Oh, how the mighty have fallen. It’s strange how a man who was once the “Fresh Prince” of every 90s kid’s TV screen and regarded as a respected comedy and action star can’t even convince fans to embrace his possible casting as a popular superhero these days. If you’re wondering what I’m going on about, just check out the comments section on our recent Facebook post regarding Marvel characters we wanted vs who we got.
Based on the responses on this post alone, it seems that if there’s one person Marvel fans don’t want to see as Black Panther, it’s Will Smith. Many responses indicated sheer disapproval of the mere idea of Smith taking on the iconic role, with a deluge of followers citing, “Nobody wanted Will Smith as Black Panther!” or at least something to that effect—often with worse language mixed in. But is the idea of the rapper/actor taking on such a beloved character really that, well, repulsive?
Smith has previously proven his acting chops in various genres, with superhero/anti-villain roles also thrown into his extensive repertoire. Sure, Hancock and Suicide Squad in and of themselves weren’t great movies, but Smith’s performances in those films were widely acknowledged as highlights.
Then there’s also the viral AI video from KH Studios that envisioned Will Smith as the next Black Panther. In the minute-long clip, the once-praised actor is digitally transformed into the legendary superhero as his version of the character steps in to defend Wakanda until T’Challa Jr. is old enough. Even though numerous entertainment sites recognised the actor’s general skill and promise for the part after this video popped up online, by and large, fans still weren’t having it.
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But if we are being completely honest, it’s difficult to overlook Will Smith’s less-than-stellar reputation these days. Trying to distance the award-winning actor from his infamous 2022 Oscar slap, where he physically struck comedian Chris Rock on stage during the live broadcast, and his not-so-secret marital woes with Jada Pinkett Smith seems almost impossible. In fact, these issues—and perhaps a number of other controversies—have come to overshadow our ability to remember that the man CAN actually act.
At the same Oscars that Smith so carelessly ruined his reputation, he also happened to win his first Best Actor award—although some may argue he has had other outstanding roles that merited more praise prior to then.
Does that mean I want him as the next Black Panther, then? Most likely not. In the progression of things, it makes more sense to have Shuri take on the role of the Black Panther, as that was the character’s fate in the comics. Even the rumours of English actor Damson Idris (of Snowfall fame) playing the role sounds like a more promising choice.
But despite this personal choice, it is still possible for me to recognise Will Smith as a really great actor who, given the chance, could have played a variant of Black Panther very well, perhaps in an origin story of how the Wakandan royal family came to possess the BP mantle. Fortunately for everyone in the comments, though, this is unlikely to happen.
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Tell us, would you like to see Will Smith as T’Challa in Black Panther 3?
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