Hancock 2: Is Will Smith’s Superhero Film Getting A Sequel?

Sixteen years later, we still don’t have a sequel to one of Will Smith’s best films, Hancock. 2008’s antihero film, which raked in $629.4 million worldwide, deserves a second run in Hancock 2, continuing the ideas established in Peter Berg’s first film. But will it happen?

Hancock Was Ahead Of The Times

It’s not an overstatement to say that 2008 was a turning point for the entire concept of superheroes. For starters, this year saw the origin of the modern Marvel Cinematic Universe thanks to the outstanding Iron Man film. The landscape of superhero films was changing for good, seeing as both the Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy and the original X-Men live-action films had come to an end.

This is the period when Will Smith’s Hancock was released. An unapologetically irreverent take on the superhero genre, Hancock was a hero for the modern age. Though cynical, Hancock could show some hints of heroism from time to time, offering an original character not based on any comics that immediately garnered a decent fan following.

However, like many great superhero movies, Hancock was mostly an origin story — a teaser of what’s to come from such a promising character. The much-anticipated Hancock 2 never came, leaving fans wishing for a sequel for more than a decade now. For a time, it seemed like a Hancock sequel was definitely happening, with both Will Smith and Charlize Theron on board with the project, but what happened to Hancock 2? And, more importantly, could it still be made today?

Hancock and Immortality

One of the key aspects of the Hancock mythos is that Will Smith and Charlize Theron’s characters are immortal and do not age. These two individuals have been around for the better part of three millennia — and that might prove difficult to replicate using mortal actors more than ten years later in a Hancock sequel.

Now that both Charlize Theron and Will Smith are considerably older than they were in 2008, the writers would have to come up with an excuse as to why two immortal heroes who presumably have not aged all that much in three thousand years suddenly began getting wrinkles in just a decade or so.

Charlize Theron mentioned this in a 2020 interview when she mentioned that plans for Hancock 2 were being seriously discussed for a time, but that she now believes that too much time has passed since the release of the original film.

Sure, a Hancock sequel could take advantage of the impressive digital rejuvenation techniques we’ve seen in films like Gemini Man. The younger version of Will Smith looks almost uncanny — and could very well be an efficient way to sell the idea that Hancock never ages in Hancock 2.

A New Age of Heroes

As we mentioned before, times have changed drastically for superheroes in cinema since Hancock’s release. Both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe are entertainment behemoths, amassing most of the international box office and pretty much drowning the competition.

Standalone superhero flicks haven’t been so successful since the MCU took over, and Hancock 2 probably wouldn’t be the exception. Any way you look at it, a Hancock sequel would be a risky endeavour for any studio, which might be one of the main reasons why Hancock 2 hasn’t been released.

The more time passes since the release of the original movie, the less likely it is that we’ll ever get a Hancock 2. Still, stranger things have happened, and maybe the Hancock sequel could turn out to be radically different from what we saw in the first movie. After all, there’s always a chance that the I, Robot actor’s son, Jaden Smith, takes over the role of his father in a tentative Hancock 2 that acts as a prequel to the 2008 film.

UPDATE: Hancock 2 – Now Better than Never

It’s been a bit over a decade and a half since Hancock graced the silver screen. Two years ago, superhero flicks still dominated the box office. Despite their lukewarm reviews, movies like Thor: Love and Thunder and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness still commanded some solid returns. That, however, doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.

The decline in the popularity of superhero flicks is tangible. Marvel, once known for its stampeding release slate, is only releasing a single film this year. On the other hand, DC is still in the process of renovating its cinematic universe for a new generation. The once-vibrant landscape of superhero films is looking mighty shaky in 2024.

One might assume the last thing Hollywood needs right now is another superhero flick. And yet, now more than ever, Hancock 2 makes perfect sense.

A “Hero” for Hire

From his inception, Hancock was conceived as the antithesis of the ideal superhero. In 2008, mainstream media’s perception of superheroes and comic book characters as a whole was vastly different from today. You can notice this in Hancock’s “costume” – a clear reference to the classic Brian Synger trilogy.

Hancock 2, however, would exist in a world where the Marvel Cinematic Universe dominates mainstream pop culture. Even post-Endgame, the MCU remains the gold standard for the genre. That’s where Hancock’s subversive style comes in.

Any possible Hancock sequel must recognize the influence of superheroes in modern pop culture and address Will Smith’s current status in the entertainment industry. There’s a clear divide between the pre-slap and post-slap eras of Will Smith (one of the best black actors of all time).

The (Many) Sequel Rumours

Some entertainment outlets say Hancock 2 has been in the cards for a while. According to the Wayback Machine, an IMDb page for the sequel has existed since, at least, 2014. That’s six years after the original’s release date. However, the page has remained more or less empty ever since.

That said, there was a moment in 2023 when the page reported pop icon Beyonce Knowles would appear in the film. That crucial bit of info has since been deleted, however, with the IMDb page now only listing Hancock 2 as the movie’s potential name.

In late 2022, it was announced that director Peter Berg would return to direct the sequel. The script would have been handled by Adam Fierro and Glen Mazzara, who still appear as screenwriters on the sequel’s provisional IMDb page.

Since then, solid rumours about Hancock 2 have more or less fizzled out. That said, Will Smith (one of the greatest action stars of the 90s) is currently betting it all with Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Whether this film succeeds or bombs at the box office could determine the future of the whole Hancock brand, so fans of the unconventional superhero would send a clear message by going to watch Ride or Die. Let’s hope the broader critic audience has a warmer reception prepared for the film once it releases on June 7th.

Tell us, do you want a Hancock 2?