The much-anticipated sequel to 2020's Bad Boy 4 Life, Bad Boys 4: Ride or Die, has taken the box office by storm. Opening on Friday, June 7, the movie, featuring the dynamic duo of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, has exceeded all expectations. The fourth installment in the trilogy, which kicked off with the 1995 release of Bad Boys, raked in a staggering $56 million domestically in its first weekend, a figure that was nearly twice Sony's internal projection of $30 million and significantly higher than industry forecasts of $45 million to $50 million, as reported by Deadline.
Fans are enjoying this one. They showed up in legions to see the new flick, and if that's not evidence enough that no one cares about the Chris Rock Oscars slap, then we don't know what to tell you. Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have been on a promotional tear the past few weeks, and it's paid off. The overall box office has been down this summer, with industry insiders concerned that big movies like Furiosa and The Fall Guy are not performing to expectations. In comes Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, which shows the industry that star power is star power, and Will Smith still has it.
Will Smith & Martin Lawrence Have An Incredible Opening Weekend for "Bad Boys 4"
Will Smith and Martin Lawrence's buddy police comedy series has made $104.6 million in total revenue, including $48.6 million from overseas box office receipts. Although it helped that Smith returned to theaters with a franchise that has lasted for more than 30 years, audiences have welcomed his first major motion picture since he attacked Chris Rock on stage at the 2022 Oscars. Sony invested $100 million in Bad Boys 4 production and more in marketing the movie to a worldwide audience. The film has already made its budget back and will likely approach the $200 Million the third film in the franchise achieved in 2020.
Fans showed up to see the movie. Will Smith and Martin Lawernce have promoted the movie all over the country, receiving massive amounts of love wherever they went. Overall, Bad Boys: Ride Or Die is a massive success, and it has surprised industry insiders but not fans. People will show up when you have a star like Will Smith and a franchise that people love, like Bad Boys.
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