Sudden stoppage of production Fast and loose Netflix, starring Will Smith, appears to be another spinoff from the recent Oscar scandal. The actor’s new film has completely halted pre-production. A few weeks ago, the project encountered its first problem. Director David Leitch stepped out of the credits behind the camera and required to work on the production of scapegoat. The latter starring Ryan Reynolds in what is rumored to be a move that took Netflix by surprise. But apparently it was Will Smith’s behavior at the Oscars that ultimately led to a tacit cancellation of the shoot.
There is no official statement, but IndieWire explains that Netflix has made a drastic decision. On the one hand, completely stop production without date of reincorporation. At the other extreme, the possibility of continuing indefinitely with a director and now a different actor. There are no details about possible changes, but the movie became an awkward moment for the subscription service.
What happened is the latest in a series of Will Smith-related events after what happened at the Academy Awards. Amid the controversy surrounding it, The platform’s decision does not seem fortuitous. It could also be interpreted as a concrete symptom of what Will Smith can expect in the medium term. What started as an embarrassing event in the middle of the Oscars seems to have turned into a bigger problem for the actor.
So much so that he begins to speculate that it could have such an impact on his career in the future. Especially as it becomes clear that academia and industry do not want to let the incident pass. In reality, what appears to be an indefinite hiatus in Netflix production is another consequence of something bigger. Are Smith’s path and career in danger? This is the big question the entertainment world is analyzing right now.
From the rise to the fall from grace
It is a concrete precedent that could indicate the path that the industry and the Academy take in the face of what happened. A week after Smith surprised the world with his stage demeanor, all around him is uncertain. More precisely, because the subsequent reaction of corporations and unions has shown that the fact is in a gray area.
Only the Actors Guild (SAG) reacted on the Monday following the broadcast of the Oscars and announced disciplinary measures. However, none materialized. For now, the potential decisions of major Hollywood studios and institutions are confusing and somewhat messy. But one thing is clear: Will Smith will have to wait at least one difficult season in the world of cinema.
Over the past week, it has been reported that the Academy has launched an investigation into the Oscars on-stage scandal. The method or protocol related to the procedure was not specified. But it has been hinted that Will Smith could be expelled from the Academy. As an Oscar winner, your membership and voting rights are assured. But before any decision was made, Smith decided to quit.
In a statement, the actor explained the reasons for his decision and argued that he was “embarrassed” by his behavior. “The list of people I have hurt is long. This includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all in attendance and a global audience at home,” Smith said in a statement. “I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived the other nominees and winners of the opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. My heart is broken”.
And now what? Will Smith in the Eye of the Storm
But despite the public mea culpa, Smith’s public relations campaign to cover up what happened isn’t having much effect. Public criticism, discussions around him and even shows of support have become a complicated phenomenon that could affect his career. There are days, it turned out that Sony stopped the early development of bad boys 4, apparently as a direct result of the Oscars scandal. This despite the fact that it had been reported weeks before that Smith had part of the script. However, it is obvious that the studios will try to distance themselves, at least for now, from a situation described as inconvenient for the industry.
Will this be the last obvious consequence of what happened? There are rumors that the Apple TV+ movie, emancipation, could also be canceled or at least suspended. Which would imply that a good part of the actor’s projects for this year would be on hold or seriously risk being. Could this be the end of Smith’s long journey in the world of cinema? Only time will tell.
