Will Smith has given us more than a few iconic blockbusters over the years (Men in Black, Independence Day, Bad Boys, I Am Legend — the list goes on), but even Hollywood’s biggest names have their “what if” moments. And in a recent appearance on Kiss Xtra, Smith opened up about one that still stings: turning down Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending hit Inception.
“I don’t think I’ve ever even said it publicly before,” Smith said during the interview. “And I’m going to say it now because we’re opening up to one another. Chris Nolan brought me Inception first, and I didn’t get it.”
Before Leonardo DiCaprio was out here folding city blocks and diving through dreams within dreams, the role was on Will Smith’s desk. And he passed.
Smith admits he was thrown off by the concept. “It’s those movies that go into those alternate realities… they don’t pitch well,” he explained. “But I’m hurt by those two. I’m hurt by those two.”
The other one that still haunts him? The Matrix.
Back in the day, Smith famously chose Wild Wild West instead of stepping into the role of Neo, a decision he’s joked about and regretted over the years. He’s called it “one of my beautiful scars,” and fans still can’t help but imagine what The Matrix might’ve looked like with Smith dodging bullets in slow-mo.
Will Smith reveals director Christopher Nolan brought him the movie "Inception" first, but he turned it down and says movies about alternate realities don’t pitch well.
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“I was like, ‘No one’s gonna understand this,’” he once said of The Matrix. And that’s kind of the theme here. Smith admits that many of the projects he passed on were ahead of their time, just a little too out there in the pitch room, even if they ended up being visionary on screen.
To be fair, Smith’s hesitation is understandable. High-concept sci-fi like Inception and The Matrix don’t always come across well when someone’s just explaining the plot.
“So you’re…dreaming inside a dream…inside a dream?” Not exactly a slam dunk in a pitch meeting.
But hindsight is 20/20. And Smith still managed to carve out a legendary career without those films. That said, Inception joins a surprising list of blockbusters that Smith nearly headlined:
Smith was originally tapped to play Neo in The Matrix (1999) before Keanu Reeves famously donned the black trench coat and sunglasses. Smith has said the concept didn’t quite land with him at the time, leading him to pass on what would become a genre-defining role.
In 2012, Quentin Tarantino wanted Smith to star as the title character in Django Unchained. While flattered, Smith turned the role down due to creative differences, particularly over the film’s focus on revenge. The role eventually went to Jamie Foxx.
Smith also passed on the opportunity to play Superman in Superman Returns (2006). He later explained that he didn’t want to interfere with what he called “White America’s iconic hero,” suggesting he wasn’t sure how audiences would receive a Black actor in the cape and tights at that time.
Then there was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), where Smith was reportedly on the shortlist to play Willy Wonka. Ultimately, the role went to Johnny Depp. It’s fun to imagine how different that performance could’ve been with Smith’s charm and comedic flair.
Lastly, Smith opted out of Independence Day: Resurgence (2016), the sequel to his 1996 blockbuster hit. The official reason was scheduling conflicts.
Still, what’s wild is that even without those films, Smith managed to become one of the most bankable stars in the world. And now, with his recent roles in King Richard and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, he’s clearly not done yet.
But in another timeline, Will Smith is jumping through dreams, hacking the Matrix, and catching chocolate bars in a top hat. And we can’t lie, that timeline sounds pretty epic too.
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