Will Smith has dropped some fresh hints about a long-discussed sequel to Hancock, the 2008 superhero film that saw him playing a reckless, amnesiac hero with a drinking problem. And it seems Smith has big plans for the potential sequel—including bringing Zendaya into the mix.
The actor made a surprise appearance on popular Twitch streamer xQc’s live stream, where he fielded fan questions and let slip that a follow-up to Hancock is on the table.
“There’s a really cool Hancock 2 idea,” Smith said. “We haven’t even talked about it.” Then, he added a tantalising bit of casting news: “I’m going to give you one little piece. Zendaya [is] being approached for a role in Hancock 2.”
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A Sequel That’s Been a Long Time Coming
Talk of a Hancock sequel has been floating around for over a decade. Director Peter Berg was discussing plans for it as early as 2009, telling MTV News that “everybody’s going to come back for a sequel.” However, progress stalled, with Berg later saying in 2012 that it was a “question of timing” and that even though he, Smith, and producers Michael Mann and Akiva Goldsman were interested, they had trouble coordinating schedules.
Charlize Theron, who co-starred in the original film as Mary, a character with ties to Smith’s character, also acknowledged that discussions had taken place but admitted in 2020 that things had gone quiet. Still, she made it clear she’d be up for returning. “You know, for a while we [talked about a sequel],” she told ComicBook. “I think closer to when the movie came out, but not in recent years, no. We’ll be superheroes with our walkers, you know. And I’ll still go! I’ll still make that movie, I would do it in a heartbeat.”
Will Hancock 2 Finally Happen?
Despite the film’s mixed reviews, Hancock made a strong impact at the box office, earning nearly $US630 million worldwide from an estimated budget of $US150 million. The film, written by Vy Vincent Ngo and Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan, was one of the early big-budget takes on a superhero outside of traditional comic book adaptations, making it a unique entry in the genre.
Smith’s enthusiasm for Hancock 2 comes at a time when he’s reportedly looking at reviving other past projects—there have also been whispers of a potential Hitch sequel. Whether or not this sequel actually takes flight remains to be seen, but with Smith talking about it and Zendaya potentially being courted, it might just have some momentum. Of course, there are questions: Is Zendaya interested? Will Theron return? And are audiences even keen?
