Despite sounding like a great idea on paper, some films get stuck in development hell for so long that it makes you wonder just what the heck is really going on?
Such is the case with Bad Boys 3. After two extremely successful installments, you’d think that all parties involved would be eager to do another outing, but that hasn’t been the case. Admittedly, a glimmer of hope appeared when Joe Carnahan signed on to write and direct not too long ago, but he ended up departing the project and after that, things fell into limbo.
Though we heard of a new writer boarding the film back in September, it still looked like the threequel was doomed. But now we’re hearing otherwise, as Sony Pictures is in talks with Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to direct the pic, which will apparently be titled Bad Boys For Life. Both Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are expected to return and get this, the studio is hoping for production to kick off as soon as August.
They may not be household names, but Arbi and Fallah impressed recently with Black, “a Romeo & Juliet-type drama set in the world of organized crime in Belgium.” Not only that, but the pair are also in line to helm Beverly Hills Cop 4, so they’re clearly in high demand at the moment and we’re curious to see what they’ll bring to the franchise. Jerry Bruckheimer is back as producer, too, so the project is clearly in capable hands.
As for when we might see Bad Boys For Life on the big screen, well, if things really do get underway in August, it could be with us in the summer of 2019. Failing that, the holiday season of that same year could work, too. Either way, though, it looks like Detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett are finally headed back to theaters, and we couldn’t be more excited!