The directors of Bad Boys Ride or Die mentioned that the infamous slap by Will Smith and the controversy that followed served as inspiration for the new sequel.
The creators of Bad Boys: Ride or Die have responded to whether the movie was influenced by the controversy surrounding Will Smith's slap on Chris Rock.
Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah helmed the most recent installment of the famous 90s movie featuring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. This marks their fourth film in the franchise, taking over from Michael Bay for “Bad Boys For Life”.
The Belgian filmmakers had a conversation exclusively with LBible. They shared with us how they got inspired by the recent controversy surrounding Will Smith for their film.
The movie reveals certain similarities between its storyline and real-life events, as they mentioned.
It's like a meta experience for Will as he portrays Mike Lowrey, encountering various themes.
Clearly, there is a definite link between real life and the storyline of the movie within the movie.
When Will Smith and controversy are mentioned, we all think of one thing – the slap.
In 2022, the incident of Smith slapping Chris Rock became extremely popular online. This caused the actor from “Bad Boys” to be prohibited from attending the Oscars for a decade.
He quit The Academy as well, and some of his projects got canceled.
Adil and Bilall mentioned that the script was constantly evolving, regardless of Smith's controversies.
The only early idea we had was that they would be constantly moving.
Yeah, everything was just part of life, you know, based on the situation. It was always part of the script in the end.
Unfortunately, Smith's character did not reflect any real-life inspirations by slapping someone, which was quite disappointing.
I'm afraid to report there are no slaps in Bad Boys 4. (Sony Pictures)
The movie showcases the main duo fleeing, while their reputations are tarnished in the press due to their ties to their deceased police chief.
Additionally, Smith's character, Mike Lowrey, experiences anxiety and panic attacks in the movie.
After slapping Rock at the Oscars, the actor, who received the Best Actor award for his role in “King Richard,” posted a statement on Instagram about the incident.
He expressed regret for his behavior at the event, calling it unacceptable and inexcusable.
He continued, “Making jokes about me is expected, but making fun of Jada's health crossed the line and I couldn't help but react emotionally.”
Smith perceived the joke about Jada Pinkett-Smith's shaved head as mocking her alopecia, leading to the incident.
Featured Image Credit: Sony Pictures / Neilson Barnard via Getty Images
