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Will Smith Joins Ridley Scott's NFL Concussion Drama, Not 'Brilliance'
by Ethan Anderton
June 3, 2014
Source: Variety
Earlier this year, we learned that Will Smith was being lined up to return to sci-fi with Legendary Pictures' adaptation of Brilliance. However, the actor has since walked away from the project. Smith is still set to lead the the Warner Bros. film Focus alongside Margot Robbie (The Wolf of Wall Street), but his next film will be something completely different. Variety reports the international superstar is attached to star in the untitled football concussion drama produced by Ridley Scott and situated at Sony Pictures. Parkland director Peter Landesman is on board to write and direct, though initially Scott was hoping to be at the helm.
The film is based on the GQ article "Game Brain" from October of 2009, and will follow Dr. Bennet Omalu (Smith), the forensic neuropathologist who single-handedly made the first discovery of CTE (or chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in a professional football player and made the affliction known to the public. It's a whistleblower story focusing on the price paid by professional athletes in impact sports as many political, cultural and corporate interests try to tone down the danger of this issue that would drastically effect the business of professional sports.
As we previously reported, the film is aimed to take place in the world of professional football, but don't count on any cooperation from the actual NFL. That means you can expect a lot of fictional sports teams on display as opposed to those we see on television during football season. This issue is one that Scott is passionate about, and landing a big star like Smith was a goal in order to get as much attention paid to this film as possible. Dan Marino just recently filed a lawsuit against the NFL about this dangerous concussion problem, and this is something that's not going away anytime soon. Interested?
4 Comments
1
So the movie is about how a bunch of morons learn that smashing head long into one another has bad effects on the brain?
Brian Sleider on Jun 3, 2014
2
Have to admit, that made me laugh.
Facebook User on Jun 3, 2014
3
This will finally get some real mainstream exposure.
DAVIDPD on Jun 3, 2014
4
Damnit Ridley, shouldnt you be working on the Prometheus sequel!?
Rock n Rollllll on Jun 4, 2014
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