Will Smith, the lovable, easily goofy actor who has brightened up our days with his movies for two decades now, is entering new territory with the upcoming drama “Seven Pounds.”

Directing is Gabriele Muccino, whose previous collaboration with Will Smith, 2006’s “The Pursuit of Happyness,” earned the actor his second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor (the first came for 2001’s “Ali”).

From the looks of it, “Seven Pounds,” written by Grant Nieporte, stands a great chance to enter a forthcoming awards race. Smith gives life to IRS agent Ben Thomas, who has come to a crossroads in his life and is weighed down by mistakes he has made in the past.

Profoundly depressed after the death of his wife, Ben decides to end it all and commit suicide but feels the need to bring a positive contribution to the world before dying. He resolves to help seven persons, complete strangers, who could benefit from his kindness, before leaving this world.

Rosario Dawson co-stars as Emily, a lovely woman who is suffering from a heart condition and one of the seven individuals he wishes to help. He falls in love with her and this of course comes to contradict his wish of dying. (Dawson and Smith worked together before on the “Men in Black II” sequel.)

Connor Cruise, the 13-year-old adopted son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, makes his acting debut as a younger version of Ben Thomas. The cast includes Woody Harrelson, playing a blind pianist who befriends Ben, Barry Pepper, Michael Ealy, Elpidia Carrillo and Bill Smitrovich.

Smith, who also took on producing duties, may well add the ninth film to the eight consecutive ones which have made more than $100 million at the domestic box office. We are soon to find out, as “Seven Pounds” is scheduled to be released on December 19.