Bad Boys 4 is officially happening, and it will be a huge test for Will Smith's career. Smith returned as Detective Mike Lowrey after nearly 17 years away from the Bad Boys franchise in 2020 to make the long-awaited third entry. Bad Boys for Life proved to be a surprise hit, as it made over $400 million worldwide at the box office before COVID-19 shut theaters down and received mostly positive reviews. The performance of the film made it possible that Will Smith and Martin Lawrence could return for another installment, and reports surfaced a few months after that a fourth film in the Bad Boys franchise was in development.
The status of the next movie appeared to be guaranteed thanks to the third film's box office, but it was not until January 2023 that Will Smith confirmed Bad Boys 4 is happening. Smith and Lawrence are both officially set to reprise their popular roles, with Bad Boys for Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah returning to helm the sequel as well. The movie gives Will Smith a chance to continue a rather successful few years for his career which have brought him box office hits and an Oscar win. However, the timing of Bad Boys 4 also means it will be a huge test for the actor's standing with audiences.
Bad Boys 4 Is Happening After Will Smith’s Oscars Slap
The announcement that Bad Boys 4 is happening comes nearly one year after Will Smith's Oscars slap. The actor found himself in the middle of extreme controversies after he slapped Chris Rock during the ceremony after he made a joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The moment became the biggest talking point about the disastrous 2022 Oscars and left Will Smith's acting career in the balance. Several studios were quick to cancel projects they had in development with Smith in the lead role, while the Bad Boys star issued many apologies about his actions.
It appeared as though Bad Boys 4 could be among the movies that no longer happened due to Will Smith's Oscars slap. Reports surfaced only a few days after the event that Sony was pausing development on the sequel. At the time, Bad Boys 4 happening after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock looked unlikely. The once-beloved star was stuck in a controversy that could continue to hang over his career for the foreseeable future. Ultimately, Sony has now made the decision to move forward with Bad Boys 4 starring Will Smith under the impression that his apology was genuine and his involvement will not negatively impact the sequel.
Bad Boys 4 Will Prove How Much Audiences Care About The Slap
Bad Boys 4 will be the true test of whether audiences care that Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. While his drama Emancipation has been released since the incident, the movie was never expected to be a big box office hit. It was more of an awards play to potentially earn Will Smith another Oscar nomination, which he did not receive. Smith does have a few other movies in development that could happen before Bad Boys 4, but none of them are part of franchises with established fan bases and a history of success at the box office.
Fairly or not, Bad Boys 4's reception and box office performance will be viewed as a reflection of how audiences feel about Will Smith's slap. If the sequel makes more than Bad Boys for Life and becomes a big hit, Hollywood will get the signal that Smith remains a star that audiences want to see. However, if Bad Boys 4 falters financially or critically, that could suggest that the memory of Will Smith's Oscars slap still lingers for audiences and is turning them away from seeing his films.
