Will Smith lands first post-Oscars project with Ms. Marvel director
Will Smith has landed his first project following his Oscar win – and the controversy surrounding the ceremony. He’ll be producing a new adaptation of the novel Brilliance, which Ms. Marvel director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy will be helming.
Per Deadline (opens in new tab), the movie will be heading to Paramount Pictures with Smith also eyed to take on the lead role. Based on the book of the same name by Marcus Sakey, Brilliance follows a federal agent called Nick Cooper who tracks down people born with special powers called Brilliants.
Born with exceptional powers himself, Cooper finds himself in trouble when his latest target is deemed the most dangerous man alive. The synopsis of the novel teases that to catch him, Cooper will have to betray his own kind and risk everything he holds dear.
Director Obaid-Chinoy helmed two episodes of Ms. Marvel on Disney Plus (you can read our chat with her about them here) but is best known for her Oscar-winning documentary shorts Saving Face and A Girl in the River, The Price of Forgiveness. Brilliance marks her narrative feature directorial debut.
Smith has been the subject of controversy following an incident at the 2022 Oscars where he slapped host Chris Rock on stage after the comedian made a joke about his wife. The actor has since apologized, releasing a five-minute apology video in July where he said he "fogged out" after the assault.
According to Deadline (opens in new tab), Rock responded to the video while onstage with Dave Chappelle in London on September 3. He told the crowd in a seeming reference to the apology: "Fuck your hostage video." Meanwhile, Smith has been banned from the Oscars for 10 years over what happened.
While Brilliance is Smith’s first new project since
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