Maybe buried beneath all the awards season chatter for films like “Moonlight,” “Queen of Katwe,” “Loving,” “Hidden Figures” and “Fences” to name a few, is another film that’s on my 2017 Oscar predictions list: Will Smith starring in “Collateral Beauty.”




Based on the just-released first trailer below, the actor looks like he’s certainly going for yet another attempt at winning one of those coveted trophies next year, and being surrounded by a rather strong cast certainly helps; a mix of veterans and up-and-comers including Helen Mirren, Naomie Harris, Edward Norton, Kate Winslet, Keira Knightley, Michael Pena, and Jacob Latimore to name a few.

The New Line film, which is directed by David Frankel, follows a New York advertising executive (Smith) who experiences a personal tragedy, when his colleagues try to come up with a plan to get him out of his depression. Their plan works, but in a different way than they imagined.

Official synopsis: When a successful New York advertising executive suffers a great tragedy he retreats from life. While his concerned friends try desperately to reconnect with him, he seeks answers from the universe by writing letters to Love, Time and Death. But it’s not until his notes bring unexpected personal responses that he begins to understand how these constants interlock in a life fully lived, and how even the deepest loss can reveal moments of meaning and beauty.

With this cast, it’s a film that certainly can’t be ignored, even though I haven’t been particularly enchanted by any of what we’ve seen of the film so far, like the second trailer, which Warner Bros premiered this morning, and which is embedded below.

Regardless, Will Smith (and maybe some of his co-stars) just may be up for an Oscar nomination.

A December 16, 2016 release is scheduled.

Watch the uplifting second trailer below: