Why Will Smith’s Movie Is Stuck in a Legal Controversy

Will Smith’s slavery drama Emancipation made headlines in 2022, not just for being his first major release after the infamous Oscars slap, but also for the controversy surrounding its production.

The film received mixed reviews, and its release was overshadowed by the backlash Smith was still facing. However, it seems the real drama was happening behind the scenes.

According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, Apple, the studio behind Emancipation, allegedly threatened to pull the film’s production out of Louisiana if state lawmakers didn’t stop a bill that could affect its app store operations.

Louisiana legislator Tanner Magee revealed that an Apple employee informed him that if he supported the 2021 bill—which would allow app developers to use alternative payment systems on Apple’s app store—the company was prepared to move the film elsewhere.

“He basically said that if we didn’t kill the bill, he’d kill the movie and hurt our economy,” Magee told the outlet.

Relocating a large film production is a complicated and costly process, leading to speculation that Apple’s threat may have been a bluff. However, the situation, if true, raises concerns about the tech giant’s influence over political decisions.

Apple has denied the accusations, with a spokesperson stating, “We always operate with the highest standards of integrity, and allegations that we have not in this instance are false.”

But this isn’t the only legal trouble Will Smith is facing behind the scenes. The actor has been named in a lawsuit connected to another of his films, the 2019 action movie Gemini Man.

While Gemini Man didn’t make a significant impact at the box office, earning just $48 million in North America, it’s now at the center of a copyright infringement lawsuit. According to In Touch Weekly, attorney and writer Kissinger Sibanda has filed a lawsuit claiming that his 2011 book was the basis for the movie’s marketing strategy.

Sibanda alleges that the film copied themes, plots, characters, and cultural elements from his book. He claims to have shared his ideas with Smith’s stunt double in 2012 and sent the book to talent agency William Morris Endeavor.

It’s worth noting that unsolicited materials sent to agencies are often not opened, and Gemini Man’s screenplay credits writers David Benioff, Billy Ray, and Darren Lemke, with Benioff and Lemke receiving story credit.

As Will Smith navigates these legal challenges, both Emancipation and Gemini Man continue to generate controversy off-screen, proving that the drama behind the camera can sometimes be just as compelling as what’s shown on it.