Reports are suggesting Bad Boys 3 is set to start production later this year.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Sony Pictures are in ‘early negotiations’ with directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah to make the film.
El Arbi and Fallah would take on what will be titled Bad Boys for Life, which should see Will Smith and Martin Lawrence reunite for a third chapter.
Smith and Lawrence played Miami police detectives in the first two Bad Boys films, which were directed by Michael Bay.
The films, released in 1995 and 2003 respectively, took in a huge $414.7 million worldwide.
In June 2008, Bay said he may direct the third film, but said the greatest obstacle to the potential sequel would be the cost – as he and Will Smith ‘demand some of the highest salaries in the film industry’.
By August 2009, it was reported Columbia Pictures had hired Peter Craig to write the script for Bad Boys 3.
In February 2011, Martin Lawrence reiterated the film was in development and in June 2014, Bruckheimer announced screenwriter David Guggenheim was working on the storyline for the sequel.
Two months later, Lawrence said a script had been written and parts had been cast.
By June 2015, director Joe Carnahanwas was in early talks to write and possibly direct the film.
Two months later, Sony announced Bad Boys 3 would be released on February 17, 2017, however on March 5, 2016, the film was pushed to June 2, 2017.
Producers planned to begin production in early 2017, yet on August 11, 2016, it was reported the film would be pushed back once again to January 12, 2018, to avoid box office competition with the upcoming DC Comics film Wonder Woman and retitled it Bad Boys for Life.
Lawrence appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and revealed filming could start in March 2017.
On March 7, 2017, Carnahan left the film due to scheduling conflicts and in August 2017 Sony removed the film from their release schedule.
Lawrence later revealed his doubts as to whether the film would ‘ever be made’.
During an appearance on Australian breakfast show Sunrise on January 15 this year, Will Smith told the hosts Samantha Armytage and David Koch, a third film was coming ‘very soon’.
So, that’s pretty damn positive news right there.
It was announced Sony were in negotiations with El Arbi and Fallah who were approached to direct Bad Boys For Life, with a production date set for August.
Come on!
