Will Packer Speaks On "WHAT MEN WANT" With Taraji P. Henson

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Will Packer Speaks On “WHAT MEN WANT” With Taraji P. Henson

Will Packer has an affinity for knowing his audience; people pining for accurate representation on screen, ready to belly laugh as he takes you and his relatable characters on a journey. And now the producer with nine consecutive number one films boasts to know “WHAT MEN WANT” too.

As previously reported Taraji P. Henson’s starring in the remake of the 2000s Mel Gibson film as Ali Davis, a boss lady sports agent who hasn’t gotten her just due. After sipping some secret super laced tea, she develops a “gift” for reading men’s minds and hilarity ensues.

According to Will Packer himself who chatted with Bossip during a set visit, this is the kind of comedy fans of his megahit “Girls Trip” can surely get behind.

“It’s very R-rated, it goes there,” said Packer. “It is Girls Trip-esque in the way we pull no punches. We allow the characters, especially the women characters to be loose, authentic and speak the way they want to.”

He also added that he was ecstatic to let Taraji’s underused comedy chops loose on the screen which is something Taraji also said she’s been wanting to do for years.

“Taraji hasn’t done a comedy since “Think Like A Man”—“Think Like A Man 2.” I always thought that in that movie she was underutilized because I know how funny she is. Taraji personally makes me laugh as who she is in real life. I knew that it would be an opportunity in this kind of movie to let her loose.”

The super-producer thinks there couldn’t be a better time for a reboot of the film, nor is there a better leading lady to take it on. The producer revealed that Paramount Pictures called him and pitched the idea of a Taraji reboot which he immediately accepted.

“Doesn’t it feel so appropriate right now?” said Packer. “Mel Gibson, it was a white man who can hear the thoughts of women and uses it to his advantage. If you’re gonna do this movie in 2019 in beyond you’ve got to have a sister in that!

“You’ve got to have a strong woman of color, she has powers, uses it to her advantage. To me those are the sorts of things that are really resonating right now. Those are the things that are really working that we’re seeing. If you’re making a movie right now where women need men or they’re not empowered, then you’re leaving a big portion of your audience out.”

We couldn’t agree more.

WHAT MEN WANT is the work of director Adam Shankman (HAIRSPRAY) and producers Will Packer and James Lopez (GIRLS TRIP), co-starring Tracy Morgan, Richard Roundtree, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Josh Brener, Tamala Jones, Phoebe Robinson, Max Greenfield, Jason Jones, Brian Bosworth, Chris Witaske and Erykah Badu.