EXCLUSIVE: Will Smith's 'Creepy Intensity' Has Alienated His Old Pal Martin Lawrence So Badly Comic No Longer Wants to Do Money-Spinning 'Bad Boys 5'
Will Smith's 'creepy intensity' may have killed his money-spinning movie franchise.
June 29 2025, Published 8:00 a.m. ET
Wacko Will Smith alienated most of Tinseltown when he smacked presenter Chris Rock across the chops at the Oscars, and RadarOnline.com can reveal his pal and co-star Martin Lawrence is now nixing a Bad Boys sequel because he can't stomach the slap-happy hunk's self-absorption and creepy intensity.
The troubled 56-year-old is still trying to rebuild his movie career following 2022's infamous "Slap Gate" onstage assault that earned him a 10-year ban from the Oscars.
While spurned by a host of celebs since, the real-life Fresh Prince of Bel-Air has enjoyed screen success with Lawrence, and sources said he's keen to build on that.
But his super intense attitude has worn thin on his long-suffering costar, who sidekicked him in four Bad Boys flicks over the past 30 years.
Smackdown
Chris Rock's Oscar slap fallout continues as even Martin Lawrence, right, is distancing himself from Smith.
An insider told RadarOnline.com: "Martin just turned 60 and at this age, he has a lot more fun performing his stand-up live and hanging out with his kids than he does making one of these giant, complicated movies.
"He's not desperate for money or attention. Plus, as good as the chemistry is between Martin and Will in these films, it's not like they're best friends in real life.
"Will has a lot more in common with Tom Cruise than he does with Martin. They're just very different people and live life at a radically different tempo.
"He's enjoying life at his own pace and not in any rush to work with Will again, even though it's basically the only film franchise Will has going right now."
Sony wants more 'Bad Boys,' but Lawrence is done with Smith's frantic nonsense.
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Despite Smith's suffocating antics, last year's Bad Boys: Ride or Die was a box office success, and "Sony wants another movie and they are the ones writing the checks," an insider told us.
They added: "The 2024 movie was a smash in cinemas and on Netflix and proved that Will could still pull in giant crowds despite the damage he did to his image with 'THE Slap.'
"Still, the movie faces headwinds and a big one is that Martin pushed himself to the limit and keeping up with Will is exhausting even when you're not filming high-octane action sequences."
