The first story details for Bad Boys 3 tease what might happen when Will Smith and Martin Lawrence finally reunite. Bad Boys was the first film that gave Smith the buddy-cop role he seemed born to play, long before an action star in Hollywood. Starring opposite Lawrence, who's known for his comedic chops, the duo cemented themselves as a great team on screen.

While the first film was a major hit under Michael Bay, the sequel went bigger in all aspects (especially with the budget). The critical reception wasn't great, though, and it helped put the franchise on ice for the time being. Still, Sony has continued to entertain the idea of the franchise continuing on over the last several years. After cycling through multiple possible directors, Sony now has newcomers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah set to direct. And now, with directors and stars attached, some story points have been revealed.

That Hashtag Show revealed the first story details for Bad Boys 3. The script, written by Chris Bremner, picks up with Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) after all these years as a private investigator. Mike Lowrey (Smith) is adjusting to life with a new, young, cocky partner who is extremely loyal. However, Lowrey is experiencing a mid-life crisis of sorts and is looking to mature. The former partners had an as-of-yet unknown falling out, but are reunited when an Albanian mercenary puts a death order on both Mike and Marcus for killing his brother.

Bad Boys - Will Smith and Martin Lawrence

The revenge angle for Bad Boys 3 is a common thread for franchises like these. Action franchises like Die Hard and Taken have used the demons of the heroes' past to come back and haunt them. Mike and Marcus had years of success and would naturally make enemies. This one appears to be a long-time coming if they've been split up for a significant amount of time. The question, then, becomes, why is now the time that this Albanian mercenary strikes? Since neither of the first two films featured an Albanian threat, it wouldn't be terribly surprising if the killing of this mercenary's brother is tied to why Mike and Marcus split up for good.

Outside of the story details, THS reports Bad Boys 3 will have a budget north of $100 million, so Sony isn't going to scale this back too much. Production is slated to begin in the fall after Smith completes Gemini Man, and likely before he rejoins Task Force X for Suicide Squad 2 early next year. If that is still when cameras will roll, then it shouldn't be too much longer before casting details are announced. Bad Boys 3 will need to fill the role of Mike's young partner (maybe giving Winston Duke the chance he wants), the Albanian mercenary and his team, and more. With a TV show in the works too, maybe Gabrielle Union could return and possibly bring Jessica Alba as well. Bad Boys 3 is currently in development but does not have a release date.

More: Bad Boys TV Show Spinoff Gets an Official Title & Synopsis

Source: That Hashtag Show