Why Did Will Smith Turn Down The Matrix & Lost Out On $250 Million? Find Out!
Shortly after the release and success of Men In Black, the actor was considered for the role of Neo in The Matrix. He decided to say no to this role, as he was more interested in a different project.
Why Did Will Smith Turn Down The Matrix & Lost Out On $250 Million? Find Out!(Pic credit: Facebook/Will Smith)
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Who doesn’t know Will Smith? He is one of the most popular actors of Hollywood, and it wouldn’t be wrong to say, indeed one of the wealthiest too. His net worth is reaching at least $350 million. Even his kids are millionaires, though they have not reached the level of their dad yet.
Well, it goes without saying that anybody with that net worth would not need more money. But, what if we tell you that Smith was almost going to be a part of a major franchise? Which means his net worth would have rocketed to another level. And nobody hates money, right? So why did the actor refuse to be a part of this significant franchise? Continue reading for more.
According to reports in Cheat Sheet, Will Smith was offered to play a part in The Matrix which he refused. Shortly after the release and success of Men In Black, the actor was considered for the role of Neo in The Matrix. He decided to say no to this role, as he was more interested in a different project. So what was the project that Will Smith opted for over The Matrix?
Smith was ultimately more interested in another film, Wild Wild West. But unfortunately for the actor, Wild Wild West was a flop, and he would later describe himself as having “made a mistake on Wild Wild West.” However, there was one upside to this otherwise disappointing film: a rap single that hit number 5 on the Billboard Top 10 and went double platinum. And Smith did bounce back easily from this failure, with a 2001 performance in a Muhammad Ali biopic that earned him Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
However, that doesn’t mean that Will Smith didn’t lose out financially. Keanu Reeves took the role of Neo, and ultimately it earned him a massive amount of money. According to an article from Business Insider, Reeves made $250 million for all three Matrix movies. But Smith survived — and in fact, is in that same article as he made $100 million just from the third Men in Black movie.
Well, now we leave it for you guys to decide if Will’s decision was wise or not?
