‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ Dominates Domestic Box Office with $56M+ Opening Weekend

Sony’s “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” the fourth installment in the popular buddy cop series led by Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, has made a triumphant debut, earning $56 million from 3,885 theaters in its domestic opening weekend. The latest film follows the 1995 original “Bad Boys,” 2003’s “Bad Boys II,” and 2020’s “Bad Boys for Life,” and marks Smith’s significant return to the big screen since the controversial incident at the 2022 Oscars.

Despite not setting a new franchise record — that title remains with “Bad Boys for Life,” which opened to $62 million — the latest “Bad Boys” entry is a much-needed boost for theater owners. May and June had seen disappointing performances from other major releases, including Universal’s “The Fall Guy” and Warner Bros.’ “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” As such, Hollywood is hopeful that the success of “Bad Boys 4” will reignite audience enthusiasm and drive momentum through the summer months.

Audiences have shown more appreciation for “Bad Boys 4” than critics, awarding it a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes compared to critics 64% rating on the platform. Directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, the film sees detectives Mike and Marcus delving into corruption within the Miami Police Department, only to become fugitives themselves. With a production budget of $100 million, the film is positioned for a profitable run, although it may struggle to surpass the domestic and global earnings of “Bad Boys for Life,” which grossed $206 million domestically and $426 million worldwide.

Sony also celebrated a strong performance from “The Garfield Movie,” which secured the No. 2 spot with $10 million. The animated family film has amassed $68.6 million in North America and $155 million globally over three weekends, a solid return on its $60 million budget.

In contrast, the weekend’s other new release, “The Watchers,” starring Dakota Fanning, faltered with just $7 million from 3,351 venues. With a dismal “C-” CinemaScore and a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the Warner Bros. supernatural horror film directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan has failed to resonate with audiences.

Meanwhile, Paramount’s family-friendly “IF,” directed by John Krasinski and starring Ryan Reynolds, earned $8 million from 3,582 locations in its fourth weekend, bringing its domestic total to $93.5 million and $145 million worldwide. Despite its steady climb, the film’s $110 million production cost means it still has ground to cover to break even.

Rounding out the top five, Disney and 20th Century’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” brought in $5.5 million from 3,155 theaters. After five weekends, the latest “Apes” installment has grossed $149 million domestically and $337 million globally, making it the fourth-highest-grossing movie of the year. However, it has yet to reach the box office heights of its predecessors and, given its $160 million production budget, will need continued strong performance to turn a profit.