Martin Lawrence: 'Bad Boys post-Michael Bay is going well'

Martin Lawrence isn’t finding it too strange to film the new Bad Boys flick without Michael Bay at the helm.

After 16 years away from the franchise and numerous setbacks, Lawrence and Will Smith are returning to their Bad Boys alter egos, Detective Marcus Burnett and Detective Mike Lowrey.

Among the hold ups in making the third film has been losing director Joe Carnahan in 2017, and Sony Pictures playing around with the release date. But now production on Bad Boys for Life is in full swing, with Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah at the helm.

“Well, it’s not so strange because Bilall and Adel are doing a great job. It’s just different directors, but we’re still going to bring you that Bad Boys stuff,” Lawrence told Cinema Blend when asked how filming was without Bay.

Filming kicked off in January (19), with a script by Chris Bremner. Carnahan is also still credited as writer on IMDB.
Vanessa Hudgens and Vikings actor Alexander Ludwig are among the new cast members, while Joe Pantoliano is back as Captain Howard.

Many believed the third instalment of the cop-buddy film would never see the light of day, especially after Lawrence shared his doubts months after Carnahan's departed the project.

“I don’t think we’re going to get one, not the way everything’s turning out,” he told Entertainment Weekly in August 2017. “Will (Smith) is off doing another movie, and I don’t think it’s going to happen.”

Bad Boys for Life is slated for a January 2020 release.