After bearing it through the lowest of lows, Will Smith has somehow risen to be stronger than ever with his box office comeback alongside Martin Lawrence. The actor has jiggy-wiggied his way back into pop culture, however, this time for all the right reasons. Not only did he make big bucks at the box office, but also made a grand rap comeback at the BET Awards. 

As Smith wreaks havoc in the most pleasant way possible at award shows, his absence at the Oscars rings even louder, making an expert weigh in on whether his Oscar return is possible before a decade.

As Will Smith sends the box office roaring just like old times with his Bad Boys: Ride or Die success, the echo that the Oscar slap caused remains long forgotten by a few, especially his fans. However, said phenomenal box office success does not warrant the annulment of his ten-year Oscar ban as per Paul N. J. Ottosson, multiple times Academy Award winner and voters' statement to The Mirror. This does not mean that there is no way for Smith to make an early comeback.

While the actor did not reflect on his actions immediately after the sudden outrage on stage, as months passed by and work ran dry, he did release an apology video stating that he was not in the right state of mind. This apology video of his did not work like a charm and further ignited more backlash. But Paul N.J. Ottosson likes to believe that if the actor can make the institution believe that he is in fact sorry for his actions, he might just end up currying enough favor to lift his Oscar ban.

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Whether Will Smith manages to lift his Oscar ban earlier than expected will remain a major point of highlight, especially with I Am Legend 2 in the works.

Since the confirmation of I Am Legend 2 back in 2022 by Warner Bros, cinemaholics have been waiting with bated breaths. The anticipation is further heightened by the fact that apart from the trusted Will Smith, Michael B. Jordan will also be starring in the movie. This along with the fact that the second movie will follow the alternative ending, is all that is known so far. However, the above facts along with it being a sequel of the post-apocalyptic masterpiece that wowed us in 2007 is enough reason for it to be an Oscar contender.

While the release window of the movie is yet to be known, it is unlikely that the filming will span over a decade akin to Smith's Oscar ban, putting it in a bit of a pickle. Will Smith's Oscar ban might present to be a hurdle in the movie's journey to big awards. However, if Smith manages to prove to the Oscar committee that he has reflected and grown since the Slapgate debacle, this could all be avoided.

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Do you think Will Smith can make an early return to the Oscars? Let us know in the comments below.