(Left) Will Smith attends the European premiere of ‘Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’ at Zoo Palast on May 27, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. Photo by Sebastian Reuter/Getty Images for Sony Pictures. (Right) Michael Bay attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures’ ‘Bad Boys: Ride Or Die’ at the TCL Chinese Theater on May 30, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Photo by Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
Preview:
- ‘Bad Boys’ collaborators Will Smith and Michael Bay may be working together again.
- Bay is considering directing the action thriller ‘Fast and Loose.’
- Smith would star as a man with amnesia.
Way back in the distant mists of time (okay, 1995) an action comedy about wayward, chaos-causing cops roared on to screens.
It launched the big screen directing career of a young, hungry filmmaker who to that point had been toiling away in the lower rungs of movie departments and handling music videos and commercials.
The film also cemented the stardom of a rising talent who had broken out on a TV sitcom and graduated to the likes of ‘Independence Day.’
Yes, ‘Bad Boys’ was the movie, Michael Bay the director, and Will Smith the star. While they re-teamed for the first sequel in 2003, and Bay remained a producer for (plus made cameos in) two further follow-ups, the pair has not worked together since.
That could all change with Netflix action thriller ‘Fast & Loose.’
Related Article: Will Smith Starring in New Sony Sci-Fi Thriller ‘Resistor’
What’s the story of ‘Fast & Loose’?
Will Smith in Columbia Pictures ‘Bad Boys: Ride of Die.’ Photo: Frank Masi. © 2024 CTMG, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
With a script that has seen contributions from Jon Hoeber, Erich Hoeber, Chris Bremner and Eric Pearson, ‘Fast and Loose’ follows John Riley (Smith), who wakes up in Tijuana after being left for dead with absolutely no memory.
Riley follows a string of clues to uncover his identity discovering he’s been living two different lives: one, as a super-successful crime kingpin, surrounded by beautiful women, expensive toys, and a lavish lifestyle, and the other as an undercover CIA agent, but with a puny salary, no family or home life whatsoever, and zero trappings of success. The problem is, he can’t remember which of these two personas is his true identity…
What’s the history of ‘Fast and Loose’?
David Leitch in Paris for ‘Bullet Train.’ Credit: Oliver Vigerie/Sony Pictures.
Smith has been attached to this one for some time –– previously, ‘The Fall Guy’ director David Leitch was attached to make the movie, but he dropped out of the big chair in the wake of Smith’s slapping incident with Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars, when Netflix hit pause on the project.
Leitch and his producing partner Kelly McCormick are still aboard to produce the movie alongside Smith, but now it looks like Bay will be calling the shots (and, if we know anything about his work, the explosions.)
Now Smith, according to Deadline, has dropped out of another big action movie, ‘Sugar Bandits’ to focus on this one and Netflix is hoping that Bay’s deal locks in.
Bay has experience with Netflix already –– he made action pic ‘6 Underground’ for the streaming service, and his most recent movie, ‘Ambulance,’ is a big hit with its viewership.
When would ‘Fast and Loose’ be on screens?
With no solid deal in place for Bay and no official start date, it’s too early to even ponder when this might land on Netflix’s servers.
(L to R) Producer Brad Fischer, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Director/Producer Michael Bay, Eiza González and Jake Gyllenhaal attend Universal Pictures ‘Ambulance’ Premiere at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, CA on Monday, April 4, 2022. Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages.