Will Smith reteams with 'Legend, Robot' writer for 'Brilliance'

Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Actor/producer Will Smith and writer/producer Akiva Goldsman are re-teaming to adapt the book Brilliance, The Hollywood Reporter reported. Sakey. Goldsman wrote and produced Smith's I Am Legend, wrote I, Robot and produced Hancock. Smith appeared in Goldsman's directorial debut feature Winter's Tale.

In Marcus Sakey's novel, 1% of children have special powers. The government calls them "Brilliants" and tracks them. The other 99% simply call them "twists" or "abnorms" as a form of hate speech.

Smith would play federal agent Nick Cooper, according to Deadline. Cooper hunts evil abnorms, but he is an abnorm himself able to predict the future and adapt accordingly. Cooper hunts assassin John Smith and begins to question whether he's on the right side.

Previously, when Legendary Pictures was developing Brilliance for Universal, Smith was attached and dropped out. At the time, Smith chose to film Concussion. Apparently Smith never lost interest, as he signed on to the Paramount package.

Sakey has already written two sequel novels while Brilliance was in development, making the film a potential trilogy too. Goldsman won an Oscar for writing A Beautiful Mind.

Smith had a hit this summer with Disney's live-action Aladdin. He next appears in Paramount's Gemini Man and the Sony sequel Bad Boys For Life. He also provides a voice for the animated film Spies in Disguise.