The story of the iconic Hollywood romance between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in an action-packed series. Bad Boys almost didn’t happen. Disney was originally set to helm the project and ultimately make a decision that would push the film even further in Smith and Lawrence’s direction.
The journey of this film, which eventually became a multi-million dollar franchise, was riddled with trials and tribulations. Against all odds, the stars aligned, paving the way for this misadventure-filled masterpiece to find its rightful place in the hearts of audiences around the world.
Now it is difficult to imagine other actors other than Lawrence and Smith for these roles. This is what happened before movies became a reality.
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Will Smith almost missed it Bad Boys Franchise
Conversation with Rob Lowe on his podcast Literally!Producer Jerry Bruckheimer Reveals Some Details of the Original Vision Bad Boys intended for spectators. Prior to the iconic duo of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, the production team experimented with various pairings to gauge the potential of the project and clearly see what form it might take in the future. And that’s why initially SNL Stars Dana Carvey and Jon Lovitz were considered for the roles. Additionally, Disney, which was also initially involved with the project, ultimately rejected the direction the project was taking.
Jerry Bruckheimer said:
“Well, originally it was supposed to be him and Dana Carvey. This is obviously a different approach. But it was him and Dana Carvey, and Michael Bay put them to the test. For some reason, Disney didn’t go for it; and so the project was put on hold for some time. What actually happened was that Dana dropped out. So we were left with John. There are different stories about what happened: there is John’s version, there are other people’s versions, but the film was never made with John and anyone else.”
Thanks to Disney, the project did not go down this path, although it would have been nice to watch. Ultimately, the project lost momentum and temporarily stalled. After some back and forth, it was Sony that reignited the spark. Sony’s interest in the project got it moving again, pointing it firmly in Will Smith’s direction.
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How Smith got cast Bad Boys
Even after Sony picked up the project, Will Smith was not immediately considered for the role. Although his partner in crime, Martin Lawrence, was locked in early on, it wasn’t until later that the project fell into Smith’s hands and he spent a pleasant time finding the perfect fit. Jerry Bruckheimer continued the podcast by stating:
“We had Will, but Will wasn’t a big enough star. Martin Lawrence was a bigger star than Will at the time. And we sent the script to Arsenio Hall first because he was the coolest guy in the business at the time. And unfortunately, unfortunately for Will, he passed. We then approached Martin, who loved it and wanted to do it. Martin got the film made.”
Arsenio Hall’s unfortunate rejection opened the door for Will Smith to be seriously considered for the role. And the rest is history. After the first film was made, it became an instant hit, signaling that they were unstoppable. The hits kept coming one after another and eventually turned into a multi-million dollar franchise that audiences simply adore.
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Bad Boys is available to stream on STARZ.
Source: Literally! With Rob Lowe