The summer movie season is heating up and, just recently, one highly anticipated flick managed to provide a well-needed spark. I’m talking about Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which opened with an impressive haul at the global box office. As we speak, the fourth entry in Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s blockbuster franchise is still raking in the dough. It’s because of that that the long-running film series has now notched a major financial milestone. Smith is, of course, aware of that fact and, once the benchmark was hit, he took to social media to share a message for the fans.
Since 1995, the Bad Boys movies (which we’ve ranked) have consistently managed to draw people to cinemas around the world. The cast and crew already had a lot to be proud of in regard to box office receipts but, now, they have something truly momentous to celebrate. Thanks to Ride or Die’s performance thus far, the franchise as a whole has officially amassed a total of $1 billion globally. Only select movie series have been able to hit this special benchmark, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Transformers and Harry Potter. Upon learning of this accomplishment, Will Smith took to Instagram to share the following post:
It’s not hard to understand the Oscar winner’s enthusiasm, given how special this is. I’d imagine that this has to be gratifying for him, considering how much work he, Martin Lawrence and their colleagues have put in over the years. Heck, for the I Am Legend star, it may even be somewhat surreal, considering that years ago, Lawrence originally wanted Eddie Murphy for the role of Mike Lowrey. It’s surely cool that he’s now able to celebrate this momentous occasion, and it’s surely sweet that the rapper-turned-actor took time to thank the fans.
To give you some background on Bad Boys’ box office history, the first installment, which was helmed by Michael Bay, earned over $140 worldwide by the time its run was finished. Bay’s 2003 sequel ultimately raked in more, collecting $273 million globally. And, released shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic rocked Hollywood, Bad Boys for Life hit box office milestones that year. The film – the first in the series to be helmed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah – finished its run with $426 million across the globe. With that, it not only became the franchise’s highest grossing entry but also the highest grossing film of 2020.
Ride or Die has had an impressive theatrical run thus far as well. During its opening weekend, the 2024 movie schedule entry overperformed, earning $56 million domestically in its first three days. It also raked in $46.6 million overseas and, that number combined with the former, gave the sequel a global debut of $104.6 million. One would think that positive word of mouth has been helping the film along as well, and it could’ve effectively factored into this latest milestone for the franchise.
All the while, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have been enjoying their press tour and soaking in the love from fans. Just recently, Smith went viral on TikTok for surprising moviegoers following a showing of the new movie. The two actors have also been sharing cool and funny social media posts related to the franchise. For instance, through a social media post, both poked fun at the 360 “Bayhem” shot that’s become synonymous with the franchise.
Considering how successful the movies have been, some are probably already wondering if a fifth Lawrence and Smith-led film is on the table. Smith recently discussed the notion, and he seems open to the idea of another installment – should there be a good reason to make one. I don’t know if there’s a creative incentive to make another but, based on this $1 billion milestone, there’s definitely a financial one. We’ll see what the future holds but, for right now, let’s celebrate what the action/comedy series has accomplished.
You can catch Bad Boys: Ride or Die in theaters now, and stream the first three films in the series with a Hulu subscription.