Bad Boys 4 producer Jerry Bruckheimer shares a positive update on the status of the sequel and Will Smith’s return. Michael Bay’s Bad Boys was released back in 1995, earning mostly negative reviews from critics but striking a chord with audiences. The action-comedy film sees Smith and Martin Lawrence as Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, respectively, a detective duo attempting to protect the witness to a murder. Smith and Lawrence would return for a sequel in 2003 and a third film, Bad Boys For Life, was released in 2020. A script for the fourth installment was said to be in the works as early as 2020, but Smith slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars earlier this year reportedly caused delays with the project.
Over the summer, Lawrence expressed confidence that Bad Boys 4 would still get made, and now, in a recent interview with THR, Bruckheimer echoes this same sentiment. Although updates on the project have been few and far between, the longtime franchise producer is optimistic that the film will move forward with Smith’s involvement. Check out Bruckheimer’s full comment below:
“Absolutely. I mean, Will made a mistake, unfortunately. That’s not who he is. He’s a phenomenal actor and there’s always forgiveness in the world. And hopefully, the audience will forgive him.”
Bad Boys 4 Can’t Happen Without Will Smith
Although Smith’s actions at the Oscars earlier this year were shocking for many viewers, it’s undeniable that the Bad Boys franchise needs the actor if it is to continue. From Bay’s first installment back in 1995 through to Bad Boys For Life two years ago, the chemistry between Smith and Lawrence, for many, is the main draw. All three installments have featured plenty of action and fight scenes, but it’s the buddy-cop dynamic between Mike and Marcus that gives the franchise so much heart. If Bad Boys 4 were to move forward with only Lawrence, it would become a more standard action movie and thus lose a key ingredient to the franchise’s success.
Throughout the past three films, Marcus is more of the straight-laced type, which contrasts well with Mike’s “shoot first, ask questions later” approach. The duo doesn’t always agree on the right way to go about solving a particular problem, and that’s where the classic Bad Boys comedy comes from. Without Marcus pushing Mike to rein it in, and without Mike pushing Marcus to let loose and embrace the chaos of it all, both characters ultimately become less interesting. What’s more, Bad Boys 4 will likely be the final installment in the franchise, and concluding the story without one of the key characters probably wouldn’t sit well with fans.
It remains to be seen whether Bad Boys 4 will ever actually come to fruition, but Bruckheimer’s latest comment is a very positive sign. It’s unclear how far along the script is and whether work is continuing on it behind the scenes or not, but it’s likely that a more concrete update on the project will be given next year when the memory of Smith’s Oscars’ slap has faded. While it doesn’t sound like the movie will be entering production anytime soon, fans can rest assured that, if Bad Boys 4 happens, Smith will almost certainly be back as Mike.
Source: THR