Production of 4th "Bad Boys" film shut down traffic along Fort Lauderdale Beach
FORT LAUDERDALE - Several roads along Fort Lauderdale Beach have re-opened after a film crew used them to shoot scenes for an upcoming movie.
During the shooting, stunt drivers zoom northbound on State Road A1A with locals watching in hopes of catching a glimpse of the cast of the fourth "Bad Boys" movie starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.
They previously filmed in Brickell and this coming weekend the production will shut down the SW 2nd Avenue Bridge that connects downtown Miami and Brickell on both Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
On Fort Lauderdale Beach on Monday morning, locals were very curious about the goings on.
"We're walking around seeing if we can see any of the movie action," said Stephen Heard.
"I just heard that they were filming the movie and figured I'd come out and take a look," said Corey Mershon.
Traffic on A1A was blocked off between Las Olas Boulevard and Bayshore Drive at 6 a.m. The filming wrapped up around 10 a.m. Many people on foot stopped to take a peak in the hopes of seeing one of the stars.
"I wonder if Will Smith is actually here somewhere," said Heard.
While there were no major star sightings, it was still lots of fun for those on foot and at nearby bars. Many said it was fun to see South Florida spots in major movies.
"If they're filming in my city, it's exciting. You get to watch little clips of Fort Lauderdale Beach and that's really neat," said Mershon.
Smith confirmed through social media last week that they were in South Florida shooting and it was close to wrap.
"Bad Boys. Miami. Last eight days!" the actor posted to his Instagram on Wednesday, sharing a video that shows him performing stunts on a dock overlooking what appeared to be the Intracoastal Waterway.
The Sun Sentinel reported that Smith was spotted at Inter Miami's season-opener, where he greeted soccer superstar Lionel Messi from the stands.
The "Bad Boys" franchise has been filmed throughout South Florida since its first blockbuster movie in 1995. The fourth film, which has no official title yet, will reunite Smith and Lawrence as Miami narcotics detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, respectively.
According to the Sun Sentinel, production was halted in July 2023 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike but is currently scheduled to premiere on June 14. The film will also be directed by Belgian-Moroccan filmmakers Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, who helmed the third installment "Bad Boys For Life" in 2020.
