in its second weekend and $17.7 million in its third, remaining in first place both times. The film's release in China was delayed following the country's movie theater closures that began in January 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bad Boys For Life was eventually released in China on August 14, 2020, grossing $3.2 million in its first weekend. After the easing of initial restrictions in the US, the film was released in three Santikos Theatres locations in San Antonio, Texas on May 1, 2020. Critical response IndieWire described reviews for Bad Boys for Life as "mostly positive", while Screen Rant stated the critics were "generally positive". The review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes reported an approval rating of based on reviews, and an average rating of . The website's critics consensus reads: "Loaded up with action and a double helping of leading-man charisma, Bad Boys for Life reinvigorates this long-dormant franchise by playing squarely to its strengths." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 59 out of 100, based on 46 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "A" on an A+ to F scale, equivalent to the first two films. PostTrak reported an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars, with 73% of their respondents saying they would definitely recommend it. Todd McCarthy of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that "the third time really is the charm," and added, "The two directors roll with ease between raucous comedy and raw drama, to considerable effect, just as they crank up the tension on any number of occasions, occasionally with palpably visceral impact." David Ehrlich of IndieWire gave the film a "B" grade, calling it a "fun, explosive, and even thoughtful action movie," and wrote, "Bad Boys for Life doesn't aim to raise the bar on its genre or rewrite the blockbuster rulebook, but it's a blast watching Lawrence and Smith revisit these characters and find a sensible place for them in the current Hollywood landscape." Accolades Sequel Following the opening weekend box-office success of the film, Sony announced plans for a fourth installment, with Chris Bremner returning to write the script. In April 2022, it was reported that development for the fourth film was being put on hold in light of the incident with Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards ceremony.