'Bad Boys For Life' Gets New Directors, Still Dreams Of Being Made

“I don’t think we’re going to get one, not the way everything’s turning out. Will [Smith] is off doing another movie, and I don’t think it’s going to happen,” Martin Lawerence lamented last summer about “Bad Boys 3” aka “Bad Boys For Life.” It’s easy to understand his perspective, given how long the project has been in development and delayed, with start dates and release dates continually missed and pushed back. But once again, Sony is going to try and make it happen.

The studio has tapped rising filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (TIFF Discovery Award winners for “Black”) to helm “Bad Boys For Life.” Chris Bremner has written the most recent draft of the script, that once brings together detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett for a new adventure. Of course, whether or not this movie actually happens remains to be seen and is largely dependent on the whims of Smith, who has never seemed in any particular rush to make this sequel. Nonetheless, Sony is crossing their fingers that they can get cameras rolling in August.

In an interesting, and somewhat ironic twist. Arbi and Fallah were previously hired to direct another long brewing, never happening project — “Beverly Hills Cop 4.” Hopefully, they aren’t left in the dust again. But even if this movie doesn’t happen, the “Bad Boys” TV spinoff starring Gabrielle Union is moving steadily along, with the pilot shooting soon. [Deadline]