Sony is eying an August start on set to arrive in February 2017, the project has had a difficult time getting off the ground however.

The sequel has cycled through a number of possible directors, all while removed from Sony's slate entirely. Now, the project looks to have picked up another push forward.

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Deadline reported Sony is eyeing an August start for Bad Boys For Life. This targeted shoot date comes as they are in final negotiations with rising filmmaking duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. They are best known for their work on Black, a Romeo and Juliet type story set in Belgium. Should they agree to direct, they will do so based off the script from first time writer Chris Bremner.

Bad Boys - Will Smith and Martin Lawrence

Arbi and Fallah aren't splashy names that will generate tons of interest on their own, but it does show an effort from Sony to give young promising directors a shot at a big franchise. This isn't the only franchise revival Arbi and Fallah are signed up for either, as they're also lined up to direct Beverly Hills Cop 4. The duo also directed two episodes (including the pilot) for the FX drama Snowfall.

Assuming this deal does close, they won't have any time to waste to get the movie ready for the proposed August shoot. If this is Sony's goal, hopefully they have already cleared this with Smith's schedule to make sure it will work. Smith is incredibly busy and has a number of projects gearing up for filming. He'll be filming Ang Lee's Bright 2 may have to wait till 2019 to start filming. If production does begin by the end of this year, Bad Boys For Life could come together quick enough to hit theaters in late 2019.

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Bad Boys For Life is currently in development but does not have a release date.

Source: Deadline