Sony Chairman Shuts Downs Rumors of Will Smith Slap Delaying “Bad Boys 4”

Sony is denying claims that they halted “Bad Boys 4” in response to Will Smith slapping Chris Rock.

Reports swirled following the Oscar slap that many projects had backed away from Smith. One of the most major ones was the fourth installment of the “Bad Boys” franchise alongside Martin Lawrence. However, Sony Chairman Tom Rothman says those talks were simply fake news.

“That movie’s been in development and still is. There weren’t any brakes to pump because the car wasn’t moving,” Rothman said during an interview with Deadline.

Last week, Jerry Bruckheimer, who produced the first three “Bad Boys” films, told CinemaBlend that “people who are higher up” would make the final decision regarding the next movie.

In light of the “Ali” actors’ intense moment, other projects have been verified to be delayed or canceled entirely. Netflix has halted production of Smith’s forthcoming flick, “Fast and Loose,” while Apple TV+ pushed back “Emancipation,” starring Smith, until 2023. Nevertheless, Rothman says that is not the case with Sony and that he still has faith in the 53-year-old, whom he calls a “good person.”

“That was an example of a very good person having a very bad moment in front of the world,” Rothman added.

The “Bad Boys” franchise has grossed over $700 million worldwide, with the latest film “Bad Boys for Life” raking in $436 million worldwide. There is no expected release date for “Bad Boys 4,” which appears to have stalled even before the viral slap.