Production on the as-yet-untitled Bad Boys 4 movie resumed last week in Miami, Florida, after a seven-month hiatus due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.
This weekend, Vanessa Hudgens was photographed on set for the first time since the cast and crew regrouped to wrap up the rest of the shoot.
Co-star Martin Lawrence greeted the actress, who plays AMMO weapons expert Kelly, with a big hug after he and co-star Will Smith had just finished filming an outdoor scene.
Smith stood right behind the pair, waiting his turn to say hello to Hudgens. The three stars all seemed to be having a blast working together as production comes to a close.
It turns out that the film’s principal photography was completed before the shutdown, but reshoots were necessary to focus on the editing phase and ultimately allow the film to compete.
Marin Lawrence and Will Smith greeted Vanessa Hudgens on the set of Bad Boys 4 with some heartfelt hugs, as production just resumed last week due to the SAG-AFTRA strike
Hudgens, 35, wore a blue, black and white plaid shirt and her long dark locks were pulled back away from her face for her day on set.
And having just wrapped a scene together, Smith and Lawrence were still dressed as their characters: Lt. Det. Mike Lowrey and Lt. Det. Marcus Burnett, respectively.
Smith, 55, looked fit and ready, wearing an all-black ensemble with a Hawaiian-style shirt, while the costume and stylist department had Lawrence, 58, in a burgundy tracksuit and classic white T-shirt.
Bad Boys 4, directed by the duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, is the fourth installment in the franchise and the direct sequel to Bad Boys For Life (2020).
Along with Smith, Lawrence and Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, DJ Khaled and Jacob Scipio are all back to reprise their roles, while Tasha Smith joins the cast, taking over the role of Theresa Burnett from Theresa Randle, who previously played the played a role. character in the first three films.
The other new cast members include Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Rhea Seehorn and Joyner Lucas.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer was seen on set with directors El Arbi and Fallah in recent days, watching all the high-flying action.
Filming for the film actually began in April 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia, and Miami, Florida. But filming was suspended in July due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike, which ultimately ended on November 9, 2023.
Vanessa Hudgens was photographed on the set of Bad Boys 4 for the first time since filming resumed last week after a seven-month hiatus due to the SAG-AFTRA strike
Will and Martin in the photo
Just three days earlier, Smith and Lawrence shot a hostage scene for Bad Boys 4 in Miami
The Bad Boys franchise was a major success at the box office, grossing over $840 million worldwide; the duo is depicted in a scene from the original Bad Boys (1995)
Production is expected to be completed soon, and then the rush will begin to complete the assembly.
Bad Boys 4 premieres in the US on June 7, so you won’t have to waste time getting the filming and editing done before promotion begins.
The previous three films were hugely successful franchises at the worldwide box office, with the original Bad Boys (1995) grossing $141.4 million against a budget of $19 million.
Eight years later, Bad Boys II (2003) would do even better at the box office, grossing $273.3 million, although its bloated $130 million budget ate up much of the extra profits.
The third installment, Bad Boys For Life (2020), ultimately became the biggest hit of the three productions, earning $426.5 million while working on a $90 million budget.