Bad Boys for Life

November 04, 2019

Bad Boys for Life

Bad Boys for Life is an upcoming American buddy cops action comedy film directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Will Smith. It is a sequel to Bad Boys (1995) and Bad Boys II (2003) and the third and final installment in the Bad Boys trilogy. The film stars Smith and Martin Lawrence reprising their roles as detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett.

A third Bad Boys film was discussed after the success of the second, with original director Michael Bay stating he would be interested in returning but budget constraints would make it difficult. The film went through several attempts at development over the next decade, with various writers and directors attached. Finally in October 2018 the project was officially announced, and filming took place from January through June 2019 in Atlanta and Miami.

Bad Boys for Life is scheduled to be theatrically released in the United States on January 17, 2020.

Bad Boys for Life Premise

Marcus Burnett has finally become a police inspector and Mike Lowrey is in a midlife crisis. Both of them reunite once again when a fierce Romanian mob boss, whose brother they defeated, exacts retaliation just as the duo are about to officially retire.

Bad Boys for Life Development

In June 2008, Michael Bay director of the first two Bad Boys films, stated that he may direct Bad Boys III, but that the greatest obstacle to the potential sequel would be the cost, as he and Will Smith demand some of the highest salaries in the film industry. By August 2009, Columbia Pictures had hired Peter Craig to write the script for Bad Boys III. In February 2011, Martin Lawrence reiterated that the film was in development. In June 2014, Bruckheimer announced that screenwriter David Guggenheim was working on the storyline for the sequel. Two months later, Lawrence said a script had been written and parts had been cast. By June 2015, director Joe Carnahan was in early talks to write and possibly direct the film. In August 2015, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that Bad Boys III would be released on February 17, 2017, and that additional sequel, Bad Boys IV, is scheduled for release on July 3, 2019. On March 5, 2016, the film was pushed to June 2, 2017. Producers planned to begin production in early 2017. On August 11, 2016, the film was pushed back once again to January 12, 2018, to avoid box office competition with the upcoming DC Comics film Wonder Woman, and retitled Bad Boys for Life. Lawrence revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! that filming may start in March 2017. On February 6, 2017, it was announced that the film's release date has been delayed for the third time, to November 9, 2018. On March 7, 2017, Carnahan left the movie due to scheduling conflicts. In August 2017, Sony removed the third film from their release schedule and later in the month Lawrence said the film would not be happening.

In February 2018, it was reported that a sequel film was again being planned and would be directed by Belgian directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprising their roles. According to Geek Worldwide, the third installment in the Bad Boys franchise will film from November 2018 to March 2019 in Miami and Atlanta with the release date scheduled for January 17, 2020