Bad Boys 4’s Returning OG Star Gets Enthusiastic Tease After For Life’s Absence
Summary
Bad Boys: Ride or Die’s age rating is in, and it continues a longstanding franchise tradition. After the success of 2020’sBad Boys For Life, directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah return to helm the upcoming sequel, which continues the story of Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence).Bad Boys: Ride or Die’s storyfollows Mike and Marcus as they attempt to clear their own names and restore the legacy of their late captain, with trailers promising lots of hard-hitting action.
FilmRatings.comnow reveals that the MPA has givenBad Boys: Ride or Diean R rating for “strong violence, language throughout and some sexual references.” As seen in the chart below, the R rating continues a franchise tradition that has been in place since Michael Bay’s 1995 original movie. The specifics of the rating, however, vary slightly with each installment.
Intense violent action and pervasive strong language.
Strong violence and action, pervasive language, sexuality and drug content.
Bad Boys For Life(2020)
R
Strong bloody violence, language throughout, sexual references and brief drug use.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die(2024)
Strong violence, language throughout and some sexual references
The Franchise Has Always Mixed R-Rated Comedy & Violence
TheBad Boysfranchise is now well known for a few key ingredients. The strong chemistry between Smith and Lawrence is a major reason behind the franchise’s success, and the two actors are responsible for much of the movies' humor.This humor has always been distinctly R-rated, with Mike and Marcus frequently swearing and making somewhat crude remarks alongside the rest of theBad Boyscast.
How Much Will Smith & Martin Lawrence Were Paid For All 4 Bad Boys Movies
Will Smith & Martin Lawrence made quite a bit of money for their portrayals of Det. Burnett and Det. Lowry in the wildly popular Bad Boys franchise.
The violence, too, however, is a core part ofBad Boys’DNA. The three previous movies don’t take themselves too seriously, andBad Boys: Ride or Dieis said to be more on the comedy end of the spectrum, butthe action is never restrained.Bad Boys For Life, for example, features plenty of bloody shootouts, and one scene even depicts a bad guy getting impaled by a forklift, with little left to the imagination.
Bad Boys For Lifeis currently available to stream on Hulu.
If the upcoming sequel had instead opted for a PG-13 rating, it may have helped get younger audiences into theaters, but it also may have alienated the franchise’s core fanbase.Expendables 3tried this same tactic, and that sequel was a major disappointment. Many questions remain about how the story will continue after the emotionalBad Boys For Lifeending, butBad Boys: Ride or Dieis now confirmed to have one core ingredient for success.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die
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.
