Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reinvigorated the box office this month with the release of the latest installment of the Bad Boys franchise, the comedic-action universe that began in 1995. Much like its debut film, the most recent release Bad Boys: Ride Or Die drew in huge numbers with an estimated global opening of $104.6m. While some onlookers were surprised by the success, others who have tracked Smith’s career weren’t. The actor has been bankable for more than two decades both on and off screen.
Production Company
Alongside his famous wife Jada Pinkett Smith, Will launched Westbrook Inc. in 2019, a media production company that focused on short and mid-form digital content, TV shows and movies, including the Red Table Talk.
Most recently, the power couple entered into an acquisition deal with Jerome Levy’s Vuelta Group to purchase German production and licensing entity Telepool from Westbrook. Per the Hollywood Reporter, Telepool houses an expansive licensing library in Europe, mainly German, with more than 1,200 titles including Westbrook-produced Oscar-winning film King Richard.
Investments
Ever the smart investor, Will has an incredibly diverse portfolio that includes stake in nearly 30 companies.
Along with running Westbrook and the holding company Overbrook, Will has invested in brands that include animation content company Invisible Universe, email app Superhuman and Fractional, a San Francisco-based real estate startup.
Most recently, Will was named as the latest co-owner of an F1 racing company, E1, rounding a group of high-profile investors that inclued Tom Brady, tennis icon Rafael Nadal, DJ Steve Aoki and singer-songwriter Marc Anthony.
“As a fan of racing, the opportunity to be part of the E1 fleet and play a role in realising its broader vision got me very inspired,” said Smith. “The entire Westbrook team is truly excited to bring Westbrook Racing to the water and join such an amazing group for this race.”
Rodi Basso, chief executive and co-founder of E1, added: “Will Smith is simply one of the most famous names on the planet. He’s shown throughout his career he is a born winner, so we are incredibly excited to see how this transitions to racing on the water. He’s also time and again proven himself as an inspirational force for good in a multitude of ways. Together, we are looking forward to pursuing our joint ambition to progress the electrification of sport and the positive effect this will have on the wider marine industry.”
