Will Smith 2017 Movies Overview
In 2017, Will Smith starred in two major theatrical releases. The first was Bright, a Netflix original fantasy action film that premiered globally on December 22, 2017. The second was King Richard: The Game, which was later retitled King Richard and released on November 19, 2021, though it was filmed and produced during the 2017 development cycle. Bright was produced by Netflix Animation and Overbrook Entertainment, with a reported production budget of approximately 90 million dollars. The film was directed by David Ayer and written by Evan Spiliotopoulos. King Richard was produced by Warner Bros. Pictures and stars Will Smith as Richard Williams, the father and coach of Venus and Serena Williams. The movie was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and HBO Max in the United States. For a detailed breakdown of the film's financial performance and production details, see the official Warner Bros. Pictures press materials and SEC filings for Warner Bros. Discovery, which provide box office data and revenue breakdowns for major theatrical releases. Read the Warner Bros. Discovery SEC filing for revenue details.
Bright generated significant viewership on Netflix within its first 28 days of release, though Netflix does not publicly disclose exact subscriber viewing figures in the same way box office totals are reported. The film is classified as an urban fantasy and stars Will Smith as Daryl Ward, a Los Angeles police officer partnered with an orc named Nick Jakoby, played by Joel Edgerton. The movie also features Lucy Fry, Edgar Ramírez, and Noomi Rapace. King Richard focuses on the early life of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams, with Will Smith portraying their father, Richard Williams. The film received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Will Smith. It grossed over 38 million dollars in its opening weekend in the United States and Canada. The movie's worldwide total exceeded 93 million dollars against a production budget reported at approximately 50 million dollars. For more information on the film's box office trajectory and international distribution, see the box office reporting at Forbes box office coverage.
Production Companies and Distribution Details
Bright was released as a Netflix original film, meaning it was distributed directly through the Netflix streaming platform without a traditional theatrical window in most markets. Netflix, Inc. is the primary distributor and rights holder for the film globally. The production was handled by Overbrook Entertainment, Will Smith's company, and Netflix Animation. The film's marketing campaign was managed by Netflix's internal team, and it did not receive a wide release in physical theaters in the United States, though it had a limited premiere event in Los Angeles. King Richard followed a hybrid distribution model. Warner Bros. Pictures handled the theatrical release, while HBO Max served as the streaming home for the film in the United States during the same period. The movie was produced under the Warner Bros. Pictures banner with distribution support from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. For investors and analysts tracking the financial performance of these studios, the latest earnings reports from Netflix, Inc. and Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. provide quarterly data on content spending and subscriber growth tied to