Martin Lawrence Confirms Bad Boys 4 Is Still Happening: 'We Got One More At Least'

Will Smith's world changed drastically on March 27, 2022. It should have been changed for the better as he was the frontrunner and eventual winner of the Best Actor Oscar, but that night will always be overshadowed by the moment he slapped Chris Rock. Since then news has been pretty quiet on his future films. Some have been delayed, some canceled and some just seem to be sitting back quietly waiting for the controversy over the assault to die down.

He had a movie at Netflix called "Fast and Loose" that was shelved and a fourth "Bad Boys" was also rumored to be put on hold. Now, his "Bad Boys" co-star, Martin Lawrence, has weighed in and says a fourth installment in the franchise is still in the works, despite the controversy. 

Lawrence tells Ebony that "We got one more at least," dismissing previous reports that the film is on indefinite hiatus. Could this just be hopeful thinking on his part? Or has he been told by the powers that be that a new film is on track? That's the question.

It's possible that there's a little bit of both at work here. "Bad Boys For Life" was the last blockbuster before Covid changed how we watched movies for almost two years, raking in over $426 million at the box office, a series high and evidence that "Bad Boys" is a legit blockbuster franchise.

So, of course, studio executives want to keep pairing Will Smith and Martin Lawrence together for these big budget explosion delivery vehicles. And Will Smith is an undeniable star who audiences clearly still want to see on the screen. But did the slap change that?

Honestly, the only way to find out is to see how his next big movie does. I feel like if he does an apology tour and comes across as genuinely sorry, that'll be enough for the broader audience, especially if Chris Rock accepts it as authentic. Whether he deserves a comeback is up for debate and will be up to all of us to individually make that call, but the more I consider Lawrence's words the more I'm convinced the producers are quietly moving forward with "Bad Boys 4" as Smith keeps a low profile. 

Bottom line: people like to see Will Smith, especially in movies like the "Bad Boys" flicks.

It'll be a minute before we have confirmation one way or another, but I'm inclined to think Lawrence isn't just blowing smoke here.