“Bad Boys: Ride or Die” recently hit theaters with a strong debut, earning $56 million domestically and $48.6 million from international markets, bringing the total to $104.6 million.
To date, the movie has racked in $227 million worldwide, bringing the “Bad Boys” franchise’s box office to more than $1 billion globally.
With a production budget of approximately $100 million, the film would need to gross between $200 million and $250 million worldwide to break even and start turning a profit, according to Collider. For comparison, the previous film, “Bad Boys for Life,” released in 2020, grossed $426 million globally against a $90 million budget.
Star Salaries
So how much are the stars making? The duo doesn’t come cheap.
According to Screen Rant, Smith, who made a triumphant return to the big screen following the infamous 2022 Oscars slap, has earned a total of $64 million for the first three “Bad Boys” movies.
His earnings progressed from $2 million for the first film to $25 million for the latest installments, a new record for him in the franchise, with Variety reporting that, “Sources say Smith is getting his $25 million quote on both ‘Bad Boys 4’ and ‘Fast and Loose.'”
In “Bad Boys” (1995), Smith made $2 million; in “Bad Boys II” (2003), he received $20 million; “Bad Boys for Life” (2020), he received $17 million, according to Collider.
Variety also confirms that both Smith and Lawrence got paid $20 million for “Bad Boys II,” and Fortune Magazine confirms that Smith got paid $17 million for “Bad Boys For Life.”
The fourth installment paid Smith $25 million, as per Variety, which is a new record for him in the franchise.
For the original “Bad Boys,” Lawrence earned $6 million, far more than Will Smith.
However, Lawrence’s earnings declined with the later films as his star power waned. He made $6 million for “Bad Boys for Life,” reported Fortune. For the latest installment, his salary has not been revealed. But Screen Rant offers a wide range of between $6 million and $15 million.
The disparity between Smith and Lawrence’s earnings in the Bad Boys franchise reflects the divergent paths their acting careers have taken. In the mid-1990s, Lawrence was a well-established star, riding high on the success of his popular TV sitcom “Martin.” At the same time, Smith was primarily recognized as the Fresh Prince from his own sitcom, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”
Smith’s career took off rapidly after “Bad Boys,” propelled by blockbuster hits such as “Independence Day,” “Men in Black,” and “Enemy of the State” in the late ’90s. These successes cemented his status as one of the biggest movie stars in the world. By the time “Bad Boys II” was released in 2003, Smith was a global superstar, commanding some of the highest salaries in Hollywood.
Lawrence, on the other hand, did not maintain the same success as Smith.
For the first three “Bad Boys” movies, Lawrence earned an estimated total of $32 million, which is exactly half of what his co-star Smith made for the same films.
In the early 2000s, while Smith ascended ti become a megastar, Lawrence starred in several popular but far less successful comedy films, including “Big Momma’s House” (2000), “Black Knight” (2001), and “National Security” (2003).
His career continued into the late 2000s with roles in “Wild Hogs” (2007) and “College Road Trip” (2008). However, his output slowed in the 2010s. During this period, Lawrence appeared in sequels like “Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son” (2011) and a few smaller films, reflecting a less active phase in his acting career.
