New Featurette For Ang Lee and Will Smith's GEMINI MAN Focuses on The De-Aged Version of Will Smith
Paramount Pictures has released a new behind-the-scenes featurette for director Ang Lee’s ambitious new film Gemini Man. The video focuses on the process of creating a version of Will Smith that is almost 30 years younger.
It’s made clear that this is not the same kind of de-aging process that is used by Marvel. This younger Will Smith is said to be a 100% digital creation. This video offers up some cool new footage from the film along with interviews with Smith and Lee discussing the process of bringing this story to life. There will also be a new trailer released tomorrow, so stay tuned for that!
The movie also stars Clive Owen, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Benedict Wong, and follows an aging assassin (Smith) attempting to leave his life as an assassin behind him, but he finds himself being hunted down by a younger clone of himself. Here is the brief story summary that was released for the film:
Gemini Man is an innovative action-thriller starring Will 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.
Ang Lee had this to say in a statement:
“This story is not one that could have been told with cinema as we know it. However, thanks to incredible new digital technology, not only can we finally see both younger and older Will Smith embodied together on screen, but we can also experience the story in a deeply immersive way. 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. Further, the immense effort and technical skill of the crew in creating a new aesthetic, between the cinematography, art department, visual effects, and technical team, was both inspiring and heartwarming. I truly hope that this movie delivers a completely new theatrical cinematic experience to audiences across the world.”
Smith added:
“The emotional and physical challenges of making this film have been the most demanding of my career. Ang is pushing the limits to give people an experience in the movie theater 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.”
Gemini Man opens in theaters October 11th, 2019.