Two years after “The Slap,” Will Smith proves he can still bring audiences to theaters

Will Smith probably knew that “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” was the defining moment of his profession. “Bad Boys 4” was simply a temperature check for his stardom. Yes, Martin Lawrence can also be within the movie, but at this point it was all about Smith. People either wanted to leave because they still liked Smith or not go because they didn’t like him anymore. The query was open: was he still a Hollywood star?

If “Bad Boys 4” falls in need of Hollywood expectations, it’ll send a signal to Hollywood studios that Smith may now not be a superstar. You don’t just stay on this list. You make a living by selling movie tickets, movie by movie. If people want to watch you, you retain getting big roles. If people stop wanting to watch you, studios will stop paying you to appear of their movies. Smith was at a fork within the road – do people still like him after The Slap?

The answer from the box office was a powerful yes. Temperature check: Call the doctor, the person could have a fever. ““Bad Boys 4” was a box office success. The film cost roughly $100 million to produce and grossed $104 million worldwide during its first weekend in theaters. This figure comes from $56 million earned within the US and Canada and over $48 million worldwide.

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Some necessary statistics: “Bad Boys 4” was the highest-grossing R-rated opening weekend since “Oppenheimer” in July, putting the film in excellent business company. At a time when Hollywood is struggling, Smith showed people he can still sell loads of tickets. Bad “Boys 4” had the sixth-best opening weekend within the U.S. and Canada of his profession.

Also necessary: a movie starring two African-Americans made almost as much box office gross in other parts of the world because it did in America. This signifies that Smith stays a world star. I do know he remembers the times once they said it Black movies couldn’t be sold in other countries. He did as much as anyone to disprove this concept.

Who went to see “Bad Boys 4”? According to data published on DeadlineBad Boys 4’s audience was 44% Black, 26% Latino and Latino, and 18% Caucasian, meaning Black people showed up in Smith’s film in a giant way.

Smith was clever to create one other “Bad Boys” movie. He returned to his Hollywood roots, to a respected brand that was an ideal fit for him. The “Bad Boys” brand holds fond memories for Generation X, who saw the primary “Bad Boys” movie 29 years ago. The first “Bad Boys” was Smith’s first appearance in a number one role, so returning to “Bad Boys” takes us back to the start of his film fame and the primary time we fell in love with him as a number one man.

It was also a sensible move for Smith to show up at just a few theaters and thank people for coming out to see him and post it on Tiktok @Will Smith. It looked like he was going to run for president.

Clearly, we still love Smith and still want to see him on screen. It looks like loads of Black people have moved on from The Slap.