‘Bad Boys Ride or Die’ Global Box Office Is Ready To Shoot Past a Major Milestone

Continuing a splendid run despite fresh competition, Sony’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die is nearing a major new milestone at the global box office. The action-comedy, starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, is now the second-biggest installment in the long-running franchise’s history, both domestically and worldwide. Bad Boys: Ride or Die added around $19 million domestically in its third weekend, taking its running total to just under $150 million as it enters its fourth week of release.

Internationally, the film has grossed an impressive $142 million so far, for a cumulative worldwide gross of $289 million. The movie should pass the $300 million mark in the next few days. By comparison, 2020’s Bad Boys for Life made over $200 million domestically and nearly $430 million worldwide before the pandemic. While this should be a realistic target, Bad Boys: Ride or Die is unlikely to achieve it, but that’s just a function of how the industry has changed since the pandemic. The movie is currently eyeing a lifetime domestic haul of around $180 million, which is excellent, considering its reported budget of $100 million.

The ‘Bad Boys’ Franchise Has Grossed Over $1 Billion Worldwide

Directed by the Belgian duo Adil Al Arbi and Bilall Fallah — they also directed the third film — Bad Boys: Ride or Die marks Smith’s first theatrical release since the infamous Oscars incident a couple of years ago, when he slapped comedian Chris Rock on live television. Smith was banned by The Academy for a decade, and his standing in the industry and among fans across the world was up in the air for a while. But the global success of Bad Boys: Ride or Die appears to have put all doubts to rest. For entirely different reasons, the movie also validates Arbi & Fallah, whose Batgirl feature was unceremoniously canceled by Warner Bros. at the last minute.

Both Bad Boys movies helmed by Arbi & Fallah have been well-received, especially in comparison to Michael Bay’s original two films, released in 1995 and 2003, respectively. While Bad Boys for Life scored a 76% approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, Bad Boys: Ride or Diehas a slightly more muted but still “fresh” 64% score. This weekend, the fourth movie overtook Bad Boys II both domestically and worldwide, to become the series’ second-biggest release.

Directed by Bay and released in 2003, Bad Boys II concluded its run with $138 million domestically and $273 million worldwide. It also cost more ($130 million). The first Bad Boys, on the other hand, grossed $141 million globally. Also starring Joe Pantoliano, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, Jacob Scipio, and DJ Khaled, Bad Boys: Ride or Die is playing in theaters. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.