‘Hancock’ star Will Smith has teased a sequel 17 years later, and he wants Zendaya to take part.
Will Smith says Zendaya is “being approached” for ‘Hancock 2’.
The 56-year-old actor has revealed he is keen to revisit his superhero character in a sequel to the 2008 blockbuster, and he’s already eyeing up the ‘Challengers’ star for a role.
Speaking on xQc’s Twitch live stream, he teased: “There’s a really cool, really cool ‘Hancock 2’ idea.
“We haven’t even talked about it so I’m gonna give you one little piece — Zendaya is being approached for a role in ‘Hancock 2.’ “
In the original movie, Smith played the titular superhero John Hancock, an alcoholic amnesiac with the powers of flight, invulnerabiltiy and super strength.
He saves the life of PR specialist Ray Embery (Jason Bateman) who, with his wife Mary (Charlize Theron) try to help him repair his public image and remember his past.
Despite a less than positive response from critics, the movie earnedgrossed $629.4 million at the box office with a $150 million budget.
Sony has not commented on the prospect of a sequel, but shortly after the movie’s initial release, director Peter Berg insisted it was in the pipeline.
Back in 2009, he told MTV News: “Everybody’s going to come back for a sequel.”
At the time, he teased ideas for a another all-powerful superhero god played by a big Hollywood name.
He added: “We have [someone in mind]. I’m ot gonna tell you who, but we have!”
In 2012, Berg insisted there was still chatter about a second movie, but getting everyone together was proving difficult.
He was quoted by ComicBookMovie as saying: “We’ve been talking about the sequel between us, Will Smith, [producers] Michael Mann and Akiva goldman and myself.
“We’re all interested, but we literally just have trouble getting into the same room at the same time.
“We did have a series of meetings last year and started to hash out an idea for sequel – and Will Smith actually had the idea – so I think it will happen, it’s just a question of timing.”
In 2009, writers Adam Fierro and Glen Mazzara were hired to write a script, but the ‘Battleship’ director insisted scheduling conflicts made things difficult.
He told reports that year: “There are so many cooks in that particular kitchen that are so busy and Will’s kind of taken time off to be with his kids and his kids are now making all kinds of films and there are so many people involved in that from Will to his partner James Lassiter to Akiva [Goldsmith] to Michael Man and myself.
“To get us all in the same room where we can talk and then agree on anything? You’ll never meet a group of people who will have a harder time agreeing on anything.”
Theron previously insisted she would be up for a sequel, and in 2020 she admitted despite talks dying down over the years, she is still open to reprising her role.
She told ComicBook.com: “You know, for a while we [talked about a sequel]. I think closer to when the movie came out, but not in recent years, no.
“We’ll be super heroes with our walkers, you know. And I’ll still go! I’ll still make that movie, I would do it in a heartbeat.”
Will Smith is approaching Zendaya for Hancock 2
