Willow Smith To Produce Fantasy Film Trilogy
In 2014, child singer and actress Willow Smith (I Am Legend) was set to star in a modern remake of the classic musical Annie. The role eventually went to Oscar nominated actress Quvenzhané Wallis (Beats of the Southern Wild) after Willow opted out of the role so that she could focus on being a kid. It’s no secret that from birth Willow has always been in the public eye. That’s what happens when you have famous parents like Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, so it’s no surprise that she’d want to take a break from the spotlight in order to live a somewhat normal life.
In more recent years, Willow has continued to make headlines whether it be for her fashion sense or her unique and profound views of the world. Now the break is over. Deadline has reported that Smith is planning to return to the big screen, this time behind the scenes, by partnering her production company MSFTS with Cartel Entertainment to adapt a fantasy-romance novel called Rebel Of The Sands written by London-based author Alwyn Hamilton.
Photo Courtesy: Tearaway Magazine
Rebel Of The Sands was published last year and is the first of three books from the author. It centers on a young girl named Amani as she flees her town of Dustwalk to journey through the desert nation of Miraji, where mortals rule, but mythical beasts still roam the wild. While Smith will produce the film, no official news has been reported on whether she will star in it as well. The second book was released last month and is called Traitor To The Throne. The third book will be released some time next year and if Rebels has success at the box office, a complete trilogy based on the book series will definitely be in the foreseeable future. How exciting would it be to see a fantasy film with a young woman of color as the hero? On a scale from one to ten, it would be LIT!
Willow also plans to adapt her own original story with the same company. The story is called Menecholy and was proposed as an animated series that centers on a girl named Menen-Nin Khali who has a the ability to see into her past life. Eventually, she finds herself at a mystical placed called The Mystery School where we follow her as she goes through a metamorphosis. In time, Menen begins to accept her true power and uses it to save herself and her town. When asked about her story, Smith had this to say:
The nonphysical, creative and wild nature of a female heroine’s journey calls for a unique narrative structure that permeates the very foundation of the story. Enjoy the ride!
Willow Smith has definitely grown and its apparent that her views about the world has inspired her storytelling ability. Fantasy just may be the genre that suits her best. What do you think of this news GOC fam? Are you excited to see this film adaption? Let us know in the comments below.
Header image via Hollywire
Source: Deadline, Shadowandact.com
No release date has been announced for Rebel Of The Sands but the book can be purchased where all booked are sold.
