Jun 8, 2024,06:30am EDT
More than two years after shocking movie fans by slapping Oscars host Chris Rock on national television, Will Smith made a significant return to movie theaters this weekend with Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
Ride or Die is the first major test of Smith’s commercial appeal since his outburst at the 2022 Oscars, which tarnished his marketability as a major star. The film is expected to open at No. 1 in domestic theaters, but a wide range of box office forecasts indicates uncertainty among Hollywood insiders about the public’s reaction to Smith’s return.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, representatives for the 55-year-old star have been reaching out to other studios in recent weeks, hoping the film will reignite Smith’s career. A spokesperson for his talent agency declined to comment.
The infamous incident at the Oscars occurred when Smith, responding to jokes about his wife by Rock, rose from his front-row seat and slapped the comedian onstage, in front of a live TV audience of millions. In the aftermath, Smith resigned from the Motion Picture Academy and was banned from its events for 10 years. Since then, he’s had just one film in theaters, the Apple Inc. production Emancipation, which had a limited theatrical release before moving online.
Ride or Die, starring Smith and Martin Lawrence, follows two Miami police officers investigating the suspicious death of their former captain. The film is receiving decent reviews, with two-thirds of critics recommending it according to Rotten Tomatoes. Audience approval is much higher.
At a screening on Thursday night in New York, attendees cheered at the appropriate moments. Amara Carter, a student attending the screening, expressed that she has moved past the Oscars incident.
“I didn’t really care, like, it’s Will Smith,” she said.
The film, which cost $100 million to produce, is the fourth installment in the series that began in 1995. The most recent release, 2020’s Bad Boys for Life, is the franchise’s top performer, opening with $62.5 million in U.S. sales and grossing $426.5 million globally.
Ride or Die is expected to generate about $55 million in domestic sales this weekend, according to forecaster Box Office Pro.
Sony Group Corp., which released the film, had initially said that anything over $30 million would be satisfactory. On Saturday, the company raised its three-day forecast to $53 million, citing strong initial ticket sales.
There are other factors at play. As of last weekend, domestic box-office revenue was down 24% year-to-date, with major releases underperforming.
Shawn Robbins, an independent forecaster and founder of Box Office Theory, is among the more optimistic.
“There’s pent-up demand for a fun action movie,” Robbins said in an interview. He noted that the film will face little direct competition until next month when Twisters and Deadpool & Wolverine are released.