Will Smith celebrates 30 years of 'Bad Boys' with Martin Lawrence and fans

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence celebrate 30 years of 'Bad Boys' honoring the franchise that launched their legendary partnership

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Will Smith celebrates 30 years of Bad Boys with Martin Lawrence and fans
Will Smith celebrates 30 years of 'Bad Boys' with Martin Lawrence and fans

Will Smith is marking a major milestone in Hollywood as the Bad Boys franchise turns 30.

The 56-year-old actor took to Instagram on Monday, April 7, with costar Martin Lawrence and the official Bad Boys account to celebrate the action film's 30th anniversary. 

In a joint post, Smith shared a heartfelt message along with behind-the-scenes photos from the original 1995 movie, paying tribute to the team that started it all.

The caption read, “30 years ago @jerrybruckheimer, Don Simpson and @michaelbay took a chance on us and Bad Boys was born!! Grateful for all the love y’all have shown us thru the years.” 

The post featured nostalgic shots with Lawrence, director Michael Bay, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and fellow cast members including Joe Pantoliano, Téa Leoni, Michael Imperioli, and Theresa Randle.

According to People, Smith and Lawrence first starred as Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett in the original film, which spawned three sequels, Bad Boys II (2003), Bad Boys for Life (2020), and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024). 

The franchise has grossed over $1.2 billion globally.

Recalling their beginnings, Smith previously reflected on the early days of Bad Boys, crediting Lawrence’s sister for encouraging the now-iconic partnership. 

Moreover, Smith wrote in a 2024 Instagram post, “Just two kids — who lucked out and got to live their dreams on the first try.” 

At the Ride or Die premiere last year, producer Jerry Bruckheimer praised the duo’s creative chemistry, “There’s never a dull moment... we just have a blast.”

Fans can currently stream the first two Bad Boys films on Hulu and Peacock, Bad Boys for Life on Hulu, and Bad Boys: Ride or Die on Netflix.