31 Years Later, Will Smith’s Best $1.2B Action Franchise Is Officially Free to Watch

While Will Smith has been part of many action franchises, his breakout was still Bad Boys. The action franchise saw him star alongside Martin Lawrence and team up with Michael Bay for some balls-to-the-wall action. Four movies have been released so far, earning over $1.2 billion at the box office, and more are in the pipeline (via The Numbers).

Audiences who want to revisit where it all began, or catch up for the first time, no longer need a subscription to do it. The first two entries, Bad Boys and Bad Boys II, will arrive on Tubi on October 1, 2026, giving new and longtime fans a free way to watch the series that launched Smith into action stardom.

Will Smith’s Bad Boys I and II Coming Free to Tubi in October

Tubi will add Will Smith’s Bad Boys and Bad Boys II to its catalog on October 1, 2026. The platform does not require a subscription fee to stream, and the two action films are available to watch for free with ads. The original 1995 film was a breakout stint for Smith, who was known for his Fresh Prince of Bel-Air sitcom and was slowly transitioning into a serious movie star. The Bad Boys franchise and Independence Day firmly established him as one.

Bad Boys marked Michael Bay’s first feature directing credit, following his background helming commercials and music videos. Despite mixed reviews at release, the film’s box office performance was strong enough to establish Bay as a bankable action director and to introduce Smith and Lawrence as one of the most durable comedic duos in the genre.

Bad Boys II amped up the action and explosions, making Michael Bay’s style definitive and something that would be common in all his movies later. The next two movies in the franchise came decades later, with Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah taking over the reins as directors. The third and fourth films also performed well at the box office.

Placing both films on Tubi allows Sony to widen the audience for the franchise ahead of any future installment, while giving longtime fans an easy way to revisit the films that started it all.

What Comes Next for the Billion-Dollar Bad Boys Franchise?

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys: Ride or Die | Credits: Sony Pictures Releasing

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence saw their long-lost franchise get a revival in the 2020s with Bad Boys for Life and Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Both films earned more than $400 million at the box office and gave hope for further installments in the franchise. While there is no confirmed fifth movie, there is certainly hope for its future.

When Ride or Die was released in 2024, producer Jerry Bruckheimer mentioned that they were waiting for the film’s box office performance to plan the future (via Deadline). The film performed slightly worse than its predecessor, which might be a cause for concern. But a $400 million payday is still good for a $100 million budget (via The Numbers).

Both Will Smith and Martin Lawrence expressed their enthusiasm for more films in the franchise, though they had certain conditions and concerns. They told EW,

Well, these younger actors are going to need to do more of the stunts, that’s for sure. It is a world and characters that are just an absolute joy to be with…I never wanted to be one of those dudes who make sequels just because people will go. I want to make them because there is something to say, and the characters have a place that they’re developing to that will be interesting and fun to watch and maybe even a little helpful.

Once Bad Boys I and II arrive on Tubi this October, they could spark renewed interest from fans to see more of Mike and Marcus. Hopefully, directors Adil & Bilall also return to the franchise.

What do you think about the Bad Boys movies? Comment below.