Martin Lawrence is set to develop a sequel to the 1999 film Blue Streak, which had come on the heels of his success with Michael Bay’s Bad Boys. The original film, which co-starred Luke Wilson, Dave Chappelle, Peter Greene, Nicole Parker, John Hawkes, Octavia Spencer, Nicole Ari Parker, and William Forsythe, followed a jewel thief who attempts to retrieve a diamond he left behind at a police station, eventually pretending to be an officer, only to inadvertently get partnered with a real detective. Blue Streak has generally been considered a fan-favorite among Lawrence’s filmography.
Now, a quarter of a century later, Deadline reports that a Blue Streak sequel is in early development through Lawrence’s production company Run Tel Dat, with Cole Maliska (Quantico, Chicago P.D.) currently writing the screenplay. Alongside Lawrence, who is both starring and producing, the sequel is set to be produced by the actor’s siblings, Robert Lawrence and Rae Proctor, as well as Stacy Lyles and original producer Toby Jaffe via his RDV Films banner. The announcement comes on the heels of Lawrence’s recent success with fellow legacy sequels Bad Boys for Life and Ride or Die.
What Lawrence’s Blue Streak Return Means
Could He Recapture Bad Boys’ Success?
The announcement of a Blue Streak sequel comes at an interesting point in Martin Lawrence’s career, following the resurgence of the Bad Boys franchise. With both Bad Boys for Life and Ride or Die performing well at the box office and earning the best reviews of the franchise, the upcoming sequel suggests that Lawrence is leaning into familiar roles that resonate with his fanbase. Returning to Blue Streak could capitalize on the nostalgia audiences feel for his late ’90s and early 2000s comedies while building momentum on his recent success.
|
The Bad Boys Franchise’s Rotten Tomatoes Scores |
|
|---|---|
|
Title |
RT Score |
|
Bad Boys (1995) |
43% |
|
Bad Boys II (2003) |
24% |
|
L.A.’s Finest (2019-2020) |
24% |
|
Bad Boys for Life (2020) |
75% |
|
Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024) |
64% |
While this is the first time Lawrence is collaborating with Maliska, the sequel raises questions about the return of the original cast members, such as Luke Wilson or Dave Chappelle. Wilson has remained active in film and television, including starring in Kevin Costner’s Horizon: An American Saga franchise, while Chappelle’s involvement might be complicated given his controversial public image. Their participation, or lack thereof, could influence audience expectations leading up to the release.
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Interestingly, both the original Blue Streak and Bad Boys movies were released just four years apart, reflecting a career pattern for Lawrence as he alternates between similar genres. Revisiting Blue Streak now, with Bad Boys back in theaters, creates a fitting parallel between them that could help draw audiences familiar with both franchises. Especially as the possible Bad Boys 5 has not yet been greenlit, this new project could fill a gap in the star’s upcoming legacy sequel filmography.
How Blue Streak Performed In Its Original Run
It Was A Solid Success
When it originally premiered on September 17, 1999, it debuted to $19.2 million in its opening weekend before climbing to an overall worldwide gross of $117.7 million. This made it the 35th highest-grossing movie of the year, behind titles such as The Talented Mr. Ripley ($128.8 million) and Pokémon: The First Movie – Mewtwo Strikes Back ($163.6 million). Because movies typically need to earn back two-and-a-half times their budgets in theaters, the $36 million movie’s break-even point was likely somewhere around $90 million, a milestone it sailed past with ease, though the planned direct sequel didn’t come to fruition immediately.
Blue Streak
outgrossed quite a few major movies of 1999 including
She’s All That
($103.2 million),
Fight Club
($100.8 million),
Never Been Kissed
($84.6 million), and
Cruel Intentions
($75.9 million).
However, Blue Streak did not perform quite so well critically. At the time of writing, it holds a Rotten Tomatoes score of 35% from 68 reviews, a combination of those that were written at the time and additional analysis that has been penned in the ensuing decades. However, the audience score is significantly higher than the critic score on the platform, earning the movie a Fresh score of 64% from more than 100,000 user ratings. It is likely this core fanbase that the new movie is being designed to target, in addition to those who enjoyed the Bad Boys sequels.
Our Take On The Blue Streak Sequel
The development of a Blue Streak sequel presents a timely opportunity for Lawrence to step back into a significant role, particularly as he leans into familiar characters following the success of the Bad Boys franchise. This initiative not only aligns with the industry’s current trend of revitalizing established franchises but also reflects the potential for engaging material that appeals to a wide audience. If the sequel is treated with care and creativity, it could emerge as a welcome addition to the action-comedy genre, reminding viewers of Lawrence’s enduring comedic talent.
Source: Deadline