The main cast of the Bad Boys franchise will be reprising their roles in Bad Boys 4. Currently, the fourth Bad Boys installment is untitled, and it does not yet have a release date. The Bad Boys franchise follows detectives Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett as they work different cases. Films in the franchise play on their buddy cop dynamic and belong in the action comedy genre. The first Bad Boys film was released in 1995, and it was followed by Bad Boys 2 in 2003. Bad Boys for Life, the franchise’s third installment, was released in 2020.
Bad Boys 4 will be a direct sequel to Bad Boys for Life. So far, not much is known about the story of Bad Boys 4 because production did not begin until early 2023. However, the franchise’s third film ended with the main characters set up for new professional and emotional journeys as Mike and Marcus are given control of the Advanced Miami Metro Operations (A.M.M.O) team. Over the course of Bad Boys for Life, Mike learns that the film’s antagonist, Armando, is actually his son. Armando is in prison at the end of the film, but Mike and Armando both seem open to forming a relationship.
Will Smith As Mike Lowrey
Will Smith returns to Bad Boys 4 as Detective Lieutenant Mike Lowrey. Smith has played the role since being cast in the original Bad Boys movie, which was released in 1995, and Lowrey is one of the two primary characters alongside Marcus Burnett. In the Bad Boys films, Mike is highly skilled at his job as a police officer. Outside of work, Mike is known to be a playboy, and he is frequently seen sporting stylish suits. While undercover, Mike had an affair with Isabel (Kate del Castillo), the wife of a cartel leader, and Isabel became pregnant with Mike’s son, Armando (Jacob Scipio).
Smith is one of the most well-known actors in Hollywood. He rose to fame in the 1980s as a rapper before turning to acting. He shot to screen stardom with the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air playing a fictionalized version of himself. Since then, he has held the lead role in numerous films, including Agent J from the Men in Black franchise, Captain Steven Hiller in Independence Day, Dr. Robert Neville in I Am Legend, and the Genie in Disney’s live-action Aladdin. Smith is known for his ability to lead both comedy and drama projects, winning an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
Martin Lawrence As Marcus Burnett
Martin Lawrence will appear in the cast of Bad Boys 4 as Detective Lieutenant Marcus Burnett. Like Smith, Lawrence has played his role since the first Bad Boys film premiered. While Marcus is also skilled at his job, he is shown to be the opposite of Mike. In times when Mike presents a go-with-the-flow attitude, Marcus is more stubborn. Marcus also has the opposite home life as Mike, and he has been married to his wife Theresa since before his character was introduced in the first Bad Boys film. Together, Marcus and Theresa have two sons and a daughter, and Marcus is quite protective of his family.
Outside his role in the Bad Boys franchise, Lawrence rose to fame due to his work in the TV shows What’s Happening Now!! and Martin in the 1980s and 1990s. His role as the title character in Martin earned Lawrence acclaim throughout the show’s run from 1992 until 1997. Lawrence is primarily known for appearing in comedy films, particularly in the 1990s and early 2000s. The actor can be seen as Bilal in House Party and House Party 2, Malcolm Turner in the Big Momma’s House franchise, Claude Banks in Life, Kevin in What’s the Worst That Could Happen?, and James Porter in College Road Trip.
Vanessa Hudgens As Kelly
Vanessa Hudgens was first introduced as Kelly in Bad Boys for Life, and her appearance in the cast of Bad Boys 4 will mark her second film in the franchise. Kelly is a weapons expert for A.M.M.O., the division Mike and Marcus are placed in charge of at the end of Bad Boys for Life. As part of A.M.M.O., Kelly is shown to have a tactical mindset, and while a part of shootouts and other operations, she is able to strategize the best course of action. Kelly is also comfortable in undercover roles, demonstrating her skill and confidence at her job.
Hudgens is no stranger to franchises, and she achieved mainstream success early in her career after starring as Gabriella Montez in Disney’s High School Musical, High School Musical 2, and High School Musical 3: Senior Year. She also portrayed multiple parts in The Princess Switch film series. Since her initial High School Musical fame, Hudgens has starred in Beastly as Lindy, Spring Breakers as Candy, The Knight Before Christmas as Brooke, and Rent: Live as Maureen. While her Bad Boys character is not her first franchise role, it is a deviation from her typical romantic and musical film roles.
Bad Boys 4 Supporting Cast & Characters
Paola Núñez as Captain Rita Secada – Mike’s ex-girlfriend who was promoted to captain at the end of Bad Boys for Life. Before being cast in Bad Boys for Life, Núñez primarily starred in Mexican films. In 2022, she appeared as Evelyn Marcus in Netflix’s Resident Evil, an action show based on the series of video games of the same name.
Alexander Ludwig as Dorn – Dorn is part of the A.M.M.O. team and specializes in technology. Alexander Ludwig first appeared as Dorn in Bad Boys for Life. He is most known for playing Cato in The Hunger Games. Ludwig has also played Braden in Grown Ups 2, Chris Ryan in The Game Stands Tall, and Alex in Heart of Champions.
Tasha Smith as Theresa Burnett – In past Bad Boys films, Theresa Randle played Marcus’ wife, Theresa. For Bad Boys 4, Tasha Smith replaced Randle as Theresa. Smith played Angela in Why Did I Get Married? and Why Did I Get Married Too?, Jennifer in Couples Retreat, and Claire Plummer in The Longshots.
Eric Dane as an unnamed villain – The plot of Bad Boys 4 is still a secret, but Eric Dane is known to be playing a villain in the movie. Dane is recognizable from his roles as Dr. Mark Sloan from the medical drama Grey’s Anatomy and as Cal Jacobs in Euphoria.
Rhea Seehorn in an unknown role – Rhea Seehorn from Better Call Saul has been confirmed to be part of the Bad Boys 4 cast. However, details about her character have not been released. In addition to her award-winning work on Better Call Saul, Seehorn appeared in episodes of Veep as Michelle York
Ioan Gruffudd in an unknown role – Fantastic Four actor Ioan Gruffudd has also been confirmed to be part of the Bad Boys 4 cast. Gruffudd also appeared in Titanic, 102 Dalmatians, and the TV show Harrow.
