Will Smith Rejected Nolan’s ‘Inception’ Because He Didn’t Get the Plot

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The next opportunity when Will Smith receives an offer for an alternative reality science fiction thriller, it would be wise for him to respond with a definite “Yes”!

First, the actor admitted he turned down The Matrix, which cast Keanu Reeves instead.

Now, it’s confirmed that Smith initially declined the leading part in Christopher Nolan’s movie “Inception,” a role that eventually went to Leonardo DiCaprio.

Smith confided in radio station KISS XTRA, “I’ve never shared this before publicly, but since we’re being open with each other now, here it goes. Chris Nolan initially showed me ‘Inception’, and I didn’t understand it at first – something I’ve never admitted out loud before. Reflecting on it now, I realize that complex movies like those don’t always grab you right away. Yet, they leave a sting too, just like other films do… It’s hard to discuss the pain they cause.

It’s quite logical why Will Smith declined the offer for “The Matrix” in 1999, given that the Wachowskis were relatively unknown at the time. However, turning down “Inception” in 2010 after Christopher Nolan had just achieved success with “The Dark Knight” seems more puzzling. Nevertheless, Smith wasn’t the only top-tier actor to turn down the role, possibly because of Nolan’s demanding casting approach.

In the world of “Inception,” I, as a dream-invading spy, would’ve been just like Dom Cobb, subtly planting ideas in people’s minds for corporate espionage purposes. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter back then, Christopher Nolan initially pitched the intricate script to none other than Brad Pitt but required him to sign on within a tight 48-hour window. When Pitt hesitated to make a decision, the offer was passed onto Smith. However, when Smith declined, the role eventually found its way into Leonardo DiCaprio’s hands, who jumped at the opportunity.

As a gamer, I’d put it like this: “I always make sure not to come off as if I’m saying ‘You have to do what I say because I’m higher-up.’ I understand that big names are accustomed to waiting for over a year before they decide and they usually don’t need to rush things, like catching a moving train.

The blockbuster film Inception raked in over $800 million worldwide, and it’s no secret that the Academy Award-winning director has since gained enough clout to attract top-tier actors for his projects, often even before presenting them with a script.

Concerning “The Matrix”, Smith has openly discussed the initial pitch for this project and moreover, he recently released a music video entitled “Beautiful Scars”, in which Smith portrayed a comical take on the character Neo.

Smith once confessed in a YouTube video posted five years ago that he declined an offer from Neo in “The Matrix”. After working together on “Men in Black”, the Wachowskis approached him with their idea for “The Matrix”. At the time, they had only made one film, titled “Bound”. In a pitch meeting, they presented their concept for “The Matrix”. As it turned out, they were geniuses, but there’s a thin line between genius and what he found during that meeting. Here is the actual pitch they made for “The Matrix”…

In this part of the video, Smith playfully simulated a discussion where the Wachowskis excitedly talked about numerous daring action sequences their character would perform, yet they didn’t delve into the film’s storyline or character development (“We’ll use 50 cameras to capture the entire jump while you’re in mid-air…”).

Instead, it was ‘Wild Wild West’ that I ended up creating,” Smith confessed, alluding to the infamous 1999 science fiction bomb.

After making that statement, Smith commented, “Keanu and Laurence Fishburne were spot-on for their roles. If I had been cast instead, since I’m Black, Morpheus wouldn’t have been played by a Black actor because they were considering Val Kilmer for the role. As such, I likely would have disrupted or spoiled ‘The Matrix.’ In essence, I saved you all from a potential mishap.

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2025-06-16 18:25