Bad Boys is a 1995 American action-comedy film directed by Michael Bay starring Martin Lawrence and Will Smith as two Miami narcotics detectives, Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey. The movie also had its sequel, Bad Boys II (2003). Almost 24 years after Will Smith and Martin Lawrence first joined forces for this movie, the duo are back for the franchise’s long-awaited movie, Bad Boys for Life.

The movie from directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah (taking over for Michael Bay) will feature Smith and Lawrence once again playing ride-or-die Miami detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett. Sony has confirmed that January 17, 2020 will be the release date for Bad Boys for Life. Filming for the threequel started on January 14, 2019 when Smith and Lawrence re-watched the first two movies together to prepare to return to their roles.

Lawrence has always been up for starring in a third film, even when it looked like Bad Boys for Life wasn’t happening because of Will Smith’s busy schedule, saying: “I’m there, I’m ready right now. If they wanted to do it, I’m ready, but I don’t have control of that. That’s the studio decision.” Similarly, Smith has always seemed happy to return to the franchise, if only he could find a gap in his workload. And on October 1, 2018, Variety reported that Smith had found that gap and signed on to replay his role in the threequel as Detective Mike Lowrey. He was quickly followed by Lawrence confirming on October 31st that the movie was officially on board and after all these years.

Jacob Scipio is set to play the Bad Boys for Life villain, Armando Armas, the head of a drug cartel, described as “a cold-blooded killer with a vicious, taunting nature.” Scipio, a London-born actor, has fielded runs on TV shows such as Dixi, Some Girls and As the Bell Rings, and provided his voice for several episodes of children’s favorite Bob the Builder.

Paola Nuñez will play Rite, a tough-but-funny criminal psychologist who was recently appointed head of Miami PD’s elite AMMO team. She also happens to be the former girlfriend of Mike (Will Smith), a fact that telegraphs a dynamic of romantic tension. Nuñez, an actress who has long-fielded film and television roles in her native Mexico, made a stateside breakout earlier this year on AMC’s (imminently returning) TV series, The Son.

Joe Pantoliano is set to reprise his role as Captain Conrad Howard, reports Deadline. Pantoliano previously played the character – the irate overseer of Will Smith’s Mike Lowery and Martin Lawrence’s Marcus Burnett – in 1995’s Bad Boys and 2003’s Bad Boys II. The New Jersey-born actor has fielded a diverse array of major movie roles over decades in The Matrix, Memento, Daredevil, The Goonies, Eddie and the Cruisers and Risky Business, as well as an unforgettable TV run on The Sopranos.

They are joined by a cast of recently announced franchise newcomers (for unspecified roles,) in Alexander Ludwig (Vikings, The Hunger Games), Vanessa Hudgens (Second Act, Powerless, High School Musical) and Charles Melton (Riverdale, American Horror Story).

Going by the January 2020 release date, it is estimated that there will be a teaser released by July.