Will Smith calls 'Gemini Man' most demanding film of his career

| | Los Angeles
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Will Smith calls 'Gemini Man' most demanding film of his career

Tuesday, 23 April 2019 | PTI | Los Angeles

Will Smith calls 'Gemini Man' most demanding film of his career

Will Smith, who will be fighting his younger self in Oscar-winner Ang Lee's "Gemini Man", Tuesday said the "emotional and physical challenges" of making the film have been the most demanding of his career.

It is for the first time that Smith, known for his action-comedy roles in Hollywood has teamed up with Lee, one of the most genre-bending directors in the modern era.

Billed as an innovative action-thriller, the Paramount Pictures film will see Smith as Henry Brogan, an elite assassin, who is suddenly targeted and pursued by a mysterious young operative that seemingly can predict his every move.

The trailer of the film, which dropped on Tuesday, shows jaw-dropping action scenes peppered with suspense and a de-aged Smith.

Smith, who aged in reverse with the help of digital technology to play his 23-year-old version, called Lee's direction "cinematic wizardry".

"Ang is pushing the limits to give people an experience in the movie theatre that you can't get anywhere else. This is not only an action film, but an exploration of what one's younger self can ultimately teach one's older self. I'm 50-years-old now, and the irony of becoming 23-year-old Junior in this film is that 23-year-old me wouldn't have been ready for this experience or to take on this role.

"Our hope is that this story provides something for everyone -- never before seen cinematic wizardry, nuanced, relatable characters and next-level action," the actor said in a statement.

Lee, whose career boasts of impressive titles such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Sense and Sensibility", "Brokeback Mountain" and "Life of Pi", said the story could not have been possible without the new digital technology.

"It is my great fortune to be able to experiment and test the limits of what new digital cinema has to offer us. No less so to be able to work with two Will Smiths - One beautifully sophisticated, the other exuberantly honest.

"In my opinion, this is Will at his very best, and when the two come together, it is something truly magical," Lee said crediting the immense effort and technical skill of the crew.

He hoped "Gemini Man" will deliver a "completely new theatrical cinematic experience" to audiences across the world.

Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Don Granger, the film also stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen and Benedict Wong.

"Game of Thrones" co-creator David Benioff shares the story and screenplay credit with Darren Lemke of "Shazam!" fame.

"Captain Phillip" writer Billy Ray also shares screenplay credits with Benioff and Lemke.

To be exclusively distributed in India by Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the film is slated to be released on October 11.

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