Summary
Despite a lucrative history and the current box office accomplishments ofBad Boys: Ride or Die, theBad Boysfranchise is still a long way off from surpassing Will Smith’s highest-grossing franchise record. Smith and Martin Lawrence reprised their roles as Miami Police Department detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett inBad Boys: Ride or Die’scast of charactersto face their most complicated case yet. Former captain Conrad Howard is posthumously framed and accused of having worked with the cartels, forcing Mike and Marcus on the run to clear his name.
Bad Boys: Ride or Dieproves that Mike and Marcus' high-octane buddy cop adventures are still hugely in demand, as demonstrated byRide or Die’saudience approval rating of 97% onRotten Tomatoesand $297 million killing at the box office.Ride or Die’sperformance is of little surprise when looking back on the franchise’s history of widely beloved and high-earning installments. What is astonishing, however, is how far off the flourishingBad Boysfranchise is from Smith’s highest-grossing franchise - it’s so far, in fact, that not evena fifthBad Boysinstallmentcould help the franchise break Smith’s record.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
$299,870,553
97%
$424,471,663
96%
$273,271,982
78%
$141,247,413
10 Reasons Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’s Box Office Is So Good After So Many Recent Flops
Bad Boys: Ride or Die’s box office is off to a great start after a $104 million opening. There are reasons for the success after several recent flops.
WithRide or Die,theBad Boysfranchise has surpassed a major milestoneat the worldwide box office. AlthoughRide or Dieis still in theaters and in the position to make even more gains,the latest installment has already pushed theBad Boysfranchise past the $1 billion box office barrier. The feat is a big win, but it’s nothing in comparison to Smith’sMen in Blackfranchise, which, perThe Numbers, boasts about $1.6 billion made worldwide (excluding the Sony-releasedSpider-Man/Men in Black IIdouble feature and the 2019 standalone sequelMen in Black: International).
A potentialBad Boys 5would have a better chance at breakingMen in Black’srecord, but it’ll certainly struggle to do so, as no previous Bad Boys installments have ever reached anywhere close to $500 million at the box office.
At $1.1 billion and counting,Bad Boysstill needs to earn around $500 million to catch up with Smith’sMen in Blackfranchise. In time,Bad Boyscould become Smith’s highest-grossing franchise, but it certainly won’t occur withRide or Die, which will soon enter its fourth week in theaters and likely plateau just above $300 million earned. A potentialBad Boys 5would have a better chance at breakingMen in Black’srecord, but it’ll certainly struggle to do so, as nopreviousBad Boysinstallmentshave ever reached anywhere close to $500 million at the box office.
Will Smith & Martin Lawrence Have Spoken Positively About Another Sequel
Arguably, now more than ever,theBad Boysfranchise has recognized its growing potential. Sure, the franchise’s third film is its most lucrative installment to date, but much ofBad Boys for Life’sappeal was driven by the fact that it’d been 17 years since Mike and Marcus hit big screens inBad Boys II, and fans were primed to see them back in action.Ride or Diedid not have this advantage and still made substantial box office strides, demonstrating that there’s more than a nostalgic demand for the franchise but an interest in seeing it expand.
Bad Boys: Ride or Diepremiered on July 17, 2025, just four years afterBad Boys for Life.
Because of this,Bad Boys 5seems all the more likely. Additionally,Smith and Lawrence voiced interest inBad Boys 5on the condition that the franchise continues to prioritize its fanbase. Their revelation is great news, not only for the release ofBad Boys 5but for the likelihood that it will be a thoughtful addition to the IP and more than just a cash grab.Bad Boys5has, otherwise, yet to be confirmed, but from the looks of the franchise’s momentum, at least one or two sequel movies may get a shot at overtakingMen in Black.
Cast
Bad Boys: Ride or Die continues the action-packed saga of Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. The film follows the duo as they face new threats and personal challenges, blending intense action scenes with the camaraderie fans have come to love in the Bad Boys series.
