“Did O.J. do it?” has been a burning question across the world for over three decades. However, Owen Wilson is ready to give up a staggering $12 million dollars to be as far away from the late NFL star as possible. Even though Simpson was found not guilty of the murders of his ex-wife and her friend, the mystery of the reality of events lives on.
Simpson died on April 10, 2024, maintaining his innocence to the grave. Over the years, there’s been quite a few projects depicting the trial and its surrounding events. Now, a formerly buried movie depicting the events of the trial is now back in the works. Owen Wilson’s rejection of a part in the upcoming movie has come as a major shock, but nothing’s as shocking as the hefty payday he turned down.
What was the O.J. movie Owen Wilson rejected?
Filmmaker Joshua Newton has had a movie about O.J. Simpson in the works for well over a decade. Initially conceptualized in 2013, Newton named the movie An American Mystery, claiming that he had new insight to shed on the infamous trial of O.J. Simpson. He began filming in 2018, with Boris Kodjoe starring as O.J. By 2019, the title of the movie was changed from An American Mystery to Nicole & O.J.
Despite the support Newton received from various sources, including former athletes and even a former U.S. Representative, production fell through and the project was abandoned in 2020. However, after Simpson died in 2024, Newton picked the project back up. It’s no surprise that people have now labeled the project’s revival a crass cash grab. The project was renamed The Juice and a teaser was subsequently released, with a 2025 release window in sight.
Why did Owen Wilson say no?
After announcing the film’s re-launch, Newton set out to recruit some new cast members for the project. Owen Wilson was contacted to bring the role of Douglas McCann to life, but firmly rejected the offer, despite being offered a whopping $12 million for it.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Joshua Newton shared the news. He claimed that he believed Wilson to be the perfect actor for the role of Douglas McCann, stating that “everybody loved the script.” Wilson’s agent also reportedly encouraged him to take the role. However, when Newton met with Wilson and his team to discuss the $12 million role, Wilson reportedly stood up at the end of the meeting and said, “If you think I’m going to take the lead role in a movie about how O.J. didn’t do it, you’ve got to be kidding me.”
Evidently, Wilson clearly has a firm stance on his beliefs on the controversial trial, and many have praised him for rejecting such a large offer on principle. Nonetheless, Newton has stated that Wilson’s refusal did not dissuade him. In fact, he’s already got a different actor lined up for the role, although he’s keeping mum about it for now. As of this moment, it’s anyone’s guess
