From the 1990s and on into the 2020s, few movie stars have been as successful and beloved as Will Smith. The actor has appeared in a ton of hit movies over the years. And he’s not only one of the hardest-working Hollywood stars but one of its highest-grossing box office draws as well. But which of Smith’s franchise roles has earned the most money at the box office? Let’s take a closer look.
Will Smith has played a key role in many blockbuster films
The first notable thing about Smith’s filmography is that — while he’s appeared in a ton of hits — many of his movies never got sequels. Case in point, 2019’s Aladdin is the highest-grossing movie of his career. But it’s not part of a movie franchise. Rather, it’s a live-action remake of the 1992 animated hit of the same name. Likewise, 2016’s Suicide Squad is part of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), but it’s also the only DCEU film in which Smith appears.
Other huge Smith standalone films include Hancock, I Am Legend, Shark Tale, Hitch, I, Robot, and The Pursuit of Happyness. All of these releases earned more than $300 million at the worldwide box office, according to The-Numbers.com. And while the I Am Legend sequel is reportedly finally moving forward after years of rumors, it hasn’t happened just yet. So that film and its $585 million gross don’t apply when ranking Smith’s movie franchises.
Which of his franchise roles has earned the most money?
While three films starring Smith in the lead spawned sequels, only two franchises are really in contention for the top spot. After all, the actor declined to return for 2016’s Independence Day: Resurgence. Neither that film nor its predecessor’s $817 million gross apply here. But even if the Independence Day films qualified, they’d still fall far short of being Smith’s most commercially successful franchise.
That honor goes to the Men in Black series. Overall, the four films — including 2019’s Men in Black: International, which doesn’t feature Smith — earned $1.9 billion worldwide. But if we’re just counting the three that star Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, then that total drops slightly to $1.7 billion. Even then, it still handily tops the runner-up, the Bad Boys franchise. Across its three installments, Smith and Martin Lawrence’s adventures brought in $839 million.
Will Smith’s career is slowing down after the 2022 Oscars
By the looks of it, Smith has moved past most of these franchises. Independence Day: Resurgence established his character had died in between films. And its box office failure means another sequel is unlikely for now. Likewise, the disappointing box office performance of Men in Black: International probably means an extended break for that franchise. The only of Smith’s three big franchises still in the mix is Bad Boys. But even appears to be on pause.
To be fair, many of the actor’s in-development projects are on hold after the 2022 Academy Awards. The actor won his first Oscar for King Richard but also stirred up controversy by slapping presenter Chris Rock on stage. The full extent of Smith’s consequences is still uncertain. But chances are, Bad Boys 4, I Am Legend 2, and Aladdin 2 will all happen eventually. In the meantime, Smith’s next film, Emancipation, is due for release sometime in 2022.
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