The image of Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock, an incident that ended up overshadowing the King Richard star’s Best Actor award, is still fresh in the memories of those who attended the recent Oscars 2022 gala, as well as the millions of fans who watched it.
Following the traumatic event that has left an indelible stamp on Smith’s life, several of his forthcoming projects were halted or cancelled, dealing a serious hit to his career.
Despite the repeated criticism and media attacks Smith has had over the last two months, it appears that a corporation has finally shown its support for him.
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Sony has decided to support Will Smith
After being questioned about whether Smith’s participation in the project was on hold, Sony chairman Tom Rothman stated publicly about his company’s intentions to grant its blessing to a new film in the Bad Boys franchise, in which he stars.
Rothman told Deadline, “No. That was inaccurate, that movie’s been in development and still is. There weren’t any brakes to pump because the car wasn’t moving.”
This news follows the cancellation of numerous of Smith’s projects, including the Netflix action films “Fast and Loose” and “Bright 2,” as well as the AppleTV+ feature “Emancipation.”
Michael Bay’s Bad Boys and Sony Criticism
Rothman’s comments on the future of Bad Boys 4 appear to be the boost Smith needed following the Rock slap, however they also contradict what original Bad Boys director Michael Bay claimed.
Bay explained earlier this year, “Sony didn’t believe in the movie, because two Black actors don’t sell overseas. They had no faith in it, ‘Bad Boys’ literally changed the game on Black actors. It’s the first movie that really traveled overseas.”
26 years ago Will Smith and Martin Lawrence teamed up for the iconic "Bad Boys." 🚔 💪 #thelookback pic.twitter.com/u4QbMEVrSH
— Sony (@Sony) April 7, 2021
