The film Bad Boys concludes without providing any extra footage or hints about the franchise’s future.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the latest installment in the action franchise, and it has been reported that there will be a post-credits scene setting up another sequel. In 2024, the Bad Boys franchise will return with its fourth film, featuring Will Smith as Mike Lowrey and Martin Lawrence as Marcus Burnett. Following up on the events of Bad Boys for Life, the sequel reunites Mike and Marcus with Mike’s son, Armando, as they work to exonerate themselves and Captain Howard. This chapter propels the series forward, while still providing room for Mike and Marcus’ stories to continue.
As a long-running and popular brand with the potential for future episodes, Bad Boys: Ride or Die was more likely to feature an end-credits sequence. The fact that Bad Boys for Life’s credits scene was the series’ debut merely increased the likelihood that the sequel would use the tag. The fourth film reunites the majority of the third film’s creative crew and cast, and with ideas for Bad Boys 5 circulating, a Bad Boys 4 post-credits sequence would make sense.
It has been revealed that Bad Boys: Ride or Die does not have a post-credits sequence. There are no additional scenes that appear during or after the credits. Instead, the ending of Bad Boys: Ride or Die brings Mike and Marcus’ narrative to a close. While this implies that viewers will not miss any franchise setup if they do not watch the credits, it is always recommended that they do so to see the names of everyone involved in the film. This also makes Bad Boys for Life the only film in the franchise featuring any form of credits scene.
The lack of an after-credits scene in Bad Boys: Ride or Die is pleasantly shocking. The franchise’s decision to employ one in the previous installment raised expectations that this was a series that would now be open to conducting credits sequences and offering spectators one final glimpse into the future. Instead, Bad Boys for Life’s post-credits scene appears to be the exception to the franchise. It is ultimately preferable for the series, however, if Bad Boys: Ride or Die omits a tag scene rather than forcing one in to suit audience expectations.
Bad Boys: Ride or Die has now put the franchise in a position where a future sequel can take the tale in any direction. Bad Boys for Life slightly framed the sequel as a story about Mike and his son working together so that the credits scene would not be overlooked. If there is no clear idea where the characters will go next, it is far preferable to leave the future more open than before. That is why Bad Boys: Ride or Die omitting an end-credits scene is a wise option.