Will Smith Promises to Never Again "Trick" Fans Into Seeing a Movie Like 'Wild Wild West'

Will Smith says 'Wild Wild West' marked a low point in his otherwise awesome career, and promised to never again trick fans into seeing something like it.

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If you're anything like me, then you have fond memories of the 1999 steampunk anomaly Wild Wild West. Sadly, I'm mostly alone in this conviction, as the film only managed to pocket disappointing box office receipts and devastating reviews from peeved critics. Not even Will Smith, who starred in the Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black) production alongside Kevin Kline and Salma Hayek, has good things to say about the movie these days.

"I had so much success that I started to taste global blood and my focus shifted from my artistry to winning," Smith revealed to the Hollywood Reporter during a Cannes Lions session Tuesday. "I wanted to win and be the biggest movie star, and what happened was there was a lag—around Wild Wild West time—I found myself promoting something because I wanted to win versus promoting something because I believed in it." Ouch, Will.

Smith added that today's industry climate wouldn't allow a movie like Wild Wild West to even exist. "Smoke and mirrors in marketing and sales is over," Smith said. "People are going to know really quickly and globally whether a product keeps its promises." Smith even considers himself a marketer.

"My career has been strictly being able to sell my products globally, and it's now in the hand of fans," Smith said. "I have to be in tune with their needs and not trick them into going to see Wild Wild West."

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Damn. RIP any and all chances of Wild Wild West 2: Resurgence.

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