It was the slap heard and seen around the world. Will Smith, 53, marched on stage and slapped Chris Rock during the Oscars ceremony on March 27th. Now, Netflix and Apple TV+ pull out of bidding on a Will Smith biopic.
Kate Dennett for the Daily Mail:
Will Smith’s biopic is said to have been thrown into chaos after Netflix and Apple+ reportedly pulled out of a bidding war after the Oscars slap controversy.
Insiders are believed to have claimed the two streaming giants removed their competitive bids on the film about the Hollywood star’s life, based on his best-selling autobiography Will.
A source told The Sun: ‘Netflix and Apple+ have quietly removed their bids for a Will Smith biopic and will instead relocate the funds and develop original ideas from new black actors.’
The source added that working with the rapper has now become ‘risky business’ as he faces his upcoming movie projects being put on hold in the wake of the scandal.