Netflix scraps plans for new Will Smith movie following Oscars slap

(Image credit: Netflix)

Netflix has reportedly scrapped plans for Bright 2, a sequel to the 2017 fantasy action movie starring Will Smith, according to a tweet from Bloomberg reporter Lucas Shaw.

Directed by Suicide Squad helmer David Ayer, the movie also stars Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Lucy Fry, Édgar Ramírez, and Ike Barinholtz. Smith plays an LAPD officer who's partnered with the country's first orc police officer, played by Edgerton, in a world where magic is real but illegal. The pair are tasked with protecting a magic wand and the elf girl (Fry) who wields it – those who can do so are known as "Brights".

Despite receiving generally negative reviews, the movie became one of Netflix's most-streamed originals. In December 2017, the same month as the original movie's release, the streamer ordered a sequel, but filming was continually delayed due to Smith's busy schedule.

Although the platform has not given a reason for the cancelation, this isn't the first Smith project to be shelved after the actor slapped Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Oscars. Another Netflix movie, Fast and Loose, is also now on the backburner.

Smith has since apologized for the incident. "I would like to publicly apologize to you, Chris," reads a statement posted to Smith's social media account. "I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness."

In the post, Smith calls violence, in all of its forms, "poisonous and destructive", and describes his behavior at the Oscars are "unacceptable and inexcusable"

For more from the streamer, you can check out our list of the best Netflix action movies here.