Bad Boys: Ride or Dieis the fourth entry in the series, and features a number of easter eggs and references to previous films in the franchise. Starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as a pair of Miami PD detectives who frequently find themselves dealing with veritable armies of criminals and killers, the series has throw a number of allies and enemies their way over the years. This has led to a surprisingly deep bench of minor characters, several of whom are referenced or even briefly appear as members of theBad Boys: Ride or Diecast.
On top of incorporating other popular musicians, self-help coaches, and social media stars into the film, many of these easter eggs speak to the legacy of the series. There are new takes on old cameos, ret-cons that create an overarching connective tissue between the previous four movies, andeven some tragic revelations about long-missing characters.Here are all thebest returning actors and easter eggs hidden inBad Boys: Ride or Die.
13Jay Shetty Officiates Mike’s Wedding
Shetty Is A Good Friend Of Will Smith’s
The first ofBad Boys: Ride or Die’s many easter eggs comes early in the film, with Jay Shetty serving as the officiant to Mike’s wedding. Formerly a video producer for the Huffington Post who broke out on his own,Shetty is a popular writer and the creator of the health podcast,On Purpose. Shetty’s success has led him to make connections across the world of celebrities and politicians, including becoming a close confidant to Will Smith.
This connection between Shetty and Smith is likely how Shetty’s appearance in the latestBad Boysfilm came to be.It’s notably not the only A-lister wedding Sheey has been a part of. Shetty took part in the real-life 2022 wedding between Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck, which may have helped inspire the nature of Shetty’s cameo.
12Marcus References Gabrielle Union’s Syd
Marcus serves as the best man at Mike’s wedding to Melanie Liburd’s Christine, and ends up giving a wedding toast that references multiple characters from the previous films. This includes a mention of Marcus' sister, Syd, and how Marcus has gotten over the two of them being together briefly.Marcus' sister Syd was played by Gabrielle Union inBad Boys II.
An undercover agent with the DEA who finds herself the target of several criminal groups, Syd also complicates the central dynamic between Mike and Marcus by secretly dating the former.The absence of an old friend likeGabrielle Union’s Syd inBad Boys: Ride or Diedoes feel like a missed opportunity, but may have distracted from the film’s central plot.
11Marcus Also References Karen Alexander’s Max Logan
Another Callback To An Earlier Entry
Marcus' wedding speech doesn’t just reference Syd, however. Marcus also refers to a “prostitute,” which Mike tries to brush aside. This is a reference to the plot of the firstBad Boys, which was largely set in motion whenKaren Alexander’s Max Logan went undercover for Mike. Established as close to Mike, Max agreed to help their investigation of a corrupt former cop.
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Working as an escort, Max and Téa Leoni’s Julie Mott end up stumbling into the middle of crime-boss Fouchet having the former cop killed. Max is also slain in the ensuing chaos, giving Mike extra motivation to seek revenge and bring Fouchet down by the end of the film. This little reference becomes less funny with the full context in mind,as any lingering guilt over Max’s death is replayed when Christine is kidnappedin the third act ofBad Boys: Ride or Die.
The Actual Earlier Movies Made This Accurate
One of the big dramatic beats early inBad Boys: Ride or Dieis Marcus' near-death experience at Mike’s wedding. Suffering a heart attack on the dance floor, Marcus finds himself watching his friends and family gather around his unconscious body from an ethereal plane of water. As he’s drawn through this place,Marcus' life appears to flash before his eyes.
Many of the moments that appear to him are taken directly from the earlier films in the series. It serves as a solid shorthand for the experiences that Marcus remembers alongside Mike but highlights all the near death experiences he escaped over the years. This ends up reinforcing Marcus' new dangerously optimistic worldview in the rest of the film, allowing the montage of previous movies to actually impact the characters.
The Original Director Returns
After his heart attack, Marcus explains to Mike that his near-death experience has convinced him he has a predestined fate — which means in the short term, he’s functionally immortal. Nothing is going to kill him, and Marcus proves it by running into traffic and being avoided by every car.One of the cars that almost slams into the two is driven by Michael Bay.
Michael Bay directedBad BoysandBad Boys II, and is one of Hollywood’s most successful modern action directors. While Bay didn’t directBad Boys For LifeorBad Boys: Ride or Die, he still serves as an executive producer on the films and had a cameo in both.Michael Bay’s cameo is also similar to the one that he had inBad Boys II, which also saw him driving a car through Miami until he encountered Mike and Marcus.
It Continued A Trend Of Porches In The Franchise
In hisBad Boys IIcameo, part of the gag stems from the fact that Michael Bay’s car is an unlikely and relatively ugly-looking ride. Mike even mocks Marcus for failing to find a better car. In contrast,Bay’s cameo character inBad Boys: Ride or Dieis now driving a striking black Porsche. It’s a funny continuation of the gag from the previous film, but it’s also a sly reference to a major recurring element of theBad Boysfranchise.
Across four films,Bad Boyshas featured a number of Porsches. Mike even animatedly defends his own in the firstBad Boys. However, the Porsche that Bay drives inBad Boys: Ride or Dieisn’t the exact same limited model as the one Mike owned previously. It’s still a solid reference to one of the most memorable beats from the first film in the series.
A Huge Tik Tok Star Appears
Michael Bay isn’t the only cameo during Marcus' unexpected walk through traffic. After Marcus successfully crosses the street and leaves a confused Mike barely dodging cars himself, Mike finds himself standing next to a man who gives a very animated shrug to him. Senegalese-Italian Tik Tok star, Khaby Lame. His distinct shrug and side-eye at “life hack” videos eventually developed into a massive success that sawLame become one of TikTok’s premier creators.
At 162 million followers at the time of writing, he had the single most followers on the app.It gives his surprised shrug at seeing Mike and Marcus additional meaningto younger viewers, especially because he may even be appearing as himself. This highlights how clips of Mike and Marcus' antics and action across Miami would likely become social media fodder in the modern day.
A Fun Character Returns
Another character to make a return toBad Boysis Fletcher, a former convict and informant for Mike and Marcus. Fletcher appeared previously inBad BoysandBad Boys II, a former criminal hacker who worked with the pair and Captain Howard in their investigations. Played by former NBA star John Salley, Fletcher didn’t appear inBad Boys For Lifebut returns forBad Boys: Ride or Die.
It seems like Fletcher has done well for himself in the ensuing years, having opened an art gallery. He’s also remained in contact with Howard, serving a key role in Marcus and Mike’s efforts to prove their fallen captain’s innocence. Tragically,Fletcher won’t be able to return for any prospectiveBad Boys 5, as he’s ultimately killed by James McGrath’s agents during their attempt to cover their tracks and eliminate Mike and Marcus.
5DJ Khaled’s Manny The Butcher Returns
Another Callback Appearance
Musician DJ Khaled appeared inBad Boys For Lifeas Manny the Butcher, a criminal informant who gave information to Mike and swore that he’d given up his life of crime. However, the massive bounty that McGrath puts on Mike and Marcus proves enough to send Manny after the pair alongside his fellow crooks. Notably,Manny has one of the more brutal deaths in the film.
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While Adam Lockwood’s death by alligator is terrifying, Manny ends up having almost as rough a go of it, as his attempt to shoot Mike and Marcus gets him crushed between two cars. Then, while Mike, Marcus, and Armando make their escape, other gangs take to throwing molotov cocktails. These miss Mike and Marcus, but do catch Manny and set him on fire.It’s a wild, over-the-top beat, but a perfectly comical cameo from Khaled.
4Joyner Lucas Appears As A Small-Time Crook
A Second Musician Appears
DJ Khaled isn’t the only musician who throws themselves into the hunt for Mike and Marcus.Joyner Lucas is also one of the criminals who appears on the hunt for Mike and Marcus, appearing briefly during Mike and Marcus' attempt to escape the massive chaos surrounding them. He at least doesn’t seem to suffer the same fate as Manny, meaning he could potentially return in a future film in the series.
This isn’t the first time Smith and Lucas have worked together.Lucas has notably collaborated on music with Will Smith, with the pair appearing alongside together on the “Will (Remix)” track and music video. Similar to Jay Shetty appearing in the film, Lucas' connection to Will Smith likely explains how he got the chance to appear inBad Boys: Ride or Die, highlighting their connection.
