Will Smith is set to play Bennet Omalu, a doctor in a new Hollywood film produced by Ridley Scott.
The film is based on an article called the Game Brain and follows a forensic neuropathologist who discovers the existence of CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy) in a professional football player. Smith, 45, will be playing Omalu, according to Times of India. The movie will be written and directed by Peter Landesman.
Omalu was an expert interviewed for a documentary featured in Frontline. The documentary was called “League of Denial: The NFL’s Concussion Crisis.” Omalu told The Washington Post, “I thought the football industry would be happy with our new discovery. I thought naively that discovery of new information, unraveling new information, redefining concepts, I thought the football industry would embrace it —again, about my business experience —utilize it, turn it into some type of utility, some type of utility function to enhance the game.”
Instead, the NFL attempted to discredit the famous doctor, making for the complex drama that serves as a basis for the film. Smith has also been nominated for an Academy Award for his film, Ali. Smith played an ESPN reporter in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues and Agent J in Men in Black3. He appeared as a Judge in 2014’s Winter’s Tale.