As the latest installment in the franchise, Bad Boys 3 proved to be worth the wait and a worthy followup/relaunch of the franchise.
Bad Boys for Life is directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah and is one of this year's early box office hits. The sequel has leaving the door open for future adventures with Mike and Marcus.
Although Bad Boys 3 is concerned about the story at hand and setting up a now-in-development sequel, the movie is also loaded with callbacks to moments from the original two films. In addition to appearances from franchise veterans like Joe Pantoliano as Captain Howard and Theresa Randle as Theresa Burnett, Bad Boys for Life honors the movies that came before throughout its nearly 2-hour runtime. Whether they are blatant or subtle, here are all of the Easter eggs that the film includes.
Mike & Syd's Past Relationship
One of the biggest storylines in Bad Boys for Life is Mike's love life, both in the present and the past, and this allows the film to mention his former flame, Syd Burnett. As played by Gabrielle Union in Bad Boys II and the spinoff TV show LA's Finest, she dated Mike in secret during the second film. Bad Boys for Life not only alludes to Mike's past relationships and how things didn't work out with Syd, but, as the older brother of Syd and friend of Mike, Marcus was not happy about their relationship either. When Marcus asks Mike how angry Theresa is, he uses his feelings about Mike and Syd as an example to see if she is angrier than that. So, even though Union didn't get to return in Bad Boys 3, it does still acknowledge her history in the franchise.
Mike's Ruined Ferrari
In addition to using Marcus' feelings as an anger barometer for Theresa, Mike also gives a suggestion that references the past films. Thanks to his wealth, Mike takes great pride in his appearance and cars and wants to make sure the latter stay in pristine condition. However, his vehicles have gone through extensive damage during the series, including his Ferrari. His silver Ferrari 550 Maranello was involved in a chase and shootout in Bad Boys II, but Marcus accidentally fired his gun inside the car and ruined the interior. Mike uses his anger at this moment as one end of the anger spectrum in Bad Boys for Life. Unfortunately for Mike, Marcus' accidents continue in the third movie, though, as he swings one of Mike's car doors open to fast and hits a fire hydrant at the beginning of the film.
The Howards Are Bad At Basketball
Captain Howard's basketball skills - or lack thereof - were on full display in Bad Boys II, and the new film shows that his ability on the court has been ed down to his daughter. He and Mike attend one of his daughter's basketball games, and it is made abundantly clear that she inherited her father's basketball talents. Just like her old man did in a practice gym during Bad Boys II, the younger girl repeatedly misses shots but in a game environment. The callback would've been completed if only Mike swished another jumper.
Bad Boys Lyrics Are Difficult
Even though this is the third entry in the franchise, Bad Boys for Life proves that learning the lyrics to the "Bad Boys" song is still no easy task. The 1987 song by Inner Circle has become synonymous with the franchise, thanks to its catchy chorus, and is featured in all three films. In the previous two entries, neither Marcus or Mike proved that they really knew the lyrics to the song, and that didn't change with Bad Boys 3. Marcus has explicitly given up trying to figure out the verses and makes them his own. Not knowing their own theme song is quite embarrassing too, which is why they stop the AMMO team from singing it in front of them.
Mike Shooting Marcus
Another example of Bad Boys for Life referencing what happened in the past comes through a callback to a dangerous shot by Mike at the beginning of Bad Boys II. During his and Marcus' shootout with of the KKK, Mike accidentally shoots Marcus. This stray bullet hits Marcus in the rear end, and he has not forgotten the shot. Marcus brings up the wound during Bad Boys 3 and mentions that he still isn't fully healed from the incident.
Vanessa Hudgens' Musical Past
Vanessa Hudgens is one of the new Bad Boys for Life, and the film includes a reference to her days as the star of the High School Musical films. She played Gabriella Montez in the trilogy, which provided her with a showcase for her singing abilities. In Bad Boys 3, though, Hudgens is part of the AMMO team, and Mike's description of them is a clear nod to Hudgens' Disney days. He says they are like a "high school musical boy band with guns." Although Hudgens' new role as Kelly is very different when compared to Gabriella, this could be the start of something new for the actress if she returns for Bad Boys 4.
Michael Bay Cameo
While Syd may not appear in Bad Boys for Life, franchise creator and former director Michael Bay does. Bay directed the first two Bad Boys movies and gave himself a small role in the second film, but now he's returned for a larger cameo in Bad Boys 3. He plays the MC at Reggie and Megan's wedding and introduces Mike so he can give a speech. This marked a rare on-screen appearance for Bay in a film he doesn't direct, but he is still a producer on Bad Boys for Life.
The Directors' Cameos
In addition to the previous director of the franchise making an appearance, new directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah also made cameos in Bad Boys For Life. Fallah gets a slightly more prominent role than Arbi, but both of them have limited screentime. Arbi plays a rideshare driver who interacts with Marcus and Mike. Fallah, meanwhile, plays a man named Fael who hits on Rita (Paola Nuñez) during the team's mission at the night club.
