Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are back with another thrilling chapter in their iconic action-comedy series. The Bad Boys movies have become a major part of Hollywood’s buddy cop genre, especially in the 1990s and early 2000s. Known for their hilarious banter and explosive action, Smith and Lawrence’s chemistry has always been at the heart of the franchise’s success.
Their latest film, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, hit theaters in 2024 and helped push the series past a huge global milestone. Keep reading to find out how the film performed at the box office and what record it couldn’t quite beat.
The Bad Boys franchise focuses on two Miami detectives—Mike Lowrey (played by Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (played by Martin Lawrence). The story was created by George Gallo, and the first movie came out in 1995, directed by Michael Bay. Bay also directed the second film in 2003. However, starting with the third movie, Adil & Bilall took over as directors and continued their work with the fourth film, Ride or Die.
According to box office reports, Bad Boys: Ride or Die was made on an estimated budget of $100 million, which is four times more than the budget of the original film. Despite some industry concerns—especially after Will Smith’s Oscars controversy involving Chris Rock—the movie surprised everyone with its strong performance.
On its opening weekend, the film earned $56.52 million, beating expectations and proving that Will Smith’s star power still shines. Many wondered if the controversy would impact the movie’s success, but fans clearly showed up in support. The film even broke into the top 10 highest-grossing movies of the year for a time, although it eventually dropped to the 17th spot for 2024.
Thanks to Ride or Die’s impressive box office run, the Bad Boys franchise has now earned over $1.2 billion worldwide. According to data from The Numbers, the total production budget for all four films was around $343 million, meaning the series has brought in 261.5% more than what it cost to make.
Here’s a look at how each Bad Boys movie performed at the global box office:
- Bad Boys (1995) – $141.40 million
- Bad Boys II (2003) – $273.34 million
- Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024) – $404.55 million
- Bad Boys for Life (2020) – $426.50 million
Although Ride or Die was a big hit, it didn’t manage to beat Bad Boys for Life, which remains the highest-grossing film in the franchise. Still, Ride or Die’s strong performance helped the franchise cross the $1 billion mark, a major achievement for any movie series.
In the end, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have once again proven that their on-screen partnership is a winning formula. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a new viewer, the success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die shows that there’s still plenty of love for this iconic action-comedy duo.
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