Summary
Will Smith will be starring in a new sci-fi movie by Sony titledResistor, but in order for the movie to be a hit,it must avoid a mistake Smith’s 2004 and 2007 sci-fi movies made. Will Smith has had an illustrious career and has starred in multiple successful movies. WhileWill Smith rose to prominence because of his action movies, his sci-fi movies, includingIndependence DayandMen In Black, have been a huge part of his career.
Since starring inMen In Black,Will Smith has added more sci-fi moviesto his filmography. Unfortunately, not every sci-fi movie in whichSmith has played the lead role has been successful.Gemini ManandAfter Earthwere disliked by both audiences and critics. Now that the actor is returning to the genre, the upcoming Will Smith movie must learn from his past sci-fi films to avoid the same mistakes, especially after the success ofBad Boys: Ride or Die.
Will Smith’s New Sci-Fi Movie Needs To Break A Disappointing 11-Year Trend
After Bad Boys: Ride or Die’s box office success, Will Smith’s upcoming sci-fi movie Resistor has the chance to reverse his losing career streak.
Will Smith’s I, Robot & I Am Legend Were Both Criticized For Changing The Original Stories
I, Robot And I Am Legend Greatly Deviated From Their Source Material
Resistorwill not be the first time that Will Smith plays the lead role in a sci-fi movie adaptation. In 2004 and 2007, Smith starred inI, RobotandI Am Legend, respectively. While both sci-fi movies had some success, theywere also criticized for greatly deviating from the original stories. For instance,I, Robot, which was adapted from Isaac Asimov’s 1950 novel of the same name, made several changes to the book – including the addition of Smith’s character, Del Spooner, to the story.
Isaac Asimov’s book,I, Robot, is not a novel but a collection of 9 short stories.
I Am Legendis another Will Smith movie that was criticized for being too different from its source material. LikeI, Robot,I Am Legendmade several changes to the book, including having a different ending, the inclusion of other survivors, and the movie’s timeline. Movies that are based on books usually deviate from the original story in one way or another, but if too many changes are made,it results in a film adaptation that is nothing like its source material. This is a problem that Smith has experienced on multiple occasions with his sci-fi projects.
Resistor Must Learn From Will Smith’s Past Adaptation Mistakes
Resistor Must Stick To The Source Material
ForResistorto be successful, it has to ensure that the plot is as close to the original story as possible. Of course,changes can be made to the source material, butI, RobotandI Am Legendhave proven that making too many changes when adapting a novel for film is not always a good thing. For example,I Am Legend’s controversial ending changelost the message of Richard Matheson’s novel, turning it from a meditation on the human condition to a more generic monster movie.
Decisions like creating a more explosive Hollywood ending, or introducing a more archetypal action hero may sound appealing on paper, but actually often compromise the essence of the story.
Just likeI, RobotandI Am Legend,Resistorwill be adapted from a sci-fi novel. Smith’s new sci-fi movie will be based onDaniel Suarez’s bestselling novel,Influx. However, while there is potential for further adaptation missteps,I, RobotandI Am Legend’s mistakes do provide a useful template forResistorto learn from. Decisions like creating a more explosive Hollywood ending, or introducing a more archetypal action hero may sound appealing on paper, but actually often compromise the essence of the story. As such,Resistorcan have little excuse if it decides to pursue a similar path.
Early Signs For Will Smith’s Resistor Suggest History Will Repeat Itself
The Creators Of Resistor Have Already Changed The Name
So far, no specific plot details have been revealed aboutResistor, but early signs suggest that history is likely to repeat itself. Most obviously, Daniel Suarez’s novel is calledInflux, but the movie adaptation is titledResistor. Historically, changing the title of a novel when adapting it for film hasn’t had a good track record.This is because books already have an established fan base, so changing the title means there’s an audience that might not recognize it.
Further, if such a major thing as a title is changed in the movie adaptation of a novel,it’s safe to deduce that more changes that are important to the plot will follow. As Will Smith’s own career has proven time and again, making such alterations can be detrimental to the end result. There’s still every chance thatResistorcan break the mold and be a relatively faithful adaptation. However, previous precedent and the initial signs are worrying indications about where the project is going.
