the fourth installment in the Will Smith-Martin Lawrence action comedy series, opened with an estimated $56 million in theaters over the weekend, handing Hollywood a much-needed summer hit and Smith his biggest success since he slapped Chris Rock at the Academy Awards.
Expectations were all over the map for 㽶ƵֱRide or Die㽶Ƶֱ given and Smith㽶Ƶֱs less certain box-office clout. In the end, though, the Sony Pictures release came in very close to, or slightly above, its tracking forecast.
㽶ƵֱRide or Die,㽶Ƶֱ produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, is Smith㽶Ƶֱs first theatrical test since earned him . The 㽶ƵֱBad Boys㽶Ƶֱ film was in development at the time and was momentarily put on hold, but ultimately went forward with about a $100 million production budget.
Smith starred in but that film 㽶Ƶֱ released in late 2022 㽶Ƶֱ was shot before the slap and received only a modest theatrical release before streaming.
This time around, Smith largely avoided soul-searching interviews looking back on the Oscars and instead went on a whistle-stop publicity tour of red carpets from Mexico to Saudi Arabia, where he attended what was billed as the country㽶Ƶֱs first Hollywood premiere. The 55-year-old Smith, who for years was one of Hollywood㽶Ƶֱs most bankable stars, appeared on 㽶ƵֱThe Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon,㽶Ƶֱ the YouTube series 㽶ƵֱHot Ones㽶Ƶֱ and on Friday, made a surprise appearance at a Los Angeles movie theater.
Given that 㽶ƵֱBad Boys㽶Ƶֱ trailed May disappointments like and 㽶Ƶֱ both of which struggled to pop with ticket buyers despite very good reviews 㽶Ƶֱ the 㽶ƵֱRide or Die㽶Ƶֱ opening counts as a critical weekend win for the movie business.
㽶ƵֱThe fact that a movie overperformed is the best possible news,㽶Ƶֱ said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. 㽶ƵֱIt seems like all we㽶Ƶֱve been doing over the past few weeks and almost since the beginning of the year, with a couple of exceptions, is try to figure out why seemingly well-marketed, well-reviewed movies have underperformed. This ignites the spark that the industry has been waiting for.㽶Ƶֱ
㽶ƵֱRide or Die㽶Ƶֱ still didn㽶Ƶֱt quite manage to match the opening of the previous 㽶ƵֱBad Boys㽶Ƶֱ film: 2020㽶Ƶֱs 㽶ƵֱBad Boys for Life.㽶Ƶֱ That movie, released in January 2020, debuted with $62.5 million. After the pandemic shut down theaters, it was the highest grossing North American release of that year, with $204 million domestically.
㽶ƵֱRide or Die㽶Ƶֱ added $48.6 million internationally. Though reviews were mixed (64% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences gave the film a high grade with an 㽶ƵֱA-㽶Ƶֱ CinemaScore. Black moviegoers accounted for 44% of ticket buyers, the largest demographic.
In the film, which comes 29 years after the original, Smith and Lawrence reprise their roles as Miami detectives. The plot revolves around uncovering a scheme to frame their late police captain (Joe Pantoliano). In one of the movie㽶Ƶֱs most notable scenes, Lawrence slaps Smith and calls him a 㽶Ƶֱbad boy.㽶Ƶֱ
Movie theaters will need a lot more than 㽶ƵֱBad Boys: Ride or Die,㽶Ƶֱ though, to right the ship. Ticket sales are down 26% from last year and more than 40% below pre-pandemic totals, according to Comscore. A big test comes next weekend with the release of Pixar㽶Ƶֱs 㽶ƵֱInside Out 2.㽶Ƶֱ After sending several Pixar releases straight to Disney+, the studio has vowed a lengthy, traditional theatrical rollout this time.
㽶ƵֱThe Garfield Movie,㽶Ƶֱ slid to second place. Also from Sony, the family animated comedy collected $10 million in ticket sales over its third weekend, bringing its domestic gross to $68.6 million.
The weekend㽶Ƶֱs other new wide release, 㽶ƵֱThe Watchers,㽶Ƶֱ failed to click with moviegoers. The horror film, directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, is about a stranded 28-year-old artist in Ireland. Following poor reviews, the Warner Bros. release grossed $7 million in 3,351 theaters.
That allowed 㽶ƵֱIf,㽶Ƶֱ the Ryan Reynolds imaginary friend fantasy, to grab third place in its fourth weekend of release, bringing the Paramount Pictures cumulative domestic total to $93.5 million. Rounding out the top five was 㽶ƵֱKingdom of the Planet of the Apes,㽶Ƶֱ which added $5.4 million in its fifth weekend of release. It has grossed $150 million domestically and $360 million worldwide.
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