Could Will Smith Be The Star Of Ang Lee’s Clone Thriller ‘Gemini Man’?
Gemini Mancould finally germinate beyond its status as a famous script languishing in development hell.
With directorAng Leereportedly circling the project,Will Smithhas expressed interest in starring in the clone assassin thriller by Skydance. This role would require him to play double — as the aging assassin trying to retire and as the younger clone on the hunt for himself. We may see a young Will Smith again, people.
Find out more about Will Smith starring inGemini Manbelow.
Will Smith has been in the public eye since hisFresh Prince of Bel-Airdays, making the jump to blockbusters withIndependence DayandBad Boys.Since then he has been one of the biggest Hollywood stars in the world, and 20 years later his is still a big name, being courted for Disney’sAladdinremake as the Genie, and now forGemini Man, according tothe Hollywood Reporter. Both are a form of cinematic nostalgia: InAladdinwe would see Smith play a beloved character from the ’90s, whileGemini Manwould enable us to see Smith as he was in the ’90s — when he was the brash and charismatic star ofIndependence Day.
The story forGemini Manfollows an aging assassin who is hunted by a more physically fit, young clone of himself — 25 years younger to be exact. Roughly the amount of time that has passed since we saw Smith in his blockbuster glory days.
The script has been untouched for the most part because the technology wasn’t yet available to de-age their star. While the concept of having two different stars play the younger and older versions of the assassin was considered, that idea was ultimately thrown out. But now, with de-aging technology being used in superhero flickslikeAnt-ManandCaptain America: Civil War, as well as its ground-breaking use inThe Curious Case of Benjamin Button,Gemini Manis now possible to film.
First pitched to Disney in 1997 byDarren Lemke, the writer ofGoosebumps, the script was tossed around through Hollywood for years. It ended up attracting the attention of everyone fromMel Gibson,to directors likeTony Scott,Curtis HansonandJoe Carnahan, who even created his ownsizzle reel for the film featuring Clint Eastwood. A-list writers likeAndrew NiccolandGame Of ThronesshowrunnerDavid Benioffhave also expressed interest at some point.
The project is being produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, with Ang Lee in negotiations to direct. Skydance picked up the project in October, with Don Murphy executive producing, Here’s hoping the project finally gets off the ground.
