Jaden Smith Pulls A Taylor Lautner, Lines Up Teen Assassin Flick 'Boy Nobody'

News

by Kevin Jagernauth
April 21, 2012 2:27 PM
11 Comments

It's not easy to shake-off the wholesome teen heartthrob image to transition into a "serious actor" but generally, young thesps try (and often fail) to do something gritty to prove their skills. Just look at the kids in the "Twilight" series. Kristen Stewart has arguably done better than the rest of her co-stars, playing a young prostitute in "Welcome To The Rileys" and Joan Jett in "The Runaways," while Robert Pattinson missed with the weepie "Remember Me" and will try again by fucking Juliette Binoche in a limo in David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis." But the biggest whiff goes to Taylor Lautner whose Bourne-style action thriller "Abduction" tanked and at the same time kiboshed any chance he had of leading "Stretch Armstrong." He's now going to take a role in "Grown Ups 2." Well, now another young actor is hoping to step into the big time and he's taken a page from the dubious Lautner playbook.

Jaden Smith, who had a box office hit with "The Karate Kid" and is currently shooting the sci-fi flick "After Earth" with director M. Night Shyamalan, co-starring with his Dad Big Willie, is getting the action vehicle "Boy Nobody" developed for him by Sony. Basically the concept is a direct ripoff of Bourne or "Hanna," with the story centering on a brainwashed teen assassin who starts to feel feelings. The project is based off the book by Allen Zadoff which is -- of course -- the first in a trilogy, and this literary masterwork will hit bookstores and Kindles or whatever next spring.

We understand that Jaden Smith probably feels he needs to show a bit of range as his acting career evolves, we get that, but to choose something so nakedly uninspired as this is the least exciting way to go about it. Will anyone want to see a teen-oriented Bourne with the guy who is Will Smith's son? Guess we'll find out soon enough. And hey, there's always "Grown Ups 3." [Variety]

News

More: Jaden Smith, Boy Nobody, Sony

11 Comments

| Reply
tam | April 23, 2012 11:04 AMReply

And how did Stewart prove herself in acting like Bella from Twilight in three big flops? Please tell me. I would like to hear how Welcome To the rileys was one of the worst performing movies in 2010. Beside Snow White she got zero roles after signing for Twilight.
a | April 22, 2012 7:47 PMReply

I don't really want to get into this, but this argument, that "X only got the role after Y dropped out = not a great endorsement" is ridiculous. Let's look at other such instances. Juliette Binoche only got her role in Cosmopolis after Marion Cotillard dropped out. Fassbender only got his role in A Dangerous Method after Christian Bale dropped out, and Mortensen only got his role after Christoph Waltz dropped out. Mortensen was only cast in A History of Violence after Thomas Jane and Harrison Ford turned it down.
Tony | April 22, 2012 6:41 PMReply

"Pattinson only got the role after Farell dropped out, which isn't a great endorsement. Not really a sign of faith in him. " So, after Farrell dropped out, and out of all the actors that would give anything to work with Cronenberg, Pattinson was chosen... Not only that, Cronenberg contacted Rob personally and convinced him to take the role, because Rob lacked confidence.... No, that's not a sign of faith in him at all... Cronenberg has said that Rob now has far more confidence in himself as an actor, a lot of that is down to Cronenberg. How about we let this film speak for itself eh? A lot of minds have been changed by the trailer alone, my bet is that even more will be changed once the film is released. We shall wait and see...
Me | April 21, 2012 6:16 PMReply

You missed out Water For Elephants (a critical and commercial success) , and Pattinson stretches himself a hell of a lot more that Stewart, who has so far played nothing but a sulky teen/herself. However I guess that wouldn't help your biased article. Whatever, the buzz surrounding Cosmopolis has been amazing, people are already eating their words...
FRM | April 22, 2012 6:16 PM

@KATE you're crazy, a lot of reviews praised Pattinson, and the movie did great for its genre.
Kate | April 22, 2012 2:37 PM

I can quote all the reviews that said he was the weakest link, but the list would be too long. Pattinson only got the role after Farell dropped out, which isn't a great endorsement. Not really a sign of faith in him. If reviews of his other movies have been terrible, no reason to say this will be different.
ME | April 22, 2012 11:56 AM

@KATE Not sure what 'reviews' you were reading, because many said that he was very good and kept up with two oscar winners, also WFE reportedly overperformed at the box office. You can twist the facts as much as you like, however Cronenberg still chose Pattinson for his movie after watching his performances in films like Little Ashes and Remember Me. He alone obviously disagrees with people like you, and well it's people like Cronenberg that matter. They are the ones that cast him, not you.
Kate | April 22, 2012 11:04 AM

He's a pretty fail actor. WFE was a critical and commerical underperformance to say the least, and all the reviews pointed him out as the weak link. All the reviews of Cosmopolis will list him as the weak spot, as has been the case with every other movie he's done.
ben | April 21, 2012 4:38 PMReply

Getting in the last bit of snark before Cosmopolis goes to Cannes?
Tony | April 22, 2012 12:04 PM

"In Cosmopolis Pattinson plays an emotionless billionaire. Stop and think why Cronenberg picked him for such a role. That's his acting range in a nutshell: emotionless." Have you read the book? If so, you'll know there is far more to the role than being 'emotionless'.
lol | April 22, 2012 10:53 AM

In Cosmopolis Pattinson plays an emotionless billionaire. Stop and think why Cronenberg picked him for such a role. That's his acting range in a nutshell: emotionless.