Will Smith’s Upcoming Film Projects Reportedly Paused in Aftermath of Oscars Slap

A pair of upcoming Will Smith projects have reportedly been paused in the aftermath of the actor slapping Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.

The Hollywood Reporter revealed Saturday that pre-production on the Smith-starring Netflix action film Fast and Loose has stalled following the infamous incident at the Oscars; prior to The Slap, the film’s director David Leitch dropped off the project, and while the streaming service initially sought another filmmaker to take over immediately, Fast and Loose has instead been put “on the back burner.”

Additionally, Smith was reportedly given 40 pages of script for an upcoming fourth installment to the Bad Boys franchise, but Sony too has opted to bench that blockbuster from active development.

As of now, Smith’s next starring role is in the film Emancipation, where the actor portrays a runaway slave who journey through Louisiana swamps to escape plantation owners. That Antoine Fuqua-directed movie, currently in post-production, was scheduled to premiere on Apple TV+ in 2022, but no release date has been set yet.

According to IMDB, Smith — in the role of producer — still has plenty of projects on the horizon in various states of development, but the fate of those films and TV shows is now in flux following the fallout of Smith’s infamous Oscars moment.

On Friday, Smith resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in a statement where he accepted “all consequences for my conduct.”

“My actions at the 94th Academy Awards presentation were shocking, painful, and inexcusable,” Smith wrote. “The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home. I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work.”

Smith continued, “I am heartbroken… Change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.”

From Rolling Stone US.