Will Smith Exits Role in Movie "Sugar Bandits"

Will Smith is no longer co-starring in the upcoming action movie Sugar Bandits.

However, Smith and his production company Westbrook will remain producers on the big-budget project, which was due to begin filming in the coming months but had stalled due to uncertainty over Smith’s on-screen commitment.

The actor dropped from the pic due to scheduling conflicts. It’s not immediately clear, however, which, if any, project is being fast-tracked for the A-lister.

Westbrook is seeking to re-cast Smith’s role and still intends to make "Sugar Bandits" in 2025. However, there’s now a question mark over the film’s outlook. 

The circa $80M project was sold all around the world at the EFM and in Cannes to leading independent distributors and Amazon Prime on the understanding that Smith would be starring in it.

Pic is based on the screenplay and novel "Devils In Exile" by Chuck Hogan (The Town). Scouting had been done and the movie was in pre-production ahead of an anticipated shoot in Montreal. Once a start date had been agreed, offers were going to go out to other actors.

Smith made a box office comeback this summer with "Bad Boys: Ride or Die", which made more than $400M in theatrical receipts worldwide. The success of that film may have greased the wheels on a bigger studio movie for the star.