Bad Boys 4 Has Entered Pre-Production, Script Now Being Written

Much as I like superhero and fantasy movies, it’s difficult to argue that they haven’t squeezed a certain style of blockbuster out of multiplexes. I’m talking about original action properties: films like True Lies, The Rock, Con Air and Die Hard. Perhaps it’s simply a sign of the times that there’s less of them, but I like a straightforward balls-to-the-wall action movie that’s not setting up some expansive cinematic universe. All of which means I was very happy to see Bad Boys For Life become a box office smash and critical hit back in January, successfully reinvigorating a franchise that’d been dormant since 2003.

And now it seems that Will Smith’s Mike Lowrey and Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Miles Burnett aren’t going into retirement quite so easily. Iconic action producer Jerry Bruckheimer sat down for an interview with Collider recently where he revealed that the wheels are already moving on Bad Boys 4, saying:

“We had a great experience on the first one, both through the development process with Tom Rothman [chair of Sony] and his team, and then through the editing process and filming process… We put together, along with their help, a movie that’s very satisfying for the audience, and we’d like to do it again, and I think they’d like us to do it again. We’re currently working on a draft for the fourth one.”

The project was first confirmed by Sony back in January after Bad Boys For Life‘s barnstorming opening weekend. Back then it was announced that Chris Bremner would be returning on script duty, so we can presume that he’s the person Bruckheimer is referring to in the quote.

As for what the sequel will be about? Well, the ending of Bad Boys For Life saw Will Smith’s character teasing a future mission for the new characters introduced in the movie. If you’ve seen the film, it’s pretty obvious what the plot could be, but I don’t want to spoil it for anyone that hasn’t caught it yet.

In the meantime I’m betting that Bruckheimer wants to strike while the iron is hot, so here’s hoping Bad Boys 4 hits theaters sooner rather than later.