Apple has a Will Smith problem.
The New York Times reporting on the lose-lose situation at Apple over the release of Emancipation, a $120 million Civil War drama starring Will Smith that finished filming about a month before Smith climbed on stage during the Oscars in March and slapped Chris Rock:
“If they shelve the movie, does that tarnish Apple’s reputation? If they release it, does it tarnish their reputation? … Hollywood likes a win-win situation. This one is lose-lose.”
The film is said to have generated an “overwhelmingly positive reaction” in private audience screenings, according to NYT’s sources, with Smith’s performance described as “volcanic.” Some are now pushing for the film’s release before the end of the year to make it eligible for awards consideration.
