Deadline reports that writer and director Joe Carnahan (Narc, Blacklist, The Grey, A-Team) is looking to make a couple of rewrites on current incarnation of the Bad Boys 3 script, which could lead to him directing the film as well. It had been apparent that Michael Bay might have to be replaced as director, as Sony had been looking to fast track the project. They report this could be the next project for Will Smith once he wraps-up shooting Suicide Squad, with Martin Lawrence also on board.
Sony needs to get this going before Will Smith dips and exits the project, I think this franchise would be in good hands with Carnahan who can pull-off that Bay level of humor. Joe also knows gritty crime sagas, something that the series has been missing and I’d hope an R-rating would allow him to go a bit darker with the villains, since they’ve been a bit more cartoonish parodies of what we’ve seen before. It also makes sense when Furious 7 is making over a billion dollars to put out a film that speaks to that demographic.
SOURCE: DEADLINE