Bad Boys Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are returning for their fourth sequel but claim they are far from done. The stars made way to the Bad Boys: Ride or Die premiere unraveling at Hollywood Boulevard in style, on top of a double-decker bus while thrilled fans cheered on from the sidelines, on Thursday, May 30.
After three decades of starring in the Bad Boys franchise, Smith and Lawrence agreed that while it’s probably time to hang up their cloaks and let the new generation take over the action-comedy film series, they still have one more left.
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reflect on retiring as Bad Boys
Will Smith, 55, and comedian Martin Lawrence, 59, took a moment out of the premiere to talk about the future of Bad Boys, now that the franchise is four installments down spanning over 30 years since 1995. “We might have one more in us before we hand it off,” the I Am Legend star told The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere while adding that Hollywood has a lot of “young seeds” to take over the franchise.
Echoing the same, Lawrence quipped, “The back ain’t went out quite yet, so before we do that — we ain’t going to pass it off just yet.” He joked about his back saying until it is completely out he shall be starring as a Bad Boy.
On Thursday, Smith hyped the crowds, urging them to chant Bad Boys in unison while he rapped into a mic from atop the double-decker bus heading towards the Ride or Die premiere.
Later, speaking of his long friendship with Lawrence, Smith raved that it was a “gift from the heavens” that must be nurtured while marking his co-star as his “ride or die” both on and off camera. He also acknowledged the fans’ persistent support for him despite tough times and said, “It’s not just here,” referencing the 2022 Oscars controversy that nearly uprooted his career.
What is Bad Boys: Ride or Die about?
Directed by Adil El Arbi, Ride or Die features Miami police officers Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett embarking on an action-packed mission to discover the truth after their senior captain Conrad Howard played by Joe Pantoliano is unjustly set up with links to drug cartels.
Other cast members include Tiffany Haddish, Jacob Scipio, Rhea Seehorn, Eric Dane, Tasha Smith, Joe Pantoliano and Melanie Liburd.
The makers of Ride or Die have estimated a positive box office response against what the past films have done. 2024’s Ride or Die follows four years after the last Bad Boys sequel, 2020’s Bad Boys for Life, which took a hit amidst the pandemic.
The Pursuit of Happyness star shared his insight on the fourth sequel’s fate at the box office and said, “You never know with those things…People just need the joy that comes from this movie.” Comparing the franchise to other action-comedy films, Smith noted that none have been able to pull this far along as the Bad Boys have.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die will hit theatres on June 7, 2024.
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