Bad Boys 3: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence confirmed, script is 'hands down' best yet

'Unless you’re Toy Story 3, usually third ones aren’t the strongest, and I think this one will be the strongest of the trilogy thus far,' stated director Joe Carnahan

Reigniting the Bad Boys spark for a third outing is a pretty daunting challenge for The Grey's Joe Carnahan, taking over writing and directing duties from Michael Bay.

There's Hollywood history which premises that almost every third installment in a franchise proves its weakest link; but the likes of Mad Max: Fury Road also conjures the idea that returning to a franchise years later - and with fresh eyes - can work like a dream.

Carnahan is obviously hoping for another Fury Road, and the director feels particularly confident the long-developing Bad Boys 3 (AKA Bad Boys for Life) will be the best in the series; though he's aware of the particular dangers he's walking into. The director is confident he's got - in terms of past Bad Boys installments - "the strongest script of any of those movies. Hands down. In a walk over."

"Unless you’re Toy Story 3, usually third ones aren’t the strongest, and I think this one will be the strongest of the trilogy thus far," Carnahan told io9. "There’s a lot of funny shit in this movie. And there’s also a very mysterious, but tonally spot-on story that I think is kind of perfect for where we are in this day and age, where the guys are and reflectively, a very modern take on these guys. It’s kind of what becomes of Bad Boys when they’re not boys anymore."

Thankfully, the essential ingredient is there: io9's coverage quietly confirming both stars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith would be returning for the film. "There’s only one Will Smith and one Martin Lawrence," Carnahan said. "You can’t replace those guys and I wouldn’t want to be involved if it wasn’t Will and Martin. They are that franchise."

Though that's as far as Carnahan would confirm in terms of returns, outside of producer Jerry Bruckheimer; adding, "There are obviously little things you want to tip your hat too but I think the danger is becoming this slavish ‘We have to check all these boxes.'"

"There aren’t these legions of people demanding your head because you didn’t bring back John Salley or you didn’t bring back Joe Pantoliano. I think you have to be careful with that. I’m always interested in ‘I know what has been done. What hasn’t been done?’ If not it’s just regurgitating old tropes and ideas and that’s not fun for anybody."

"When you’re coming back after 15 years, you better come back with a home run ball," Carnahan concluded. "And I really believe that’s what we have....We’ve got a responsibility to make something that’s absolutely equivalent or exceeds what comes before. That’s a really important thing for all of us."

Bad Boys for Life hits cinemas 12 January 2018.