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Will Smith, the man who showcased his chaotic side to the world back in 2022, had once starred in a controversial movie back in 2001. The movie titledAliwas directed by notable director Michael Mann and the premise of the movie was quite controversial and yet amazing at the same time.
AfterAli,Michael Mann was very interested in directingThe Aviator.Working with Will Smith, however, made him exhausted as he felt it would be just a rerun ofAli.The director gave up on the project and chose to work with Tom Cruise instead forCollateral.
When Michael Mann Was Exhausted By Working With Will Smith
Back in 2001, Michael Mann showcased Will Smith as a boxer who reached new heights by his conversion to a different religion. The film was quite controversial, falling under the category of drama/historical drama, and yet managed to garner quite a fame.
Also read:“I am attracted to characters who have a higher calling”: Will Smith Said He Only Wants to Play Noble Characters, 1 Year Later He Starred in One of the Worst Superhero Movies Ever Made
Following the movie, Michael Mann wanted to work with Leonardo DiCaprio desperately. Finding himself attached to a 2004 project, Mann wanted to directThe Aviatoreagerly but the director was exhausted. In an interview, Mann talked about how he had to let go ofThe Aviatorsince he felt it was just a rerun of hisWill Smithmovie,Ali.
“Usually I think I know what I’m going to look for next, and usually that turns out to be wrong. I felt I would be doing a rerun of what I’d just done.”
The director then moved on from the project and Martin Scorsese took over as director of the film.The Aviatorfeatured the story of a man whose film about aviation became successful. Following his success, he pursued the aviation industry while the looming threat of a mental illness stayed behind him. Michael Mann chose to work with Tom Cruise instead, as he went on to directCollateral.
Suggested:“Al just flipped this guy up and down”: Al Pacino Went “Totally Wild” During Infamous Scene in ‘Heat’ That Freaked Out His Co-star
Michael Mann Chose To Work With Tom Cruise Instead
Related:“We broke up within our marriage”: Dealing With Problems With Will Smith Was Way Worse Than a Divorce For Jada Pinkett Smith
After opting out of his movie with Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Mann found himself enamored with another project that featured Tom Cruise in the lead role. The director stated how he was drawn to the movie and why he madeCollateralwith theTop Gunactor.
“What attracted me to ‘Collateral’ was the opportunity to do the exact opposite: a microcosm; 12 hours; one night; no wardrobe changes; two people; small lives; inside a cab; a small time frame viewed large. I very much admired the hard, gem-like construction of Stuart Beattie’s screenplay.”
In the end, Michael Mann’sAli,featuring Will Smith received a rating of 6.7/10 on IMDB and 68% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Will Smith starrer is available to stream on Starz in the U.S.
Source:DGA
Visarg Acharya
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3262
Visarg Acharya is a Senior Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 3000 articles published. He has been an entertainment journalist for the past three years and a copywriter at a corporation. Visarg usually covers news and theories on the MCU and the DCU, with an emphasis on Avengers and Superman; Game of Thrones, and more.A Tarantino fan, Visarg, spends his time critiquing various directors’ filmographies and watching them with curiosity. Medieval fantasy like The Lord of the Rings or sci-fi movies like Interstellar, watching the latest horror movies, and listening to Hans Zimmer become his comfort zone. When idle, he can be found reading fantasy novels with a terrible cup of coffee in hand.
