Will Smith and Martin Lawrence pair up for 'Bad Boys For Life'
The Will Smith and Martin Lawrence starring 'Bad Boys' and 'Bad Boys II' tickled the funny bones of audiences around the world, and when it was announced in 2015 that the franchise was set for a third movie, fans were undeniably excited.
However, since that initial announcement, the film has faced numerous setbacks. The third installment, titled 'Bad Boys For Life,' was removed from the release slate by Sony Pictures last year but is now back on schedule. Its new release date is on the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend of January 17, 2020.
Joe Carnahan of 'Blood, Guts, Bullets, and Octane' 'Narc, Smokin' Aces,' and 'The A-Team,' was initially attached to direct the buddy cop action comedy film, but repeated delays meant that he left in March 2017 due to scheduling conflicts with some of his other projects.
After Sony removed it from its release slate, Lawrence came out to openly state that he doubted whether the film would get made at all, telling Entertainment Weekly: "I don’t think we’re going to get one, not the way everything’s turning out. Will is off doing another movie, and I don’t think it’s going to happen."
The film has been in the works since as early as 2009, and it seems to be finally going forward with Moroccan-born Belgian directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah now at the helm of the highly-awaited third installment. The screenplay will be written by Anthony Tambakis, with Chris Bremner and Joe Carnahan also said to be involved in the process.
Little is known about the storyline but it's likely that the franchise will not stray too far away from the formula that made the first two movies such a massive hit. Lawrence's and Smith's undeniable chemistry and comic timing as two Miami narcotics detectives, Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey, saw the franchise rake in over $400 million.
While neither of the films was received well critically, audiences around the world loved the slapstick brand of senseless humor, no doubt elevated by the enormous acting talents that are Lawrence and Smith. 'Bad Boys For Life' has a hefty reputation to live up to, and fans will hope that neither of the two leading stars has lost their touch.
