decide to play vigilantes against the Boston drug trade.
Planes, Trains, And Automobiles (TBA)
If there's one movie that people think of as a Thanksgiving classic, it's John Hughes' Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Both one of the best Steve Martin movies as well as one of the best John Candy movies, this road trip comedy is a regular favorite for many homes during November, which is why the promise of an upcoming remake of Planes, Trains and Automobiles might make many people nervous.
Nevertheless, Will Smith and Kevin Hart are signed on to produce and star in a modernized retelling of this Thanksgiving tale, with Aeysha Carr in charge of writing the screenplay. The new comedy was first announced in 2020, but the last we heard about it was in 2023 when Hart told ET Canada (via Today) that the script is in progress and he is looking forward to working with fellow Philadelphia native Smith.
Additional Upcoming Will Smith Producing Credits
In addition to all the various titles listed above that Will Smith is attached to, bouncing between actor and producer duties, there are several more movies and shows coming up from Smith's Overbrook Entertainment division.
Pole To Pole (TBA)
As reported by The Independent in early 2023, Smith is set to host and produce a new travel docuseries alongside National Geographic called Pole to Pole, which will be available with a Disney+ subscription. According to a press release by The University of Queensland, a new species of snake, dubbed the the northern green anaconda, was discovered while Smith was filming an episode in the Amazon.
Onyeka And The Academy Of The Sun (TBA)
In early 2022, Deadline reported that Smith and David Oyelowo joined forces to produce a film adaptation of Tọlá Okogwu’s novel, Onyeka and the Academy of the Sun. However, no updates regarding the coming-of-age story of a young girl seeking guidance about her newfound magical abilities in Nigeria have come out since.
Da Understudy (TBA)
In early 2023, Smith signed on to help produce a Spike Lee joint about an actor willing to kill for his dream role in Da Understudy. The last update we heard of the Amazon Studios movie came from Variety when Jonathan Majors was dropped from the cast in early 2024.
Which upcoming Will Smith project are you looking forward to the most?
