The Los Angeles premiere of Bad Boys: Ride or Die gave fans their chance to see Martin Lawrence and Will Smith back together again for the first time since 2020. And while the movie is shaping to be one of the best of the series, fans got a glimpse of what many feared was a troubling moment. Ahead of the screening, Lawrence appeared to be escorted out by Will Smith, who was holding his hand as he was about to greet the crowd. Even when Smith let go, Lawrence did look to be moving rather slowly, prompting concern all over the web. Ahead of the movie’s wide release, Lawrence is getting the rumors out of the way, ensuring everybody he is completely healthy…Now get him some Skittles!
Appearing on Hot 97’s Ebro in the Morning (via The Hollywood Reporter), Martin Lawrence addressed the worried, saying, “I’m fine. I’m in God’s hands. I’m blessed, you know? I’m glad to be waking up every day. I’m all good. No need for people to be concerned.” He would later add, “I’m healthy as hell. Stop the rumors!” Indeed, while Lawrence did look a bit frail during certain clips, he was also seen signing autographs for fans and posing for photos on the red (well, blue) carpet. Still, past health problems for Martin Lawrence – chiefly falling into a three-day coma due to heat exhaustion – did not go unnoticed by fans who saw the footage.
While the first two Bad Boys movies both have dismal critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes, they are enjoyed by and large by moviegoers. The third installment, Bad Boys for Life, actually jumped to a 76%, while Ride or Die currently sits at a 70%. Considering the legacy and love behind the franchise, we can expect a pretty strong audience score for this fourth outing as well. Our own Chris Bumbray gave it an 8/10, saying, “It’s hard not to root once again for these Bad Boys to keep their franchise going for years to come.” With Will Smith doing his best to rebound and Martin Lawrence evidently in good health, that’s definitely on the table.
Are you a fan of the Bad Boys movies? Will you be catching Ride or Die in theaters this weekend?