“The hope is to have a script that would reunite director Michael Bay, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. At this point, with the project in the early stages, none has a deal to return.” Link

“The superheroic team of Peter Berg, Will Smith, and Columbia have been bantering about a Hancock sequel since last July, so it’s no surprise that it’s gone and become official. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Columbia has hired Adam Fierro and Glen Mazzara to bring back the boozy immortal. Berg is expected to return as director, though THR is mute as to whether Charlize Theron or Jason Bateman will be reprising their roles.” Link

Jada Pinkett picture

In an interview with LatinoReview.com, director McG told them that for his upcoming film, Disney’s 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, that he’s hotly pursuing top box office draw Will Smith to star. “Man I’m trying to get Will Smith to do it, been trying to get a hold of him. I’ve been wanting to work with him for a long time already. That guy’s great” [Link]

“On this past Monday September 8th, actor Will Smith met with members of Anonymous outside of New Village Leadership Academy, the private school he founded with his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith. ‘I am not a Scientologist,’ Smith told Anonymous in response to concerns that his new school would be used as an indoctrination tool for the Church of Scientology.” [Link]

“‘Braveheart’ scribe Randall Wallace will write ‘The Last Pharaoh,’ a Columbia drama crafted as a vehicle for Smith to play Taharqa, the pharaoh who battled Assyrian invaders in ancient Egypt. Smith, James Lassiter and Ken Stovitz will produce for Overbrook Entertainment.” [Link]

Defamer has learned that executives at Sony tried to have an MSNBC story outing Will Smith as a closeted Scientologist killed. With the Smith tentpole Hancock slated for a July release, execs are clearly worried their big summer blockbuster will turn into another Mission:Impossible 3 conundrum, when Tom Cruise’s anything-but-glib antics spurred petitions against the film and damaged the film’s B.O. on both the domestic and international fronts. In an effort to prevent a similar shitshow come July, our source claims Sony forced a denial statement out of Smith after MSNBC stuck by their original story: “After word got out that Will was a secret Scientologist, reps from Sony [the studio behind Hancock] completely flipped out, and asked that the online exclusive be taken down immediately. After being refused, Sony forced Smith to speak out and release a denial statement.” [Link]