Soon to be seen charming the pants off Margot Robbie in con man caper, Focus, Will Smith is set to leap into darker material for his next project. Per THR, Smith has signed on to topline the forthcoming action thriller, Bounty. This new deal coincides with Paramount Pictures’ recent purchase of the original spec script by Sascha Penn.
Smith’s own Overbrook Entertainment will produce alongside Adam Kolbrenner of Madhouse Entertainment. Storywise, the movie takes place in Boston and revolves around a man (Smith) who is wrongly convicted of murder. He escapes from prison determined to prove his innocence. This seemingly straightforward task turns into a total nightmare, however, after the widow of the man he supposedly killed puts a $10 million bounty on him, dead or alive.
It sounds like sterling stuff which will place Smith firmly back into action star territory. It’s been a while since he’s appeared in a strong genre pic. Judging by his upcoming slate, the former Fresh Prince is poised to hit the gym for a slew of physically-demanding roles. Aside from Bounty, he’s got David Ayer’s Suicide Squad and Bad Boys 3 on his docket.
As for the rest of the crew involved, screenwriter Penn is rustling up a solid resume of credits. Currently tapping out MGM’s The Idolmaker, a remake of the 1980’s flick directed by Taylor Hackford, and an untitled firefighter project at Lionsgate, he’s also sparked interest in two fledgling pitches. One, titled Yakuza Vs. Mafia he sold to Good Universe, and his sci-fi spec The Ditch he successfully sold to Warner Bros. All in all, he sounds like a screenwriter to keep your eye on.
We’ll keep you posted with any new developments on Bounty as they arise, so stay tuned.
