As one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, it’s no surprise that Will Smith has returned for several sequels to some of his most popular films. While classics like I Am Legend and I, Robot are still crying out for follow-up films from Smith, other series like Bad Boys and Men in Black have been turned into their own popular franchises. It’s not just Smith’s biggest films that have received sequels either, as he’s also taken the time to appear in cameo roles in everything from Hindi-language Bollywood features to comedy classic sequels like Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.
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Some of the best Will Smith movies have received sequels, and his incredible onscreen charisma, unique comedic talents, and action-hero bravado have left viewers craving more. While the Academy Award winner has excelled in one-off dramas like The Pursuit of Happyness, Concussion, and King Richard, Smith’s also willing to embrace big-budget sequels that play into viewers’ nostalgia for times past. With a vast and varied career across countless genres, Smith’s resume of sequels included some forgettable lows but also several astounding highs.
7 Student of the Year 2 (2019)
Will Smith as Himself
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Many may not be aware that among Will Smith’s acclaimed filmography of blockbuster classics, beloved sequels, and lauded dramas also sits an appearance in one of the lowest-rated Indian films of all time. With an abysmal 6% score on Rotten Tomatoes, Student of the Year 2 was a sequel that did not need to be made and featured a brief cameo appearance from Smith. Student of the Year 2 told the story of a student trying to overcome bullies and his academic, personal, and romantic problems while trying to win his college’s coveted Student of the Year trophy.
With a poor story and weak performances, it was surprising to see Smith appear in this Hindi language as he was seen dancing in “The Jawaani Song.” Smith actually appeared in the movie as part of his reality series Will Smith’s Bucket List, as one of his goals was to appear in a Bollywood production (via NDTV.) While this may have sounded like a fun idea, much like the documentary series that inspired Smith’s participation, Student of the Year 2 was badly received.
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6 Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013)
Will Smith as Jeff Bullington
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8/10 Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues PG-13Comedy
Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues is the sequel to Adam McKay’s Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. In the sequel, Ron, again played by Will Ferrell, joins New York’s 24-hour news channel. Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Paul Rudd also return as Ron’s team, along with Christina Applegate as his wife.
Director Adam McKay Release Date December 18, 2013 Studio(s) Apatow Productions , Gary Sanchez Productions Distributor(s) Paramount Pictures Writers Will Ferrell , Adam McKay Cast Will Ferrell , David Koechner , Steve Carell , Paul Rudd , Christina Applegate , Luke Wilson , Vince Vaughn , Fred Willard Runtime 119 Minutes prequel(s) Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy Budget $50 Million Expand
While the original Anchorman was a hilarious Will Ferrell comedy that introduced the world to the 1970s news anchor Ron Burgundy, the joke had worn thin by the time a sequel was finally made almost ten years later. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues failed to add anything new to this cult comedy series and was mostly a worse rehash of many of the jokes from the previous film. While Anchorman 2 retained the spirit of the first movie and had some genuinely funny moments, it lacked the same endlessly quotable appeal of what came before.
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Perhaps the most glaring example of Anchorman 2 disappointingly reliving past glories was the epic fight between rival news stations, which was essentially just repeated again with even more celebrity cameos. One of the rival news anchors was Will Smith as the ESPN anchor with other cameos, including Kanye West with MTV, Sacha Baron Cohen with the BBC, and Liam Neeson with the History Channel as history’s still news, just told much later. While this sequence was funny, it was also overlong and was merely a repeat of what had already occurred in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.
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5 Men In Black II (2002)
Will Smith as Agent J
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5/10 Men in Black II PG-13ActionAdventureComedySci-Fi
Men in Black II is the second film in the Men in Black franchise, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Released in 2002, it follows Agent J as he enlists the help of Agent K to combat an alien disguised as a lingerie model who threatens Earth. This sequel builds upon the dynamic partnership and humor established in the original film.
Director Barry Sonnenfeld Release Date July 3, 2002 Writers Lowell Cunningham , Robert Gordon , Barry Fanaro Cast Tommy Lee Jones , Will Smith , Rip Torn , Lara Flynn Boyle , Johnny Knoxville , Rosario Dawson , Tony Shalhoub , Patrick Warburton Character(s) Kay , Jay , Zed , Serleena , Scrad / Charlie , Laura Vasquez , Jeebs , Agent Tee Runtime 88 Minutes Main Genre Adventure Expand
Men in Black was a defining movie that helped transform Will Smith from a popular rapper and sitcom star into a bona fide Hollywood movie star. As a major hit at the box office, it’s no surprise that Smith and Tommy Lee Jones teamed up once again to play Agent J and Agent K in yet another sci-fi buddy cop adventure. The problem was that Men in Black II lacked the creativity of the first movie and, although it had impressive visuals, it just didn’t live up to the expectations set by the original.
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Men in Black II focused on Agent K’s wiped memory and switched the dynamic between its two main leads as J reintroduced him to their secretive alien-based organization, which felt like it simply rehashed the same plot point as the first movie. The love story between J and Laura Vasquez (Rosario Dawson) also felt overly rushed and unconvincing. While Men in Black II would have been a great opportunity to expand on the lore of this franchise, this lackluster sequel was happy to simply give viewers more of the same.
4 Bad Boys II (2003)
Will Smith as Det. Lt. Mike Lowrey
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Bad Boys II RActionComedyCrime
Bad Boys II is an action-comedy film directed by Michael Bay, featuring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. Released in 2003, the film follows the duo as they attempt to dismantle a drug trafficking ring while navigating personal tensions. Gabrielle Union and Jordi Mollà co-star.
Director Michael Bay Release Date July 18, 2003 Writers George Gallo , Marianne Wibberley , Cormac Wibberley , Ron Shelton , Jerry Stahl Cast Will Smith , Martin Lawrence , Gabrielle Union , Jordi Molla , Peter Stormare , Theresa Randle , Joe Pantoliano , Michael Shannon Runtime 147 Minutes Main Genre Action Expand
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The comedy duo of Will Smith and Martin Lawrence was truly a match made in heaven, and the pair struck gold with their incredible chemistry in Bad Boys. With this in mind, it was only logical to turn that Michael Bay movie into an ongoing series as detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett returned for yet another adventure in Bad Boys II. With Bay still in the director’s chair, this sequel had plenty of laughs, bigger explosions, and more of the pair’s hilarious, witty banter.
While Bad Boys II received negative reviews upon release, looking back, it featured many of Bad Boys’ greatest moments. From the interrogation of Marcus’s daughter’s new boyfriend, Reggie, to its epic highway chase scene, Bad Boys II delivered more of Bay’s signature big-budget action movie carnage and was an enjoyable crowdpleaser. While it would take 17 years for another sequel to finally be released, those with a love for 2000s action movies will have plenty of nostalgia for Bad Boys II.
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3 Men in Black 3 (2012)
Will Smith as Agent J
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5/10 Men in Black 3 pg-13 Sci-FiAction
The third installment in the Men in Black franchise, Men in Black 3 sees Agent J (Will Smith) travel back in time to prevent his partner, Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) from being assassinated. Arriving in 1969, J meets younger K (Josh Brolin), and the pair must work together in order to stop an alien terrorist called Boris the Animal (Jermaine Clement).
Director Barry Sonnenfeld Release Date May 25, 2012 Studio(s) Sony Distributor(s) Sony Writers Jeff Nathanson , David Koepp Cast Will Smith , Josh Brolin , Tommy Lee Jones Runtime 1h 46m Franchise(s) Men in Black Sequel(s) Men in Black 4 prequel(s) Men in Black II , Men In Black Budget 140million Expand
Men in Black 3 was the perfect antidote to the lackluster sequel that was Men in Black II. Rather than simply repeating the same jokes and sequences that made the first movie such a mainstream success, Men in Black 3 brought new ideas to the table and featured a clever time travel script that added depth and nuance to its characters’ backstories. With Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones back once again, Men in Black 3 took a gamble and also included Josh Brolin as a younger version of Agent K in the 1960s.
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While there has been talk of a fourth
Men and Black
movie with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones and a crossover film with the
21 Jump Street
franchise, these projects never came to fruition. Instead, a standalone sequel titled
Men in Black: International
was released in 2019, starring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. Emma Thompson and Tim Blaney as Frank the Pug were the only actors from the original movies who returned for this spin-off installment.
As one of the rare examples of a Hollywood recasting that worked perfectly, Men in Black 3 recaptured the creative magic of the original, and coming ten years after the previous installment was a welcome return to form. While the absence of Frank the Pug was sorely felt, the ingenious plot and emotional climax of Men in Black 3 was a firm showcase of this franchise at its best. As a series that hasn’t always lived up to its potential, the artistic and commercial success of Men in Black 3 showed why Smith should do more sequels.
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2 Bad Boys: Ride Or Die (2024)
Will Smith as Det. Lt. Mike Lowrey
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9.5/10 Bad Boys: Ride or Die RActionCrimeThrillerComedy
Bad Boys: Ride or Die continues the action-packed saga of Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. The film follows the duo as they face new threats and personal challenges, blending intense action scenes with the camaraderie fans have come to love in the Bad Boys series.
Director Adil El Arbi , Bilall Fallah Release Date June 7, 2024 Studio(s) Columbia Pictures , 2.0 Entertainment , Don Simpson Films , Jerry Bruckheimer Films , Westbrook Studios Distributor(s) Sony Pictures Releasing Writers George Gallo , Chris Bremner , Will Beall Cast Will Smith , Martin Lawrence , Vanessa Hudgens , Alexander Ludwig , Paola Núñez , Eric Dane , Ioan Gruffudd , Jacob Scipio , Melanie Liburd , Tasha Smith , Rhea Seehorn , Tiffany Haddish , Joe Pantoliano , dj khaled , John Salley , Bianca Bethune , Dennis Greene , Quinn Hemphill , Derek Russo , Karter Reese Newsome , Levy Tran , Jay DeVon Johnson , Jeff J.J. Authors , Nicholas Verdi , Steven Sean Garland , Jerri Tubbs , Jewelianna Ramos-Ortiz , Enoch King Character(s) Mike Lowrey , Marcus Burnett , Kelly , Dorn , Rita , McGrath , Lockwood , Armando , Christine , Theresa , Judy , Tabitha , Captain Howard , Manny , Fletcher , Megan , Reggie , Callie , Lintz , Little Marcus , Wolf , Russ Brown , Felix the Drunk Pilot , Hijacked Pilot , The Banker , Banker’s Wife , Banker’s Girlfriend , Convenience Store Clerk Runtime 115 Minutes Franchise(s) Bad Boys prequel(s) Bad Boys , Bad Boys 2 , Bad Boys for Life Main Genre Action Expand
The fourth Bad Boys movie was yet another exciting installment of the adventures of Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, who had a welcome return to form in the legacy sequel Bad Boys for Life. By leaning into the franchise’s history and having a narrative that focused on clearing the name of the duo’s late Captain, Conrad Howard, Bad Boys: Ride or Die felt like a worthy successor to all that came before. Once again, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence proved their cinematic magic together with an installment that will surely please longtime lovers of this series.
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Bad Boys: Ride or Die upped the ante even further than previous movies and proved there was still plenty more high-octane energy in the franchise. As Mike’s relationship with his estranged son was explored and Marcus leaned into his more spiritual side, Bad Boys: Ride or Die balanced poignant sentimentality with the series’ unique comedic style. As a chaotic and well-made Hollywood blockbuster, Bad Boys: Ride or Die was a perfect piece of escapist fun.
1 Bad Boys For Life (2020)
Will Smith as Det. Lt. Mike Lowrey
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Bad Boys for Life RActionAdventureComedyCrimeThriller
In Bad Boys For Life, the third installment in the Bad Boys film franchise, Marcus Burnett wants to retire, but when Mike Lowrey is shot, and the assailant goes after a friend of Burnett’s, the two team up together for one last ride.
Director Adil El Arbi , Bilall Fallah Release Date January 17, 2020 Studio(s) Columbia Pictures , 2.0 Entertainment , Overbrook Entertainment Distributor(s) Sony Pictures Releasing Writers Joe Carnahan , Chris Bremner , Peter Craig Cast Will Smith , Martin Lawrence , Kate del Castillo , Joe Pantoliano , Vanessa Hudgens , Alexander Ludwig , Charles Melton Runtime 124 Minutes Sequel(s) Bad Boys: Ride or Die prequel(s) Bad Boys , Bad Boys II (2003) Budget $90 Million Main Genre Action Expand
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Bad Boys for Life was the long-awaited return of the Bad Boys franchise and the first film in the series not to feature Michael Bay as director. Released in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, this piece of early-2000s blockbuster nostalgia was just what audiences craved as Hollywood entered an era of production shutdowns and straight-to-streaming releases. With a cameo appearance from Bay signaling him passing the torch to the new directors Adil & Bilall, Bad Boys for Life not only reunited Will Smith and Martin Lawrence after 17 years but stood as an excellent action movie in its own right.
With Smith and Lawrence’s innate onscreen chemistry firmly intact, it was thrilling to see how Bad Boys for Life updated the series for a new generation of viewers. With a healthy mix of comedy and drama, it was a pleasure to spend some time with Mike and Marcus once again. It’s no surprise the franchise continued with a fourth movie, and the duo even hinted they would be keen to make more Bad Boys films (via EW). While not every Will Smith sequel has lived up to the legacy of the original, Bad Boys for Life got it right.
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Sources: NDTV, EW