Bad Boys: Ride or Die – Box Office Dominance and the Summer’s Biggest Hits

This summer has been a rollercoaster for movie fans and studios alike, with numerous films underperforming at the box office. However, the tried-and-true star power of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence has proven once again that some franchises still have the magic touch. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” the latest installment in the beloved series, opened with a remarkable $56 million, exceeding even the most optimistic predictions by at least $10 million.

The success of “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” is a significant rebound for Will Smith, whose brand has been under scrutiny since the infamous Oscar slap incident. The film's strong performance showcases audiences' willingness to embrace Smith once more, marking the franchise's second-largest opening weekend, only trailing behind 2020's “Bad Boys For Life,” which debuted with $62 million. It's important to note that pre-pandemic box office conditions were much more favorable, making this achievement even more impressive.

The film's R-rating didn't hinder its performance, attracting adult audiences who might have shied away from more family-oriented blockbusters. In fact, the only movie to open bigger this summer was “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which edged out “Bad Boys” by $2 million but benefited from a PG-13 rating that appealed to a broader demographic.

Unfortunately, not all films shared the same success. Ishana Shyamalan's “The Watchers” flopped, opening in fourth place with a dismal $7 million and a poor C-minus CinemaScore. Similarly, “Furiosa” experienced a massive 61% drop, falling to sixth place with $4.2 million, largely due to losing premium screens to “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.”

In contrast, “The Garfield Movie” held steady in second place with a $10 million weekend and a $68.6 million total, while John Krasinski's “IF” climbed to third place with an $8 million finish, closing in on the $100 million mark thanks to positive word of mouth.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” continues to be the summer's biggest moneymaker, accumulating $149 million so far, followed by “The Fall Guy,” which despite its VOD release, managed a seventh-place finish with a total of $85 million domestically.

Interestingly, the re-release of the “Lord of the Rings” extended editions performed well, with “The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Two Towers” taking eighth and ninth place, respectively. This trend of successful re-releases, seen with “Alien” and “Phantom Menace,” suggests more classics could return to theaters soon.

As we look forward to next weekend, all eyes are on Pixar's “Inside Out 2,” anticipated to break the $60 million mark and potentially reverse the studio's recent box office slump. Will it deliver? Only time will tell, but one thing's for sure: the summer movie season is heating up in more ways than one.