Will Smith silences question of pay gap in the Bad Boys franchise

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence have been the main attractions of the Bad Boys franchise. Ever since they paired up for the first time in 1995, the duo has showcased an electrifying charisma and entertained their audience in the high-octane buddy cop film series.

Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Credits: Sony Pictures

Since the first film was a massive success at the box office, the salaries of the actors increased significantly from the second film onwards and became some of the highest earners in Hollywood. However, Lawrence’s salary was nothing compared to the Hancock actor.

During an interview with Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM, Smith snapped when talking about equal pay in the film. Though they did not disclose the exact figures, the way the Men in Black actor reacted showcases that the difference would be humongous.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence Have a Humongous Difference in Their Pay in The Bad Boys Franchise

There’s no denying that Bad Boys is one of those action comedy films that fans have enjoyed watching for decades. The film showcases Will Smith and Martin Lawrence portraying the roles of Detective Mike Lowrey and Detective Marcus Burnett respectively.

A still from Bad Boys for Life. Source: Sony Pictures

By blending the traits of both actors in the film, a perfect entertainment film is created each time that keeps the audience coming back for more. Even though scheduling and creative disputes have delayed the projects, it did not stop them from reprising their roles.

As a result, the question often comes to our mind, what would be the pay for both actors in the films? During an interview in 2020, when Bad Boys 3 was released, the duo of Smith and Lawrence appeared as a guest on Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM, the burning question was raised.

A still from the Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM interview. Credits: Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM

Charlamagne tha God, the host of the podcast, talked about equal pay and their salary in the franchise. Will Smith snapped and jokingly avoided the question of their difference in salary. The host asked,

Speaking of budgets how does money work in a situation like this? Do y’all get equal pay or you know there was a rumor that you was making like $10 million more than Martin?

Smith shouted “Hell No!” Before the host said, “Okay, it was 11 million dollars.” The actor joked that they were just talking for a couple of minutes and that they should not get near the topic. He added,

We been talking for four minutes, you don’t go to that sh*t. Four minutes into the d*mn interview. You know is we finished or is we done?

The response made everyone burst into laughter, and they changed the topic right away to avoid making the situation uncomfortable. According to ScreenRant, the actor has earned a total of $64 million from the four films of the franchise, and Variety reports that he has received a fee of $25 million for Bad Boys 4.

On the other hand, his co-star has earned only $32 million with the first three films, with the salary for the 4th film remaining a mystery.

Will Smith Opens Up On Returning for Bad Boys 5

After a long break of four years, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are pairing up again for Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and it appears that the series is still as popular as it was back in the day. According to reports from Box Office Mojo, the film has earned $235.8 million at the worldwide box office, and it is way past its break-even point.

Will Smith in Martin Lawrence in a still from Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Credits: Sony Entertainment

Following the enormous success of the latest sequel, fans can’t help but wonder if they will get a 5th film. During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Smith and Lawrence, the main cast of the film shared their opinion on the possibility of a 5th flick. Smith said,

Well, these younger actors are going to need to do more of the stunts, that’s for sure. It is a world and characters that are just an absolute joy to be with. In a movie theater with Mike and Marcus, it just feels like home. 

However, he added that he does not want to be that guy, who keeps making “sequels” merely to attract viewers. He strives to make films that attract audiences for their story and characters. He added,

So, as long as there’s a reason — I never wanted to be one of those dudes who make sequels just because people will go. I want to make them because there is something to say and the characters have a place that they’re developing to that will be interesting and fun to watch and maybe even a little helpful.

Lawrence conveyed similar emotion to his co-star as he stated that if the fans want the bad boys to return to the big screen, then, they will be back with another Bad Boys sequel.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die can be watched in theatres near you.