The highly anticipated fourth installment in the "Bad Boys" franchise, titled "Bad Boys: Ride or Die," opened in theaters over the weekend to an estimated $56 million in ticket sales. This success comes as a welcome relief to the struggling summer box office and marks a significant achievement for lead actor Will Smith, who has faced challenges in the industry following an incident at the 2022 Oscars.
Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, "Ride or Die" was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and had a production budget of around $100 million. Despite some uncertainty surrounding Smith's box-office appeal, the film performed close to or slightly above its tracking forecast, signaling a positive outcome for the movie business.
Smith, who has been largely absent from the public eye following the Oscars incident, embarked on a global publicity tour to promote the film, making appearances on various talk shows and attending premieres around the world. The movie received mixed reviews but earned a high grade from audiences with an "A-" CinemaScore.
While "Ride or Die" did not surpass the opening of its predecessor, "Bad Boys for Life," released in 2020, it still managed to make a significant impact at the box office. With ticket sales down overall compared to previous years, the success of "Ride or Die" is seen as a positive sign for the industry.
In addition to "Ride or Die," other films in theaters over the weekend included "The Garfield Movie," "If," and "The Watchers," each with varying degrees of success. As the movie business continues to navigate challenges such as declining ticket sales and changing audience preferences, the performance of upcoming releases like Pixar's "Inside Out 2" will be closely watched to determine the trajectory of the industry.