Will Smith’s upcoming Bad Boys sequel has the opportunity to break a 12-year record in his career, though it will see challenges at the box office.

Summary

Bad Boys 4 faces challenge to beat Will Smith movie record set by Men in Black 3 with $654.2 million grossed.
Possible for Bad Boys 4 to become highest-grossing franchise installment, aiming for $424 million mark.
Will Smith seems focused on broad commercial success, not breaking records, making a $250 million box office goal attainable.

Bad Boys 4 has the chance to break a Will Smith movie record that’s stood for 12 years, but it won’t be easy. Bad Boys: Ride or Die is set to release just four years after the last installment, marking the shortest gap between films in the franchise, with the first releasing in 1995, the second in 2003, and then a 17-year gap before Bad Boys for Life in 2020. Each installment has been profitable, making it a promising go-to after Will Smith’s controversial year in 2022, after which he’s only released one movie.

Bad Boys 4 releases in theaters on June 7, 2024.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reprise their roles as Mike and Marcus in the Bad Boys 4 cast, and they’ll be joined by Vanessa Hudgens and Alexander Ludwig. With a summer 2024 release date, it will be fascinating to see how well the movie performs and whether the controversy surrounding the lead star is a detriment to its success. Bad Boys has been a beloved action franchise for nearly 30 years, and the fourth installment will show how well it’s stood the test of time.

Bad Boys 4 Will Struggle To Become Will Smith’s Highest-Grossing Sequel

Men In Black 3 Sets A High Bar As Will Smith’s Highest-Grossing Sequel

The 12-year standing record for Will Smith’s highest-grossing sequel is held by Men in Black 3, which grossed $654.2 million. Bad Boys 4 will have a difficult time clearing that record. For perspective, only six movies in 2023, one of the most significant recent movie years, grossed over $654 million. In 2024 already, only Dune 2 has come close to reaching that number. With the number of hits intended to be released in 2024, a Bad Boys sequel seems unlikely to break Will Smith’s record.

Passing the $654 million mark would be a miracle.

Smith has made several sequels in his career, with multiple follow-ups to Men in Black and Bad Boys. Recently, he’s also been active in the development of an I Am Legend sequel, which could be indicative of fewer roles being offered to him after recent controversies. However, Bad Boys 4 has a promising schedule slot without much competition in early June, and it could be a surprising hit. Still, passing the $654 million mark would be a miracle.

Bad Boys 4 Could Still Break A Will Smith Franchise Record

Bad Boys 4 Could At Least Become The Highest-Grossing Bad Boys Movie

While Bad Boys 4 likely won’t be passing up Men in Black 3, and maybe not even the original 1997 Men in Black, which grossed $587 million, it could still set an important milestone. The Bad Boys franchise box office record is set at $424 million by Bad Boys For Life, which seems obtainable. That’s still a pretty challenging number, seeing as other 2024 action movies like The Beekeeper and Argylle have grossed $152 million and $95 million. Of course, there’s still a desire for action movies, but quality will be a critical factor in Bad Boys 4’s success.

Reboot/delayed sequel movies have become more frowned upon in the vernacular, especially after the success of original titles Barbie and Oppenheimer in 2023. General movie fans are eager for new experiences, demonstrated by the shortcomings of films like Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and many of the biggest box office bombs of 2023, such as The Marvels and Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. If Bad Boys 4 is to set its franchise record, it has to offer a careful balance of nostalgia for the original movies and an exciting, fresh perspective for modern audiences.

Bad Boys 4 Should Be A Box Office Success For Will Smith

Bad Boys 4 Will Likely Be A Commercial Hit, Even If It Doesn’t Break Records

The 55-year-old actor likely has his priorities set on returning to mainstream popularity through safe hits rather than trying to shatter records.

Regardless of records, Bad Boys 4 will more than likely be a commercial success for Will Smith. The 55-year-old actor likely has his priorities set on returning to mainstream popularity through safe hits rather than trying to shatter records. If Bad Boys 4 doesn’t pass up Bad Boys For Life or Men in Black 3, the film can still make a profit and put his name back on the map. Bad Boys is a popular franchise that’s retained consistent commercial appeal, and the movie could continue that trend by targeting a baseline $250 million box office pull.

The budget info for Bad Boys 4 hasn’t been released, but it’ll remain around the same as Bad Boys For Life’s $90 million. With that in mind, $250 million is an easily obtainable goal for an early summer blockbuster with little competition, even if the movie currently doesn’t have much buzz around it. Trailers have begun playing in theaters, and there could be a big push to build anticipation for Bad Boys 4 in the coming months. It will be intriguing to see how Will Smith’s return to commercial star form is handled.