Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are set to bring the buddy cop action-comedy franchise “Bad Boys” back to the big screen with the highly anticipated fourth installment, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.” Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who helmed the previous entry “Bad Boys for Life,” the film is poised to revive the box office after a slow start to the summer season.
Early projections suggest “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” will easily top the box office charts on its opening weekend, with a debut in the $48-58 million range. This would make it the second-highest opening for the franchise, behind “Bad Boys for Life’s” $62.5 million in 2020. The film’s budget remains undisclosed, but it’s likely to be in the same range as its predecessor’s $90 million.
With “Furiosa” entering its third week and underperforming in its debut, audiences will be eager for a new blockbuster. This sets the stage for Smith and Lawrence’s fourth outing as Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett to deliver a hit. Early buzz from critics’ screenings has been largely positive, though full reviews are still forthcoming.
The question remains whether “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” can reassert Smith’s star power after his controversial incident at the 2022 Oscars. If the film can reach $300 million worldwide, it would be a success for Sony, especially with little competition in the following weeks. An opening around $50 million would put it on track to achieve that goal.
“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” hits theaters on June 7, 2024, with a cast that also includes Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Nuñez, Rhea Seehorn, Tiffany Haddish, and Joe Pantoliano.
