15 Jul – Martin Lawrence recently dismissed the notion that the fourth "Bad Boys" film is cancelled for good following the previous controversy surrounding his co-star, Will Smith. The actor, who sat down for an interview with Ebony recently, stated that the two of them have at least one more "Bad Boys" film, despite previous reports about the indefinite halt on the project. It is noted that the first "Bad Boys" grossed over USD 141 million worldwide when it was released in 1995, followed by the 2003 sequel with USD 273 million, and the 2020 third film "Bad Boys for Life" earning USD 426 million.
In the same interview, Lawrence stated that the original film was a game changer. "It was big. For us to come together and prove that we can deliver, and we can pull people into the box office - that two Black stars, two sitcom stars, could make money at the box office [was huge]," he said.
Earlier, Sony CEO Tom Rothman denied that the film was delayed due to the controversy, saying that it is still in development. "There weren't any brakes to pump because the car wasn't moving," he said. "That was a very unfortunate thing that happened, and I don't think it's really my place to comment, except to say that I've known Will Smith for many years, and I know him to be a good person. That was an example of a very good person having a very bad moment, in front of the world. I believe his apology and regret is genuine, and I believe in forgiveness and redemption." Will Smith made headlines back in March after he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage during a live telecast of the 2022 Academy Awards for the latter's joke about his wife.