Ang Lee's 'Gemini Man' (Will Smith)

[Pennywise]

'Gemini Man' Footage Reaction: Will Smith Gets De-Aged in the Ang Lee Thriller [CinemaCon 2019]

Now set to star Will Smith and be directed by Ang Lee, Gemini Man will finally hit theaters more than two decades after the film was first pitched in 1997. /Film’s own Peter Sciretta and Ben Pearson are attending CinemaCon is Las Vegas this year and got a sneak peek at the first footage of Gemini Man.

Will Smith couldn’t be on hand for the Gemini Man presentation, but he sent over a video where he said the film gave him some surprising emotional and physical challenges. Ang Lee got more specific about one of the challenges, which included Will Smith regressing back to his earlier days in acting when he wasn’t as good of an actor as he is now. Lee said Smith really had to work to shed his experience and regain the innocence he had so many years ago.

Even though Gemini Man is an action movie, Will Smith it also has a lot to say about what we can learn from our younger selves. Smith called it, “a marriage of nuanced relatable characters with action.” Perhaps that’s why Lee, 64 years old, says the film is “very precious” to him.

The footage was presented in 3D, which really showcased the action in an impressive way. But at the same time, Peter said the movie had a vibe that was more akin to Blade Runner 2049 instead of a typical action blockbuster. Considering the premise of the movie, perhaps something like Looper is also an appropriate comparison. But there was still plenty of room for action including a motorcycle chase where the young Will Smith and old Will Smith are racing towards each other, only for one to veer and smash a motorcycle directly into a car.

Henry (Old Will Smith) was one of the best hitmen 25 years ago, so a clone was made of him by Clive Owen’s cloning program. This young version of Will Smith has now been tasked with killing the older version. But during the chase, the targeted older Will Smith is always a step ahead of the young one, referred to as Junior. But he doesn’t realize this until after they come face-to-face with each other. Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Danny, the operative assigned to surveil Henry, seems to realize this sooner, which might explain why she ends up teaming up with Henry to fight back against their employer.

Junior isn’t exactly thrilled with the prospect of being told by Clive Owen to kill the older version of himself. It seems like Owen is the mastermind behind this strange situation, but his motivations and reasoning are unclear. Old Will Smith even asks, “Of all the people in the world to come after me, why would he send you?” In fact, with the exception of the layout of the basic premise, much of what happened only raised more questions since the footage was so brief and fast.

The technology used to bring young Will Smith looks every bit as good as what Marvel Studios did to bring a younger Samuel L. Jackson to life in Captain Marvel. In fact, Ben said it might even be better.

Sounds amazing!

 

[Kane52630]

Sounds like the old Will Smith is back.... and yeah this premise sounds so much like Looper.

 

[Lencho01]

Imma need Smith to drop some Gemini Man gems on his IG.

 

[Hunter Rider]

I always liked the concept for this movie and I'm looking forward to seeing a trailer.

 

[Sawyer]

The Ang Lee of it all intrigues me.

 

[Pennywise]

Will Smith, The Young And The Old, In Paramount/Skydance’s ‘Gemini Man’ – CinemaCon

A younger hitman learns that he’s hunting his older self in Ang Lee’s Gemini Man, which dazzled audiences with a 3D clip during Paramount’s session at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.

Will Smith couldn’t be here due to production on Bad Boys For Life, but in a video message told the crowd: “The emotional and physical challenges of this film were really insane for me, but with the guidance from and collaboration with the incredible Ang Lee we have managed to shoot something that has never been done before. It’s an action adventure but also an exploration of the idea of what one’s younger self can teach one’s older self. I’m 50, and the irony of becoming the 23-year-old Junior is that the 23-year-old me wouldn’t have had the experience level to take on this role. It’s a marriage of nuance, relatable characters with some crazy action also.”

Lee took the stage and said: “If you’re a movie director and you get Will Smith, you should consider yourself very lucky. Thanks to new technology, I got two — so much Will Smith in this movie. … I found out that the present-day Will Smith is such a surprisingly fine actor. He brought so much character, such sophistication, melancholy and courage”

Lee added: “The really hard one is the Junior 23-year-old — we have very high class problems — because Will Smith is a lot better actor today than what he used to be. I’m not joking. I don’t know how how daring an actor has to be to get down to the pure layers. We get down to the essence and innocence, and he performs from there. The result is heartbreaking. It’s something I’ve never experienced before.

“I had him for a year, I had it up to here with so much Will Smith,” he joked. “I think I know this man’s essence as a friend and person and a fine actor.

“I’m in the homestretch, a month away, still tweaking. I’m trying, trying, trying. … We’re in the homestretch, we took a leap of faith,” said Lee.

 

[Stringer]

Sounds at least a bit different from Looper in that young Will's character doesn't seem like such a jerk like JGL's was.

 

[terry78]

Basically neither one of them is the bad guy, they just are trying to do what they need to survive. I'm sure there is some sinister villain behind it all.

 

[Chesterfield]

Interesting. Hopefully, uncle Will can bring back that Mr 4th of July star power.

 

[Matt Mortem]

I saw a test screening of this movie. Can't talk about any of it, but I had no idea it even existed prior to the screening. I'm interested in seeing the finished film.

 

[Pennywise]

IN THE PIPELINE: First Trailer For Ang Lee’s ‘Gemini Man’ Landing In The Coming Days

Pretty excited for the first trailer!!

 

[terry78]

At last. Decades long wait.

 

[Pennywise]

Hope we get a glimpse of young Will Smith in the trailer!

 

[DarkKnight88]

That’s the big selling point.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Definitely looking forward to seeing that trailer, as terry says this is a decade in the making.

 

[Pennywise]

Set photos with Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ang Lee and Victor Hugo, who's the body double for the younger clone.

Will Smith films scenes of sci-fi drama Gemini Man with Mary Elizabeth Winstead in New York | Daily Mail Online

 

[Pennywise]

Hopefully we get that trailer in the next few days as Trailer Track reported!!

 

[terry78]

I like how the double has that hi top fade Will had.

 

[MOVIELORD101]

Hopefully we get that trailer in the next few days as Trailer Track reported!!

I've heard it might be up tomorrow morning.

 

[Pennywise]

I've heard it might be up tomorrow morning.

If true, awesome!

 

[James.B]

 

[Slick]

I like it.

 

[marty mcfly]

25 years older Will Smith basically just has shorter hair and a goatee. The man does not age.

 

[terry78]

Wow. That is impressive as ****.

 

[Kev4000]

Why is that in the Oscar game? Random Action movie with weak action in compare to Mission Impossible.