Netflix Drops Will Smith Movie ‘Fast and Loose’; Sony Pauses ‘Bad Boys 4’

A week before the 94th Academy Awards, The Hollywood Reporter has found out that director David Leitch backed away from directing the Netflix movie Fast and Loose, starring Will Smith, due to commitments with Universal Studios to make Fall Guy, which stars Ryan Gosling.

According to THR, Netflix and Universal both had discussions with Leitch on his next project after Bullet Train, but Universal ultimately won with Fall Guy, which will start production in August. Netflix apparently put out an urgent call for a replacement, as Smith was poised to win an Oscar for his performance in King Richard, but Netflix backed away from the project after the actor slapped Chris Rock in the face during last Sunday’s telecast, and it is unclear if they are going to do the project with someone else.

Additionally, Bad Boys 4 was in active development with Smith and the actor has received more than 40 pages of the screenplay before the Oscars. However, after what occurred at the Oscars, Sony has indefinitely paused the movie and it is unclear if pre-production will pick up again. Smith will next star in Emancipation, from Apple TV+, directed by Antoine Fuqua, with a yet-to-be-determined 2022 release date, but, according to The Hollywood Reporter, more studios could back away from Will Smith-related projects, so it is not clear if Fuqua’s film will release this year in the wake of the controversy, or if Apple TV will back away from the project, even if filming is done.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter