Honestly, if you looked at the headlines on January 1, 2026, you’d think we were stuck in some weird time loop.
Will Smith is everywhere. Again.
But this isn't the carefully polished, "clean-cut hero" era of the 90s. It’s something much more complicated, a bit messy, and undeniably fascinating. People keep trying to write him off, yet here he is, skiing across Antarctica and prepping for a sequel to a movie that technically "ended" with his character dying nearly twenty years ago.
How does he keep doing it?
Most people think the "Slap" at the 2022 Oscars was the end. It wasn't. It was just a pivot point into a version of Will Smith that’s more human—and maybe more litigious—than we ever expected.
The Current State of Will Smith
Right now, the big talk isn't just about movies. It's about a 26,000-mile trek.
Smith just premiered his new National Geographic series, Pole to Pole, on Disney+. He spent 100 days going from the South Pole to the North Pole. We're talking about a 57-year-old man milking venomous tarantulas and diving under Arctic ice. It’s a follow-up to Welcome to Earth, but it feels more personal. He’s explicitly doing it to honor his late mentor, Dr. Allen Counter.
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The reviews are actually pretty good. The Guardian called the visuals "thrilling."
But Hollywood doesn't just run on nature documentaries. It runs on the box office.
What’s Really Happening with I Am Legend 2
This is where it gets weirdly meta. Everyone remembers Robert Neville dying in the original I Am Legend.
Well, forget that.
The sequel, which is officially in development for a 2026 release, is retconning the ending. They are following the "alternate" DVD ending where Neville survives. It’s a bold move. Michael B. Jordan is joining the cast, and the story is reportedly jumping forward decades.
It’s a massive gamble for Warner Bros. and Smith’s own company, Westbrook Studios. They are leaning into a world where humanity has adapted to the infection rather than cured it.
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The Film Slate
- Bad Boys 5 (Rumored): After the massive success of Ride or Die in 2024, which raked in over $400 million, a fifth installment is basically a "when," not an "if."
- Sugar Bandits: A grittier project where Smith plays an Iraq War vet.
- Hancock 2: This one is still in the "early development" whispers, but Smith recently teased that Zendaya might be in the mix for a role.
The Business of Being Will Smith
You’ve probably heard of Westbrook Inc. It’s the media empire he started with Jada.
It hasn't been all sunshine and record deals. Reports surfaced recently that the company had to make steep cuts after revenue dipped. They’ve had to fight for the same kind of "billion-dollar valuation" that Reese Witherspoon got for Hello Sunshine.
But Smith is diversifying.
He recently joined the Colombian rum brand Dictador as a Global Creative Director. He’s calling his first release "The Game Changer." It’s a legacy rum in a bottle designed by Richard Orlinski. He’s also co-owner of a powerboat racing team, Westbrook Racing, competing in the E1 World Championship against teams owned by Tom Brady and Rafael Nadal.
He’s not just an actor anymore. He’s a conglomerate.
The 2026 Legal Clouds
It wouldn't be a 2020s celebrity story without a lawsuit.
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In early January 2026, a tour violinist named Brian King Joseph filed a suit against Smith and Treyball Studios. The allegations are serious: sexual harassment, grooming, and wrongful termination.
Smith’s legal team has called them "false, baseless, and reckless."
This comes right as he’s trying to build momentum for his first album in 20 years, Based on a True Story. The album includes tracks like "Beautiful Scars," where he addresses the Oscars incident head-on. It’s a classic Smith move: take the pain, put it in the art, and hope the audience follows.
Why He Still Matters
We love a comeback. That’s the basic truth.
Will Smith represents a specific type of American celebrity that doesn't really exist anymore—the "Global Movie Star." Even with the controversies, his "likability" remains a powerful currency. People want to forgive him because they grew up with him.
He’s navigating a landscape where one mistake can be a death sentence, yet he’s proving that if you’re big enough, you can just keep moving.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Critics
If you're watching the Smith trajectory, keep an eye on these specific things:
- Watch the Alternate Ending: If you want to understand I Am Legend 2, you have to go back and watch the alternate ending of the first movie. The theatrical cut is no longer canon.
- The Music Shift: Listen to the lyrics on Based on a True Story. It's the most honest he's been since the "Red Table Talk" era.
- The Nat Geo Connection: Pole to Pole is more than a travel show; it’s a blueprint for how Smith plans to spend the next decade of his career—focusing on "prestige unscripted" content.
- Follow the Legal Updates: The Brian King Joseph lawsuit will be the defining factor of his 2026. If it settles quietly, the "redemption tour" stays on track. If it goes to trial, everything changes.
Will Smith isn't the same guy who moved to Bel-Air in 1990. He’s older, he’s definitely more scarred, and he’s arguably more interesting because of it. Whether he’s a "Game Changer" or a "Legend" remains to be seen, but he's certainly not going away.