Will Smith Box Office: Bad Boys: Ride Or Die Is His Biggest Post-COVID Hit( Photo Credit – YouTube )
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Will Smith is not just a name he is a global icon. His star power is not just about his acting talent but a mix of global appeal, consistent box office performance, cultural influence, and personal charisma. The pandemic was hard on everyone, including Smith, but the time that followed was harder. The 2022 Oscars will always remain engraved in people’s minds. Even the exhibitors doubted his Bad Boys: Ride or Die before its release last year, but Smith proved why he is a global star. The 2024 flick became his biggest hit. Keep scrolling for more.
Will Smith’s movies post-COVID
Post-COVID, Smith has balanced critical acclaim and box office appeal, earning an Oscar for King Richard, delivering a powerful performance in Emancipation, and returning to blockbuster action with Bad Boys: Ride or Die, proving his enduring global star power. In King Richard (2021), he earned widespread acclaim and his first Oscar for portraying the determined father of Venus and Serena Williams.
Oscar controversy 2022
Will Smith’s Oscar controversy occurred at the 2022 Academy Awards when he slapped comedian Chris Rock on stage after a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith. The incident overshadowed the evening, drew massive global attention, and sparked debates about celebrity behavior, accountability, and public image. Although it temporarily affected his reputation, Smith has continued working on major projects, and his star power remains largely intact.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die emerged as his biggest hit post-COVID
For the unversed, Emancipation was released in December 2022 but was only in select cinemas. Therefore, it did not get the scope to earn much from the theaters. Will Smith is a versatile actor and returned to his action-comedy roots with Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
Exhibitors had low hopes, but Bad Boys: Ride or Die exceeded expectations with its $56.5 million opening weekend in June last year. Domestically, Bad Boys: Ride or Die collected $193.5 million in its theatrical run [via Box Office Mojo]. Internationally, it raked in $210.97 million, bringing the global haul to $404.55 million. Bad Boys 4 had an estimated budget of $100 million, and its break-even target was $250 million. However, the movie collected 62% more than the break-even point, becoming Will Smith’s biggest hit post-COVID.
Compared with his other post-COVID releases
Emancipation and King Richard performed underwhelmingly at the box office. As mentioned earlier, Emancipation was a limited release with an estimated budget of $120 million. Will won the Oscar for King Richard in the Best Actor category, but the film was a box office flop. It had a budget of $50 million and collected just $39.5 million worldwide. His Bad Boys: Ride or Die was risky, but his star power was again proven as the film became a hit.
