Bad Boys: Ride or Die marks a triumphant return for Will Smith and a missed opportunity for Brendan Fraser’s comeback with the cancelled Batgirl film.

Hollywood is a constant churning mill of content with competitiveness rooted at its core. A striking example of this is the current summer box office that has witnessed a tide of resurgence following the release of the Will Smith and Martin Lawrence starrer Bad Boys: Ride or Die. The fourth installment in the franchise holds immense importance, at least for the former entertainment stalwart, who is marking his biggest return to the big screens after the 2022 Oscars debacle.

Will Smith in Martin Lawrence in a still from Bad Boys: Ride or Die | Sony Entertainment
In a similar fashion, this flick also holds significance for the director duo of Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. A couple of years down the line, this very pair had taken to the task of bringing The Mummy star Brendan Fraser back to the spotlight with a potential Batgirl movie. Axed during its production, the movie never saw the light of the day. However, their merit has again held them high up in the limelight as they spearhead the Men In Black actor’s comeback.

Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah put Will Smith on the driving seat with Bad Boys: Ride or Die

Making their second consecutive return to the action-comedy franchise following 2020’s Bad Boys for Life, the directors have surpassed expectations. Starring Will Smith as Mike Lowrey and Martin Lawrence as Marcus Burnett, Bad Boys: Ride or Die stormed into theaters as it opened and grossed past $56 million in just three days of its release against an expected return of $30 million.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die | Sony Entertainment
The buddy-cop plot received a revival of sorts when Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah took over as the directors. Bringing along unique camera movements, hand-to-hand combat styles, and streamlined storytelling, their latest venture has also broken the summer box office slump that saw movies struggling to clinch good numbers. Additionally, its performance comes despite tough competition from the likes of Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga and Netflix productions such as Hit Man.

Remarkably, the movie has already made back its budget of $100 million with a global haul of $104 million and counting. The cherry on top comes with the audience reception of the flick. Currently standing at a solid 97% on Rotten Tomatoes with over a thousand ratings, the score reflects the audience’s approval of Will Smith’s return to the box office after years of clamoring for the same.

Batgirl initially planned for a Brendan Fraser comeback at the hands of the directors

Brendan Fraser in The Whale | A24
Set within the DCEU that started with Zack Snyder and got scrapped under James Gunn, Batgirl planned to star Brendan Fraser as the antagonist, Firefly with Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah handling the direction and tone of the movie. However, budgetary overruns, pandemic delays, and a complete reboot of the DC Studios administration eventually got the project shelved and along with it any hopes of a return for the acclaimed George of the Jungle star.

A series of traumatic incidents and health issues had led to Fraser dropping out of the Hollywood race. Regardless, in 2022 he starred as a reclusive teacher named Charlie, struggling with his own share of problems. The resounding performance not only earned him critical acclaim and a six-minute-long standing ovation during the film’s screening at the Venice Film Festival but also a Best Actor Oscar in 2023, marking his comeback.