The news is great for the actor, who might restart his career two years after he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards.
If early weekend predictions are right, Sony’s buddy action comedy “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” could bring life back to the struggling summer box office with a $53 million opening in the U.S. This could also help Will Smith bounce back in his career after the Oscars incident, which is mentioned in the movie.
“Bad Boys 4,” which brings Smith and Martin Lawrence together again in Sony’s popular series, got good reviews and an A- CinemaScore. Black moviegoers made up 44% of the audience.
Friday’s earnings were $21.6 million, including $5.9 million from Thursday night previews. “Ride or Die” is the first summer movie to do better than expected, with estimates between $48 million and $50 million. It’s the second biggest movie after “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.”
“Ride or Die” follows “Bad Boys for Life,” which earned $6.4 million in Thursday previews and had a $62 million opening weekend in January 2020. It made $426 million worldwide before theaters closed due to the pandemic.
In “Ride or Die,” Smith and Lawrence return as Miami cops Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. They go on the run to clear their late police captain’s name after he gets linked to drug cartels. The film was directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (known as Adil & Bilall) and written by Chris Bremner and Will Beall.
This movie is Smith’s first big return to theaters since the 2022 Oscars incident. His agents at CAA are contacting studio executives, hoping to announce his next movie soon if “Ride or Die” does well.
Also opening this weekend is Ishana Night Shyamalan’s supernatural thriller “The Watchers,” produced by her father M. Night Shyamalan, expecting to make $8 million to $10 million.