W ill Smith is the world’s biggest movie star and king of the July Fourth weekend. Hancock defied the critics to open at just under $104 million, which is a tribute to Smith considering the awful reviews . Still, box-office trackers at rival studios say squeaking past $100 million wasn’t quite what Sony Pictures had in mind. "It’s a big disappointment. I don’t care how you spin it," says one.
The movie has held on pretty well since its opening, but it’s running into the Dark Knight this weekend and that should hit it hard. It will get past $200 million, but that’s not exactly Iron Man or Indiana Jones money (both cruised past $300 million domestically). Hancock will likely only be Smith’s fourth-highest grosser. Still, he remains not only the world’s biggest star, but also one of the last giant stars, period. He can do anything: comedy, action, romance, drama. He’s huge overseas. And he’s still got a reputation for being a good guy to work with.
But some in Hollywood are watching to see whether Smith’s foot is edging toward a banana peel. A series of media stories in the Daily News , the Los Angeles Times , and elsewhere has linked Smith to Scientology, and industry veterans are wondering how the relationship will play out.
