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    Back to Hollywood Breakdown

    Hollywood Breakdown

    Will Smith's Rare Miss

    Will Smith, M. Knight Shyamalan and Sony may all lose from the "After Earth" stumble.

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    By Kim Masters • Jun 6, 2013 • 3m Listen

    Kim Masters and Kyle Buchanan break down the Will and Jaden Smith movie After Earth. It reportedly cost $130 million to make and Sony is stating it stands to lose $20 million on the film -- though industry insiders speculate it could be much more than that. Until this film, Will Smith was considered one of the only bankable stars in Hollywood and virtual box office teflon. But this film, on which he has a 'story by' credit and which he hoped would be the first in a trilogy, opened with a mere $27 million weekend. Was it the fact that his 14-year-old son and not him was the star? Was it that his famous charisma was tamped down for the role? Was it the fault of director M. Knight Shyamalan who has struggled to find his footing since his early successes of The Sixth Sense and Signs? Plus, how could this affect Sony's long-standing investment in Smith who -- especially with the Men in Black franchise -- has made the studio a lot of money.

    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Kim Masters

      partner/writer at Puck News, host of KCRW's “The Business.”

    • KCRW placeholder

      Kyle Buchanan

      pop culture writer for the New York Times, author of “Blood, Sweat & Chrome: The Wild and True Story of Mad Max: Fury Road”

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