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"Why I Turned Down The Matrix" - Will Smith

Murderopolis

Using an alt account to circumvent a ban
Banned
Jan 12, 2019
105
Will Smith would've killed it as Neo. Dude is a great actor, with amazing presence.

Keanu may've made more money because of Matrix money. Even though i would still expect Smith to top him. But obviously, Smith has been the far far far bigger star through out their careers. And better, imo. But that is an unfair comparison since Will Smith is kinda incomparable, and was the biggest movie star for quite a while. Dude is a charisma freak.
 
Dream Machine

Dream Machine

Member
Oct 25, 2017
13,085
Fercho said:
I do not think so. Will Smith is a very talented dude; he has this ability to be really charming and lighthearted or very stoic, intense and badass.

Actually, I am really curious in his take on Neo. The Matrix is not really a movie with any humor.
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There's a bit of humor with the Tasty Wheat, "Hurry up, Morpheus is fighting Neo!", etc, but I think Will Smith is almost too charismatic and likable for The Matrix. Keanu played a disaffected drone within the matrix well, and that alienation and flatness paired well with the cool fights. I think a more charming or jokey lead would have changed the whole tone of the movie. Will Smith was also very much MOVIE STAR at the time in a way Reeves wasn't, so I don't think he would has disappeared into the role as much as Keanu was able to. This is all conjecture though, maybe it would have been amazing with Smith playing Neo.

Though we saw Will Smith play disaffected guy in After Earth, and it wasn't pretty.
 

Deleted member 1698

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He would not have fit well in the first movie. Keanu's blank faced "what is going on" acting was perfect for that.

Smith might have made something of the next two movies though. I mean he is only human but at least he could have had a crack at it.
 

Deleted member 40133

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People are probably having a hard time understanding Connery and LOTR because British actors seems to synonymous with thijgs like Tolkien and Rowling movies
 
Rockstar

Rockstar

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Oct 28, 2017
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still fucking amazing

FrayedSentimentalCalf.gif
 
FaceHugger

FaceHugger

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Oct 27, 2017
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Well, can't fault him for that. Also yikes on anyone other than Fishburne being Morpheus. Just the idea of someone else playing that role gives me a little anxiety.
 
BluePigGanon

BluePigGanon

Member
Oct 27, 2017
892
I get it lol. I'm surprised any actor signs up for any out of the box, ambitious movies with what are essentially unproven newcomers - the fear of being involved in a shitshow for months and then having a turd out there that could tank your career would be crazy. For every Matrix there are 18 Trank Fantastic Fours.
 

Imperfected

Member
Nov 9, 2017
11,737
It's likely their pitch was overly-focused on the philosophy of the movie rather than the technical cinematography of one very specific scene, based on what Fishburne has said about the production, but if anything that probably made it even less comprehensible than Smith remembers.
 
Bishop89

Bishop89

What Are Ya' Selling?
Member
Oct 25, 2017
34,988
Melbourne, Australia
Now this is a story all about how My life got flipped-turned upside down And I'd like to take a minute just sit right there I'll tell you how I became the chosen one of a town called Zion.

In a pod born and raised, on the internet was where I spent most of my days. Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool And all
Hacking some code outside of the school When a couple of guys who were up to no good, Started making trouble in my neighborhood I got into one little interrogation and Morpheus got scared. He said, "You're movin' with Trinity and Cypher in Zi-on"
 
Zukuu

Zukuu

Member
Oct 30, 2017
6,809
Val Kilmer as Morpheus huh? I could see Will as a more comedy-centric Neo, but I can't see Laurence Fishburne not being Morpheus. Fits way too good.
 
FaceHugger

FaceHugger

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
13,949
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Strafer said:
I still get chills watching this scene.
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The opening scene, with the allusion that the viewer is diving into, essentially, the internet. The lighting that makes everything look fake. Trinity suddenly breaking the laws of physics and fighting like the characters I grew up watching in kung-fu films from China. Still the biggest "holy shit what am I watching" moment I have felt - teenaged me in the theater was mind blown.

Not to mention when Fishburn and Reeves start fighting. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. It's still crazy impressive choreography for a western film to this day.
 

Deleted member 1635

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He would've been good in it, I think, but I'm glad he turned it down if we really wouldn't have gotten Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus if he accepted.
 
Seesaw15

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Oct 27, 2017
8,824
No matter how good the first Matrix was being linked to two polarizing sequels that early in his career would have done more harm than good. Sure WWW was bad but the level of excitement for Reloaded and Revolutions were on another level.

Keanu had the best 1999 ever but I think Will had the better 2003.
 
shintoki

shintoki

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,202
SolidSnakex said:
There's no way in hell that's accurate. Keanu's awesome, but in terms of hits he really only has Speed, The Matrix Trilogy and the 2nd John Wick movie. Will has Bad Boys, ID4, MIB, I Am Legend, Hancock and the list goes on. He also has Fresh Prince and at one point an extremely popular music career. Will was a king in Hollywood for a pretty long stretch of time. And I don't think there's anything suggesting that he burned through money like some stars have.
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Since the Matrix was not expected to blow up like it did, Reeves got a %. He took 10mil + 10%. Between the three, he made something like 250mil from that alone.

Will Smith only got a check for the first three you listed. Something like 5 to 7mil. He didn't start to get % till MIB 2.

Will Smith has had far more success, but Reeves won the bigger gamble. It still ranks as one of the highest paychecks.
 
Pwnz

Pwnz

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Oct 28, 2017
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Places
Sephzilla said:
To be honest, while I think Will Smith is a better actor than Keanu Reeves, Keanu was better for the role.

Will Smith would have likely added more of his own personality to the role and turned it into a vehicle for himself. Keanu, perhaps through his own lacking acting ability, kind of nailed the whole "detached person" angle that I felt Neo was supposed to be.
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I agree. Keanu was made for that role and for John wick. He's a way better gun slinger than actor.
 
shintoki

shintoki

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,202
Pwnz said:
I agree. Keanu was made for that role and for John wick. He's a way better gun slinger than actor.
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The better actor isn't always better for the role. Reeves aloof nature worked perfectly for it. Everything has to be taken in as a shock by him, since he is learning exactly what the world is really like. While John Wick's character is all about someone holding it in the entire time. Will Smith is far too charming of a fucker to do that. It's why MIB, Bad Boys, or ID4 worked perfectly for him. Reeves can not do the buddy cop film, while Smith perfected it.
 
Einchy

Einchy

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Oct 25, 2017
42,659
The Matrix is amazing and Wild West memes are amazing, the world is better thanks to Will Smith.
 
whytemyke

whytemyke

The Fallen
Oct 28, 2017
3,795
Shinjuku 4x4 said:
Didnt they lose Sean Connery on the pitch and he did extraordinary gentlemen. Maybe they tried to over correct
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Exactly. I remember the Connery interview where he said he turned down both Morpheus and Gandalf and they both were huge movies, so when League of Extraordinary Gentlemen came around he decides to ignore his instincts. Then it bombed lol

Also I could see the pitch meeting thinking that they're trying to sell Will on something totally different than what he was expecting to be sold on. He was expecting to hear about the movie, they think he wants to hear why it's different than every other movie he gets offered... Boom. They're all off center and don't work together.
 
Afrikan

Afrikan

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Oct 28, 2017
17,070
Only seen it one time, but I liked Wild Wild West..

Now I'm going to go try to watch it again. :D
 
Starshine

Starshine

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Oct 25, 2017
1,785
I'd like to share a revelation I've had during my time here reading this thread. It came to me when I tried to imagine Val Kilmer as Morpheus and Will Smith as Neo. I realized that you both would be terrible in those roles. You see, every actor in this rehearsal instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with their surrounding actors, but you and Will do not. You charm and overreact until every audience member is overwhelmed. The only way you can continue to act is to spread to another charming role. There is another actor in this town that follows the same pattern. Do you know who it is? A Tom Cruise. Charming actors are a disease, a cancer of this Planet Hollywood. You are a razzie, and we are the Oscars.
 
Igorth

Igorth

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Nov 13, 2017
1,309
Dream Machine said:
There's a bit of humor with the Tasty Wheat, "Hurry up, Morpheus is fighting Neo!", etc, but I think Will Smith is almost too charismatic and likable for The Matrix. Keanu played a disaffected drone within the matrix well, and that alienation and flatness paired well with the cool fights. I think a more charming or jokey lead would have changed the whole tone of the movie. Will Smith was also very much MOVIE STAR at the time in a way Reeves wasn't, so I don't think he would has disappeared into the role as much as Keanu was able to. This is all conjecture though, maybe it would have been amazing with Smith playing Neo.

Though we saw Will Smith play disaffected guy in After Earth, and it wasn't pretty.
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Ugh, that "morpheus is fighting neo!" Is the worst of the movie, pure definition of cringe.
 
darz1

darz1

Member
Dec 18, 2017
7,120
Some of you guys need to relax. He's telling a funny story about a missed opportunity. Its not that serious. Him and Keanu both went on to have great careers. Its not a competition. Its a funny bit of trivia.
 
Laser Man

Laser Man

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Oct 26, 2017
2,683
The Matrix is 20 years old.... (I rarely care for those realizations, don't know why this crept up on me lol)
 
justin haines

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Nov 27, 2018
1,791
Never seen wild Wild West and I'm kind of proud of that

Will needs to make some more good movies, when he's good, he's real good
 
ishan

ishan

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Oct 27, 2017
2,192
Laser Man said:
The Matrix is 20 years old.... (I rarely care for those realizations, don't know why this crept up on me lol)
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I was talking to someone who hasnt seen it about how its one of the classics recently. Yup its old. I remember it was the same time entrapment came out. When catherine zeta jones was the "it" girl and then she married douglas and just vanished off the map.
 
Ichthyosaurus

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Banned
Dec 26, 2018
9,375
DIE BART DIE said:
Actually, I do remember reading his explanation in this article, but I wonder if there was any reluctance to take on a role that saw his character degraded and dehumanised. He typically likes to play uncomplicated heroes. From the article:
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This man went on to be Deadshot in Suicide Squad. lol

Imperfected said:
It's likely their pitch was overly-focused on the philosophy of the movie rather than the technical cinematography of one very specific scene, based on what Fishburne has said about the production, but if anything that probably made it even less comprehensible than Smith remembers.
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It may for the best Will turned it down. The movies likely would have been very different from what we got. Unlike Keanu back then Will had influence on how his movies are made.
 
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lazygecko

lazygecko

Member
Oct 25, 2017
3,628
Wasn't Keanu involved with the project from a very early point? I recall an interview with him on Letterman or somesuch right on the heels of Speed and he just casually mentioned this cool sci-fi kung fu movie he was working on.

At any rate it's always interesting to hear anecdotes about how unrefined/weird some of these classic movies sound when the only context they have is some very abstract elevator pitch.
 
Chirotera

Chirotera

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
4,294
whytemyke said:
Exactly. I remember the Connery interview where he said he turned down both Morpheus and Gandalf and they both were huge movies, so when League of Extraordinary Gentlemen came around he decides to ignore his instincts. Then it bombed lol

Also I could see the pitch meeting thinking that they're trying to sell Will on something totally different than what he was expecting to be sold on. He was expecting to hear about the movie, they think he wants to hear why it's different than every other movie he gets offered... Boom. They're all off center and don't work together.
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Oh god Sean Connery as Gandalf would have been, something. I honestly can't imagine it but it'd be so amazing to see. It'd be so bad!

That said, he probably could have pulled off a pretty great Morpheus. He's really good in the mentor role. Can't imagine him doing Kung Fu and what not, though.
 
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