A lot of folks were beginning to predict the end of Will Smith’s tenure at the top of the Hollywood A-list was coming after a string of critical and commercial disappointments, but you’d be foolish to write him off. Aladdin, Suicide Squad and Bad Boys for Life delivered three of his nine biggest-ever box office hits in the space of four years very recently, so you can understand why all of the aforementioned movies have sequels on the way, even if Smith isn’t returning as Deadshot for James Gunn’s impending DCEU blockbuster.
Producer Peter Safran recently revealed that it was all just a matter of timing, with Smith’s schedule leaving him unable to commit to Gunn’s R-rated romp. The 52 year-old looks intent to branch out into relatively uncharted territory for now, though, with two prestige dramas on the way. Having wrapped Richard Williams biopic King Richard late last year, he’s got Antoine Fuqua’s historical slave story Emancipation shooting as we speak.
However, insider Daniel Richtman claims that the former Fresh Prince is pushing to return to the DCEU as Floyd Lawton, although no further details are made available. You’d have to imagine that if a star of Smith’s stature and box office pulling power was openly signaling his desire to suit up and return to the fold once again, the studio would bite his hand off for the opportunity.
He was fully on board with the idea of a Deadshot solo movie in late 2018 before that particular train went cold, but given the dearth of information on the matter, we’ll just have to cross our fingers and hope that the comeback happens sooner rather than later given the continued uncertainty that always surrounds the DC Films slate.