After a seventeen-year hiatus, Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are together again in Bad Boys for Life. The third film in the popular buddy cop series is a glorious return to form, seeing both actors in peak performance mode. Audiences have responded to the return kindly, giving the film an impressive sixty-million dollar opening weekend against a ninety million dollar budget.
The momentum hasn't let up either, with the 2020 sequel grossing more than two hundred million dollars so far at the worldwide box office. Given Bad Boys for Life's success, a fourth film seems inevitable. Should a sequel see the green light, here are ten things we want to see from it.
Armando
Any reader who has yet to see the film should skip to the next entry because this one will have major spoilers. Before the climactic battle in Mexico, Michael Lowrey discovers that the person who has been trying to take out the heroes is none other than his son, though his child is unaware of this.
During the final action sequence, the cop convinces Armando of the truth and how his mother, the film's main antagonist, lied to him for his whole life. Armando is sent to prison and Michael visits him with an opportunity to perhaps reduce his sentence. Whatever this may be, we hope it leads directly to the fourth film. It'll be hard to forget some of the terrible things Armando did, but if audiences can forgive Deckard Shaw in The Fast and the Furious franchise, they can also find it in their hearts to forgive Armando.
New Locations
The films mainly take place in Miami with a few detours typically reserved for the final act. Bad Boys II sees the duo head to Cuba and several scenes from the new film take place in Mexico. For the next entry, what if they went somewhere completely out of left field?
This could add some spice to a sequel. Imagine the two tearing things up in another metropolis like New York, where the people and attitudes are worlds away from Miami's atmosphere.
Bigger Action
Bad Boys for Life was on a smaller scale than the second entry, something which ultimately worked to its benefit. Trying to top Bad Boys II's ridiculous set pieces would have probably led to a disappointing outcome or an over-reliance on CGI.
With this film proving the series' popularity, a sequel could garner a bigger budget and put that towards a more explosive action spectacle. The latter half's car chases and gunfights were a step in the right direction, and the following story can up the ante even more.
Returning Supporting Cast
Each entry in the series replaces almost the entire supporting cast, perhaps as the result of the extended time between sequels. A few faces have stayed for the ride throughout the years, but most of them come and go.
If a sequel goes into production sooner rather than later, here's hoping this results in more familiar faces coming back. The crew from AMMO were all delights to behold, and seeing more of them would be a treat.
Same Directors
Bad Boys for Life was the Hollywood debut of Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, though the pair already have a handful of successful Belgian works under their belt. The two knocked it out of the park and are signed on to do Beverly Hills Cop 4, which has many hoping for a return to relevancy for Eddie Murphy's popular franchise.
Hopefully, they are given the chance to continue the Bad Boys film series, assuming they want to. If they would rather focus on other projects, it is their choice, but audiences would welcome them back in a heartbeat.
Joe Carnahan
Joe Carnahan receives both a story and screenplay credit on Bad Boys for Life. The filmmaker has written and directed projects like The A-Team, Stretch, and The Grey.
At one point, Carnahan was signed on to direct the third Bad Boys caper but ultimately backed out. Still, one feels his stamp on the project through the story. Should a new film come, hopefully, Carnahan will work on it in some capacity. Perhaps, he could even direct.
Gabrielle Union
Gabrielle Union played the role of Sydney Burnett in Bad Boys II, serving as Mike's love interest and Marcus's sister. The actress, unfortunately, is mysteriously absent from the third film.
Considering her importance in the second entry and the character's relation to Marcus, it is surprising to know she doesn't at least make a cameo appearance. Union is keeping busy on L.A.'s Finest, however, which is an offshoot of the series following Sydney Burnett. Having her show up for some synergy between the two properties would be a treat.
Jessica Alba
Alongside Gabrielle Union in L.A.'s Finest is Jessica Alba, playing detective Nancy McKenna. Her character never showed up in Bad Boys beforehand, but she's a part of the universe now by being Sydney's partner.
If the aforementioned wish of Syd showing up in the fourth movie really does happen, then Nancy ought to be there right beside her. While a cameo would be nice, having them play a key role in the plot would be even sweeter.
Keep It R
The Hollywood trend of the mid-Aughts and the first half of the last decade steered towards PG-13 action films with neutered violence and sloppy editing to hide blood and impactful violence. With movies like Deadpool and Logan proving adult blockbusters can make bank at the box office, the industry is once again putting more faith into R-rated action movies.
Bad Boys for Life has a ninety million dollar budget and cuts loose with the gore and cursing. The next film should follow suit and not try to water down its raunchy nature in hopes of getting a wider audience.
Keep Will Smith & Martin Lawrence
This one should go without saying, but Hollywood has tried foolish things with iconic casts before. We all remember Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd, after all.
Martin Lawrence and Will Smith probably require some hefty paychecks to keep around, but it is well worth it to see their dynamic on screen. It is ninety percent of the reason people see these movies, after all, with the other ten percent being the magnificent action sequences.