Moviefone Editorial

Tag: Fast and Loose

  • Will Smith May Reunite with Michael Bay for ‘Fast and Loose’

    (Left) Will Smith attends the European premiere of 'Bad Boys: Ride Or Die' at Zoo Palast on May 27, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images for Sony Pictures. (Right) Michael Bay attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures' 'Bad Boys: Ride Or Die' at the TCL Chinese Theater on May 30, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
    (Left) Will Smith attends the European premiere of ‘Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’ at Zoo Palast on May 27, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images for Sony Pictures. (Right) Michael Bay attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’ at the TCL Chinese Theater on May 30, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.

    Preview:

    • ‘Bad Boys’ collaborators Will Smith and Michael Bay may be working together again.
    • Bay is considering directing the action thriller ‘Fast and Loose.’
    • Smith would star as a man with amnesia.

    Way back in the distant mists of time (okay, 1995) an action comedy about wayward, chaos-causing cops roared on to screens.

    It launched the big screen directing career of a young, hungry filmmaker who to that point had been toiling away in the lower rungs of movie departments and handling music videos and commercials.

    The film also cemented the stardom of a rising talent who had broken out on a TV sitcom and graduated to the likes of ‘Independence Day.’

    Yes, ‘Bad Boys’ was the movie, Michael Bay the director, and Will Smith the star. While they re-teamed for the first sequel in 2003, and Bay remained a producer for (plus made cameos in) two further follow-ups, the pair has not worked together since.

    That could all change with Netflix action thriller ‘Fast & Loose.’

    Related Article: Will Smith Starring in New Sony Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Resistor’

    What’s the story of ‘Fast & Loose’?

    Will Smith in Columbia Pictures 'Bad Boys: Ride of Die.'
    Will Smith in Columbia Pictures ‘Bad Boys: Ride of Die.’ Photo: Frank Masi. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    With a script that has seen contributions from Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Chris Bremner and Eric Pearson, ‘Fast and Loose’ follows John Riley (Smith), who wakes up in Tijuana after being left for dead with absolutely no memory.

    Riley follows a string of clues to uncover his identity discovering he’s been living two different lives: one, as a super-successful crime kingpin, surrounded by beautiful women, expensive toys, and a lavish lifestyle, and the other as an undercover CIA agent, but with a puny salary, no family or home life whatsoever, and zero trappings of success. The problem is, he can’t remember which of these two personas is his true identity…

    What’s the history of ‘Fast and Loose’?

    David Leitch in Paris for 'Bullet Train.'
    David Leitch in Paris for ‘Bullet Train.’ Credit: Oliver Vigerie/Sony Pictures.

    Smith has been attached to this one for some time –– previously, ‘The Fall Guy’ director David Leitch was attached to make the movie, but he dropped out of the big chair in the wake of Smith’s slapping incident with Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, when Netflix hit pause on the project.

    Leitch and his producing partner Kelly McCormick are still aboard to produce the movie alongside Smith, but now it looks like Bay will be calling the shots (and, if we know anything about his work, the explosions.)

    Now Smith, according to Deadline, has dropped out of another big action movie, ‘Sugar Bandits’ to focus on this one and Netflix is hoping that Bay’s deal locks in.

    Bay has experience with Netflix already –– he made action pic ‘6 Underground’ for the streaming service, and his most recent movie, ‘Ambulance,’ is a big hit with its viewership.

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    When would ‘Fast and Loose’ be on screens?

    With no solid deal in place for Bay and no official start date, it’s too early to even ponder when this might land on Netflix’s servers.

    Producer Brad Fischer, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Director/Producer Michael Bay, Eiza González and Jake Gyllenhaal attend Universal Pictures 'Ambulance' Premiere at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, CA on Monday, April 4, 2022.
    (L to R) Producer Brad Fischer, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Director/Producer Michael Bay, Eiza González and Jake Gyllenhaal attend Universal Pictures ‘Ambulance’ Premiere at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, CA on Monday, April 4, 2022. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.

    Other Michael Bay Movies:

    Buy Michael Bay Movies on Amazon

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  • Studios Pausing Will Smith Projects in Wake of Oscar Incident

    Will Smith at Oscars
    94th Oscars® nominee Will Smith at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.

    The fallout of the most infamous Oscar incident for years continues to be felt in Hollywood. A week since Will Smith strode on stage to slap comedian Chris Rock after the latter made a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith and her bald head – a reaction to alopecia – studios are curbing their enthusiasm for working with the actor.

    While Smith has been attempting damage control in the wake of the slap – he apologized while accepting his Best Actor Oscar for ‘King Richard’ and then again – including Rock – on his Instagram page. And then he resigned from the academy ahead of any potential sanction from the group (he’s still likely to face disciplinary action from there and his acting union, SAG-AFTRA).

    But that hasn’t been enough to make studios and streamers want to stay in business with him in the wake of the incident.

    Netflix had set up a crime thriller called ‘Fast and Loose’ with Smith aboard to star and ‘Deadpool 2’s David Leitch directing. The movie planned to tell the story of a crime boss (Smith) who loses his memory after an attack. Piecing together clues, he discovers that he has led a double identity as a wealthy kingpin and a broke CIA agent.

    Leitch had pulled out of directing coincidentally before the Oscar weekend (according to The Hollywood Reporter’ because a project at Universal called ‘Fall Guy’ with Ryan Gosling starring had moved ahead in his schedule), but Netflix, confident that Smith would end up winning Best Actor, had started an urgent hunt for a replacement filmmaker to keep the movie on track.

    Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
    Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Al Seib / A.M.P.A.S.

    Yet now, ‘Fast and Loose’ is firmly on the back burner, at least in terms of Smith’s involvement. The company may well aim to have it up and running again with a new duo but appears happy to let the dust settle first.

    Similar, Sony had been looking to get a fourth installment of the ‘Bad Boys’ franchise moving as quickly as possible following the box office success of ‘Bad Boys for Life’, which became one of the biggest earners in 2020 before the pandemic tool hold.

    Smith had reportedly received script pages for the movie ahead of the Oscars, with the movie in active development, but all that is now on pause. The next ‘Bad Boys’ represents even more of a challenge than ‘Fast and Loose’, since Smith is (alongside Martin Lawrence) one of the recognizable icons of the franchise.

    And then there are the variety of other projects that Smith was attached to, movies in different stages of development (the ‘Bright’ sequel and a remake of ‘Planes, Trains & Automobiles’ among them) as both actor and, to a far greater degree, producer. It remains to be seen whether they move ahead without them, or, in the cases where he’s just a producer, quietly remove his name or proceed anyway.

    Right now, it appears few people want to be in the Will Smith business. How long that will continue is anyone’s guess at this point.

    Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role
    Will Smith accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Leading Role during the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo Credit: Blaine Ohigashi / A.M.P.A.S.
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