“Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” the fourth installment in the Will Smith-Martin Lawrence action comedy series, made a splash at the box office with an estimated $56 million opening weekend. This marks a significant success for Hollywood, giving Smith his biggest hit since his controversial moment at the Academy Awards.
Expectations were uncertain for “Ride or Die” due to the challenging movie market this summer and doubts about Smith’s box office appeal. However, the Sony Pictures release managed to meet or slightly exceed its tracking projections.
Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, “Ride or Die” represented Smith’s first major film since his incident with Chris Rock. Despite the setback, the movie proceeded with a substantial $100 million production budget.
While Smith had a recent film with Apple titled “Emancipation,” it was shot before the controversial Oscars incident and had a limited theatrical release. For his comeback with “Ride or Die,” Smith focused on promoting the movie on various platforms and events globally.
“Ride or Die” emerged as a success amidst disappointing films earlier in the summer, providing a much-needed win for the industry. Audience response was positive, with the movie receiving an “A-” CinemaScore despite mixed critical reviews.
The film stars Smith and Lawrence as Miami detectives investigating a plot to frame their former police captain. Black moviegoers made up a significant portion of the audience, demonstrating the movie’s broad appeal.
While “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” performed well, the industry still faces challenges with declining ticket sales. The upcoming release of Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” will be a crucial test for theaters seeking to revive the box office.
Overall, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” showcased Smith and Lawrence’s enduring appeal as action heroes and provided a much-needed boost to the movie business.
Sources: box office data from Comscore
