Will Smith-Led Bad Boys 4 Halted After Infamous Oscars Slap? Sony Chairman Clears The Air Saying “There Weren’t Any Brakes To Pump” ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )
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Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at Oscars 2022 grabbed everyone’s attention. Even now, almost two months later it still makes the headlines. Not just that, the incident has also been affecting the Aladdin actor’s career with several of his projects being halted or delayed. But do these projects include Sony’s Bad Boys 4?
While an earlier The Hollywood Reporter article stated that the film’s production has likely been paused owing to the infamous slap, now an executive at Sony Pictures Entertainment has shed light on whether the production of the film has been halted. And Smith fans, this is happy news for you all.
As per recent reports, an executive at Sony Pictures Entertainment has opened up about reports circulating regarding the production of Bad Boys 4 has been affected by Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. In a new interview with Deadline, the company’s Motion Picture Group Chairman Tom Rothman cleared the air and confirmed that things are still moving forward. He even dismissed the THR report that claimed the project was paused, saying “That was inaccurate.”
Talking about Will Smith-led Bad boys 4, Rothman said, “That movie’s been in development and still is. There weren’t any brakes to pump because the car wasn’t moving.” Talking about his knowing Will, Tom Rothman said, “I’ve known Will Smith for many years, and I know him to be a good person. That was an example of a very good person having a very bad moment, in front of the world.” The executive also emphasized that he believes in “forgiveness and redemption.”
While this is good news, several other Will’s projects have been put on halt or delayed. Within a week of the 2022 Academy Awards incident, Netflix quietly pause the production of Fast and Loose- a film that sees Smith play a crime boss who loses his memory and slowly discovers the double life he was leading as a CIA agent and crime kingpin. In April, a report surfaced that Will’s Bright 2 was being shelved in a decision that was reportedly “unrelated to the [Oscars] incident.”
Besides these, Will Smith’s nature series Pole to Pole was still planning to proceed, but wouldn’t begin shooting until the fall. Soon later, the release of Apple TV+’s Emancipation – which was widely expected to be released in 2022, was said to now be looking at a 2023 release.
Will the Oscars 2022 incident continue to cast a shadow on Will Smith’s career? Only time will tell.
