“Wild Wild West” started life as a TV show in the ’60s but, as has often been the case in Hollywood, everything old becomes new again at some point. That point came in 1992 when Warner Bros. first obtained the rights to the show, ultimately intending to turn it into a blockbuster film. As is also often the case, the project spent several years in development hell. But the stars eventually aligned. Will Smith was coming off of a fairytale run at the box office, with “Independence Day” ranking as one of the biggest movies ever up to that point, and “Men in Black” shattering records. He seemed a natural fit for the role of Jim West — especially since Barry Sonnenfeld, who had directed “MIB,” was in the director’s chair. It all made sense on paper.
As for the other half of the equation? As the project was being developed, none other than George Clooney, the star of “Batman & Robin,” was eyed to take on the role of Artemus Gordon opposite Smith. Ultimately, that role would be played by Kevin Kline after Clooney dropped out but, in 1999, having Smith and Clooney in the same movie? That’s a dream duo for the ages. So, why did Clooney bail? In an interview from 1997, the actor said the following:
“We knew going into this that to make it work would be a stretch, but the opportunity to work with Will (Smith) and Barry (Sonnenfeld) was too exciting to pass up. Ultimately, we all decided that rather than damage this project trying to retrofit the role for me, it was better to step aside and let them get someone else.”
One thing that is important to point out is that Smith always had dreams of becoming the biggest movie star on the planet. In his book, “Will,” he talks a great deal about literally mapping out his career after the success of “Fresh Prince” to try and make that happen. Much of that had to do with not making the same kinds of movies twice. It was all about giving the audience something different. So yeah, a Western is pretty different from a political thriller like “Enemy of the State.”
There are some pretty damn obvious lessons sitting here that so often accompany a big studio misfire. A $175 million budget for a Western? Come on now. Few movies of any kind should ever cost that kind of money — and we’re not even adjusting for inflation here. It’s evident that someone should have hit the brakes and it just didn’t happen. There seemed to be an attitude of, “How could we fail?” given the pieces of the puzzle that were on the board. The line between confidence and foolish arrogance can be a thin one.
But let’s look at the Will Smith of it all for a second. We’re talking about a man who ascended the Hollywood ranks and, through hard work, dedication, and deliberate planning, actually achieved his goal of becoming the biggest movie star on the planet. And it all came crashing down in summer ’99. But the man rebounded in a big way (following another misfire in “The Legend of Bagger Vance”). What followed for Smith were two other hits in the form of “Ali,” which earned him an Oscar nomination, and “Men in Black 2,” a massive hit sequel. It wasn’t over for Smith, far from it.
So, looking at the here and now of it all, Smith is once again looking to rebound from what is likely the biggest misfire of his career to date — the Oscars slap. It was a highly public moment in the internet era that dismantled his carefully crafted image in the eyes of some of the public in a matter of seconds. Now, I’m not here to say whether or not Smith should be given another chance following that ugly transgression. Sure, maybe that slap really was the beginning of the end for him. Or maybe he’ll find a way to overcome what, on the surface, seems like a career-ender. He’s done it before and, if anyone can do it again, it’s Will Smith.
This content was originally published here.
