The second agent was also a talent agent. “He just cost himself a premium,”The agent said. “His brand is permanently tarnished.”
The Oscar nominee has been facing a crisis after what was once a hilarious TV moment turned-meme became a major problem. The public has not been shy in calling Smith’s slap what it is — an assault — and he has now drawn stiff rebuke from other stars and top Hollywood players, suggesting potentially serious consequences for his career.
The first big test of Smith’s perceived star status will be Antoine Fuqua’s “Emancipation,”Apple Studios purchased this runaway-slave drama from Smith for $120million. As a potential Oscar contender, the film was currently in postproduction. Apple may hold the film, depending on whether Smith is expelled or suspended by the Academy. Apple representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
But may top Hollywood agents and producers are not terribly optimistic about Smith’s near-term prospects to bounce back from this very public misstep — especially given his recent track record at the box office.
Jeff Bock, Exhibitor Relations Analyst, stated that Smith was already making box office returns before the Oscars. “the typical trajectory of an aging movie star.” Without a consistent franchise like Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible”Smith appeared in films such as the Netflix sci-fi thriller, which was widely criticized. “Bright” and Paramount’s 2019 box office bomb “Gemini Man,”The film received a high-level marketing budget of $138 million, but it only made $175 million globally.
The exceptions to Smith’s box office decline came from IP-driven films either from his past or from the Disney behemoth, with the 2019 remake of “Aladdin”Smith portrayed Genie, who topped $1 billion in global sales. And just before the pandemic in January 2020, Smith’s “Bad Boys for Life”Sony Pictures has grossed $206 million in domestic sales and $426.5 millions worldwide. “American Sniper”As the second-highest January release in boxoffice history.
One producer behind studio franchises stated that Smith would still find work at studio level but wondered whether his biggest franchises are behind. The producer noted that Tom Cruise managed to bounce back from the public relations disaster when he manically jumped on Oprah Winfrey’s couch in 2005, but that same path may not be available for Smith.
“Post-couch jumping incident, Tom Cruise had a solid, guaranteed successful ‘Mission: Impossible’ franchise with the four films in that franchise that followed the incident,”The producer stated. “None of Smith’s franchises are nearly as solid. ‘Men in Black’ didn’t come back after the last one.”
Another agent said Smith has opened the door for other actors to fill what would’ve been his roles.
“This just became his Tom Cruise/Mel Gibson moment, where he’s always going to be a star, but he just went from A+ to A and gave people like Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart and Tom Holland a clearer lane,”This agent stated.
A-list movie stars like Smith command huge salaries — Smith earned $20 million for “Aladdin”In 2019, $17 million “Bad Boys For Life” in 2020 — and are expected to deliver massive box office to justify those salaries. According to box office database The Numbers, Smith’s lifetime box office grosses is $6.5 billion worldwide in 29 films.
Some crisis PR experts told they were more optimistic about Smith’s prospects, even while arguing that his reputation has changed overnight. Smith’s apology to Rock took almost a whole day after the Oscars. “well done”Something that is. “checked the boxes”This is the response to a scandal like this.
“He’s unquestionably a very talented entertainer and actor, and he’s built a whole lot of good will throughout his career, so people are going to be open to forgiving him and redeeming himself,” Evan Nierman, founder of Red Banyan crisis PR firm said. “He is going to work again, he’s going to continue to get acting jobs, and if he handles himself properly in the coming weeks and months, this will be a stain on his career, but it’s one that will be surmountable, and his future still looks bright.”
Nierman also added: “He’s not going to get canceled because of what happened at the Oscars that night. Because Will Smith is too big to fail.”
Mark Macias, owner of Macias PR and a crisis consultant, noted that Smith had done irreparable damage to his public image — and make it less likely for him to be cast in certain kinds of projects. “This is going to be sticking in front of people for a long time,”He said. “I can’t get over how quickly he ruined his reputation. He was always speaking about love.”
Beyond “Emancipation,” Smith is attached to sequels to both Netflix’s “Bright” and Sony’s “Bad Boys for Life,”Both have not shot scripts. David Leitch also has an STX project. “Fast & Loose.”
Other projects are even earlier in the development process, including a movie that his Westbrook Entertainment is producing at Sony’s Screen Gems about his song “Summertime”The just-announced “I Am Legend”Warner Bros. sequel featuring Michael B. Jordan.
“Other than ‘Bad Boys 4,’ I think those will all die,” the first agent told of Smith’s list of upcoming projects. “The key to any movie star, regardless of era, gender, race, etc. is that the audience finds them relatable and in some sense, that they want to be the star. I think that is no longer possible with Smith.”
Still, the agent noted that Smith could follow a path similar to Gibson’s in seeking out non-studio projects. “He’s going to continue to work, but more in the foreign sales model,”The agent stated.
What about Smith’s business dealings? In January, Smith’s Westbrook Inc. landed a $600 million valuation and sold a minority stake to Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ media company Candle Media — an investment that may have been hurt by Smith’s current career prospects. While Smith has been attached to many of the company’s hits, Overbrook has also produced dramatic reboot Peacock’s “Bel Air,” Netflix’s “Cobra Kai”The YA “To All the Boys” film franchise that are less tied to Smith’s personal brand.
One talent manager said: “It definitely hurt the Westbrook value and that capital raise won’t be worth the same. That valuation is based on a clean image, and that’s not the same anymore.”
Candle Media reps did not immediately respond when we asked for comments.
While some argue it’s too early to tell how Smith’s company on the whole might be impacted, others say he’ll have a hard time setting up new projects for at least the next few months as he works to rehabilitate his image.
“I’m not giving Westbrook any projects. And I may even blow up the ones that I have that are currently in negotiations. What’s Westbrook without Will? Nothing,”One agent stated that. “I think he’s not setting up many — if any — new projects at least until the fall.”
Bock was more optimistic about Smith’s long-term prospects, particularly in familiar franchise projects. “There’s still enough of a widespread interest to see Smith in another ‘Bad Boys’ film or another ‘I Am Legend’ for studios to move forward on those projects, though they might wait a little longer before moving it into active development,”He said. “At least for the next six months or so, Smith’s going to go on an apology tour all over Hollywood, but I could see in a couple years a lot of moviegoers deciding to let it go if the trailers start coming out for ‘Bad Boys 4.’”
As part of his comeback efforts, many people expect Smith will have a sit down with Oprah. Winfrey is part of the long tradition in regaining public acceptance. It’s widely expected that he’ll address the issue on his own turf with wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s “Red Table Talk”Show on Facebook Watch. (Reps to Smith didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Rehabilitative efforts might have to wait until the Academy decides on the disciplinary actions it will take against the star. This was a process the Academy stated Tuesday that it could take. “a few weeks.”This may prolong the coverage of the slap and comment on it, as Oscars hosts Wanda Sykes (Amy Schumer) and stars like Kareem Abdul Jaabaar (Jim Carrey) have all condemned his actions.
“If I were advising him, I would get him on TV as soon as possible to create new images of Will Smith on film,”Nierman spoke. “He’s going to have to come prepared and humble himself and show people that he truly regrets what he did.”
This report was contributed by Jeremy Fuster.
