Bad Boys 4 Is Missing 1 Character Who Could Unite The Franchise

A character not yet confirmed for Bad Boys 4 has the power to unite the franchise if they are to appear in the movie. Updates for the upcoming yet untitled fourth Bad Boys installment have verified that the movie is in development despite being severely interrupted by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Bad Boys 4 upholds, albeit tentatively, a 2024 summer release date and a growing list of confirmed cast members.

Among those who've already officially joined the cast of Bad Boys 4 are co-leads Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, who will continue the buddy cop adventures of Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett respectively. Other known cast members include Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, and Paola Núñez, all reprising their corresponding roles from the last Bad Boys installment. Melanie Liburd, Eric Dane, Tasha Smith, and Rhea Seehorn were also added among several other names. However, there is a notable absence of one actress who would lend well to not just the new movie but the overall franchise.

Gabrielle Union's Bad Boys 4 Return Is Needed After Her TV Spinoff

Noticeably missing from Bad Boys 4's lineup is Gabrielle Union. Audiences can recall that Union played a big role in the franchise when she was first introduced in Bad Boys II as DEA agent, and Marcus's younger sister, Sydney "Syd" Burnett. Union's character only appeared in the second of the Bad Boys films and was regrettably absent from the third, Bad Boys for Life. However, she did appear in the Bad Boys TV spinoff, L.A.'s Finest, for two seasons before it was canceled

The Bad Boys franchise has the unique opportunity to unite its blockbuster movies with its short-lived series by seeing the return of Syd in Bad Boys 4. After Bad Boys II, Union's character did not appear alongside the franchise's lead characters again, as she never reprised her role for the films, and Mike and Marcus never appeared in L.A.'s Finest. Potentially, Bad Boys 4 could unite the storylines of the movies and the series and lessen the impact of L.A.'s Finest's demise by bringing Syd back into the fold

Will Smith & Martin Lawrence Wanted Gabrielle Union In Bad Boys 4

Although Gabrielle Union is missing from the Bad Boys 4 cast list, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence previously teased the idea of having her reprise her role. During an appearance on The Breakfast Club, Smith and Lawrence explained why Union's character wouldn't have been able to appear in Bad Boys for Life while hinting at the possibility of her appearance in Bad Boys 4. When questioned about her Bad Boys for Life absence, Lawrence said, "I just think we took a different story turn." Smith added, "Yeah, there was no spot in the story, like where would that work for those characters — but definitely for Bad Boys 4!"

Their enthusiasm to see Union's return was exciting, but no solid proof that the franchise will go in that direction has surfaced yet. Until Bad Boys 4 ventures further into development, fans are left to wonder if Union and her strong-willed character Syd will ever make a franchise appearance again