Just three months after entering into early talks to star in the superhero thriller Brilliance, Will Smith has backed out of the project.

Production was scheduled to begin this summer, but it isn't known when shooting will begin now, as Legendary and Universal begin the search to replace Will Smith. Noomi Rapace entered negotiations to co-star earlier this month, although it isn't known if her deal is finalized yet.

The story is based on Marcus Sakey's novel, which is set in a world where a rare group of people known as "brilliants" are born with superhuman abilities. The plot follows a government agent with incredible tracking abilities, who is assigned to find a terrorist hiding out in Wyoming. He comes to learn that this villainous character has his own set of special abilities, as he tries to create a civil war. No details were given for Noomi Rapace's character.

Julius Onah (Undefeated) is directing from an adapted screenplay by David Koepp, with Joe Roth and Palak Patel producing alongside Legendary's Thomas Tull and Jon Jashni.

Will Smith will next be seen in Focus, alongside Margot Robbie and Rodrigo Santoro, which is set for release on February 27, 2015.