Will Smith's first post-Oscars slap movie, Brilliance, lands Ms. Marvel director Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Brilliance is an adaptation of Marcus Sakey's novel of the same name, which is set in a world where the government keeps tabs on super-powered children known as "Brilliants" and people called "abnorms." The film has been in the works for quite some time, with Smith first entering talks to star back in 2014, Nearly a decade later, amidst the Smith/Oscars controversy, the project has some forward momentum with a director signing on.
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Per Deadline, Obaid-Chinoy will helm Brilliance, drawing from a script written by Akiva Goldsman. The outlet also notes Smith has not signed on to star in Brilliance, though he is onboard as a producer. Should Smith act in Brilliance, he would take on the role of Nick Cooper, a Department of Analysis and Response agent who uses his own abilities to hunt down criminal abnorms.
Although Smith made a tentative return to social media, starting with an apology video answering fan questions regarding the notorious Oscar slap, he has remained relatively quiet about his upcoming work until now. Despite the decade-long ban from the Oscars, the actor is still eligible to win awards. His upcoming film, Emancipation, could receive an Oscar season release date as an awards play for Apple. Because of this, Smith may see no reason to cease making films like Brilliance, whether he is on-screen or behind the scenes.