Bad Boys For Life was 2020’s biggest box office hit in the U.S.

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

This box office win has to come with a bit of an asterisk since pretty much every major release in 2020 was delayed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic but Sony Pictures has a reason to celebrate in regards to the success of Bad Boys For Life. The Will Smith and Martin Lawrence sequel has the distinction of being the biggest box office hit of 2020 in the U.S.

Sony was lucky enough to release Bad Boys For Life in January of 2020, two months before movie theaters began to shutter due to the pandemic in March. The film was released during a healthy time at the box office and the end result was a domestic figure of $206.3 million. When the global box office factored in, the film brought its total to $426.5 million worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 2020 globally. Taking the number two spot was 1917, Sam Mendes' acclaimed WWI film which saw a limited release in 2019 and a wide launch in 2020. The film took in $157.9 million from its 2020 tally while Sonic The Hedgehog, which proved to be a surprise hit in February of 2020, placed third by taking in $148.9 million at the domestic box office. Rounding out the top five is Jumanji: The Next Level, which saw $124.7 million of its $319.2 million gross come from 2020 numbers, and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, grossing $127.4 million in 2020 which brought its full domestic total to $515.2 million.

Bad Boys For Life also has the distinction of being the highest-grossing film of the franchise and is the biggest January release of all-time. Bad Boys, released in 1995, grossed $65.8 million domestically and $141.4 million worldwide on a $19 million budget, while Bad Boys II took in $138 million domestically and $273 million worldwide on a budget of $130 million back in 2003. Based on the final gross from Bad Boys For Life, fans clearly missed seeing Will Smith and Martin Lawrence on screen together and were eager for their return. 

Bad Boys For Life, which is currently 77% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with a 96% audience score, follows Miami detectives Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence) as they investigate a string of murders tied to Lowrey's troubled past. The film also stars Paola Nunez, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Kate del Castillo, Nicky Jam, and Joe Pantoliano. 

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer revealed back in May of 2020 that a script was being written for Bad Boys 4 and Sony was already in development on a follow-up. Judging from the box office reception of the last installment, this should come as no surprise and I'm always down to see the impeccable buddy cop chemistry of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence on full display.

Were YOU a fan of Bad Boys For Life?