Will Smith continues his quest to move from box office popularity to critical and award-winning respectability. This time he is reportedly considering starring in a new adaptation of Daniel Keyes’ classic novel Flowers For Algernon. The book, a staple of junior high and high school required reading lists for years, tells the story of a mentally retarded man who is used as a test subject for an experimentally procedure to increase his intelligence. Although initially a success, the treatment begins to wear off and the man must face the horror of losing his his new found life. A previously film version directed by Ralph Nelson netted star Cliff Robertson an Academy Award in 1969.
Although Smith has been nominated for Academy Awards twice before for Ali and The Pursuit Of Happyness but has not won a coveted statuette. He also made a blantant Oscar grab with Seven Pounds, easily the most morally reprehensible film of last year.
Of course, this project could never come to fruition. Smith currently has over two dozen projects in development according to his IMDb entry and only a small number of them will actually ever reach the big screen. I wouldn’t waste too much sleep that this will be one of them.
I just love Will Smith