Will Smith's Condition For Bad Boys 5 Makes Me More Hopeful For The Sequel

Will Smith has recently stated that he would only make Bad Boys 5 if certain conditions were met. Smith recently starred in the 2024 summer box office hit Bad Boys: Ride or Die alongside franchise partner Martin Lawrence, which has been celebrated by audiences and critics alike. Smith has become one of the most recognizable movie stars on the planet after starring in major blockbusters over the past three decades, such as Independence Day (1996), Men in Black (1997), and I Am Legend (2007).

Following the success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die, I already have questions about Bad Boys 5 and the future of the longstanding franchise. The Bad Boys franchise only recently put out its third installment Bad Boys for Life in 2020, marking the first movie of the action comedy series since the underwhelming Bad Boys II in 2003. Based on more than 100 reviews of Bad Boys 4, the franchise seems to be doing as good as ever and is even drawing comparisons to the original 1995 classic, which is saying something.

Will Smith Will Only Make Bad Boys 5 If There’s A Great Reason – And That’s A Relief

Will Smith has made it clear that Bad Boys 5 would have to make sense for the franchise

Both Smith and Lawrence have expressed interest in making Bad Boys 5 if the franchise continues to serve its fanbase. Smith commented, “I never wanted to be one of those dudes who make sequels just because people will go. I want to make them because there is something to say and the characters have a place that they’re developing to that will be interesting and fun to watch and maybe even a little helpful.” Lawrence also added, “Will and I have a great time working together, so as long as the fans want it and the demand is there, I’ll keep trying to give them what they want.”

Bad Boys has never really been a cash-grab franchise although obviously, box office performance is still a major motivation for Sony Pictures. However, each installment of the Bad Boys franchise provides viewers with a sense of how much fun and passion goes into the creation of these crowd-pleasing blockbusters. With Smith confirming that Bad Boys 5 will only happen if there’s a strong reason for it with a clear direction to take its characters, us audience members should ultimately be rewarded with another great installment.

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Why Bad Boys 5 Probably Will Happen

Smith & Lawrence still have a winning formula

Smith and Lawrence expressing their excitement about the prospect of Bad Boys 5 is a great sign for the franchise, especially now that Smith has vowed not to churn out another movie just for financial reasons. Bad Boys: Ride or Die proves that there’s plenty of life in the franchise which could have easily suffered a wave of fatigue nearly 30 years after the original was made. The key factor for me is that Smith and Lawrence haven’t missed a beat and remain a dynamic onscreen duo that has spanned generations, which makes Bad Boys 5 more than likely.

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Bad Boys for Life

In Bad Boys For Life, the third installment in the Bad Boys film franchise,  Marcus Burnett wants to retire, but when Mike Lowrey is shot, and the assailant goes after a friend of Burnett’s, the two team up together for one last ride.

Director

Adil El Arbi , Bilall Fallah

Release Date

January 17, 2020

Studio(s)

Columbia Pictures , 2.0 Entertainment , Overbrook Entertainment

Distributor(s)

Sony Pictures Releasing

Writers

Joe Carnahan , Chris Bremner , Peter Craig

Runtime

124 Minutes

Budget

$90 Million

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