'It's official!' Long-awaited 'Bad Boys 3' is happening

Will Smith, Martin Lawrence make announcement on Instagram

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla. – "It's official."

With those words, actors Will Smith and Martin Lawrence let the world know that the third "Bad Boys" movie is happening.

Smith posted the announcement Thursday on his Instagram page. 

 

"It's official, baby! It's official! 'Bad Boys 3' is happening!" Smith shouted with excitement.

He was joined by Lawrence, who echoed Smith's words.

To commemorate the announcement, Smith also posted a promotional photograph from the first film, promising that Lawrence "won't have a beeper" in the next installment.

 

The first "Bad Boys" was released in 1995 and set in Miami. It was followed by a sequel in 2003, also filmed in South Florida.

It remains to be seen whether the newest "Bad Boys" will have a South Florida connection.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the movie is currently in pre-production in Georgia, which has become a destination for filmmakers in recent years. 

Florida has lost several productions -- most notably HBO's "Ballers" -- since the state Legislature allowed the film incentive program to expire in 2016. Set in Miami, "Ballers" moved to California for its third season.

Miami-Dade Office of Film & Entertainment Commissioner Sandy Lighterman said she's hopeful at least some of the next "Bad Boys" will be filmed in South Florida, but it's too early to tell if that will happen.

In the era of tax incentives, Florida is at a disadvantage when it comes to the bottom line for major studio-backed productions, Lighterman said.

"This is what we're up against all the time," she said.

Lighterman said the team behind "Bad Boys 3" has scouted the area, but they are "definitely not shooting the entire project here."

There is hope, however, that the tax incentive could return as Florida voters prepare to elect a new governor.

"We wait and we hope that a change in atmosphere in Tallahassee will help us, regardless of who gets in," Lighterman said.

Look on the bright side, though. If the new "Bad Boys" moves on from Miami, at least commuters on the MacArthur Causeway won't be subjugated to days of closures as they were during the production of "Bad Boys II" in the summer of 2002.

According to IMDB, the new movie will be titled "Bad Boys for Life" and is set to be released in 2020.