How to watch every 'Bad Boys' film before seeing 'Ride or Die' in theaters

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are back for more buddy cop action-comedy in the fourth installment of the Bad Boys franchise. In 2020, directing duo Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah took the reins from Michael Bay with Bad Boys for Life, which made over $426.5 million at the box office. Now they're bringing us Bad Boys: Ride or Die.

In the fourth film, Miami PD detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett seek to clear the name of the late Captain Conrad Howard (Joe Pantoliano) when he's posthumously accused of corruption. Naturally, we can expect a ton of action and equally as many punchlines. Ride or Die also stars Vanessa Hudgens, Tiffany Haddish, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, and Eric Dane.

Here's a sneak peek:

Considering the newest film comes nearly 30 years after the initial Bad Boys, you might need to revisit the prior films to recall everything that went down. Technically, you could watch Ride or Die without seeing the first two films, but you'll at least want to watch (or rewatch) Bad Boys for Life to get up to speed.

Here's everything you need to know about how to watch the firs three Bad Boys films before heading to the theater.

When does Bad Boys: Ride or Die come out?

The latest Bad Boys film makes its theatrical debut on June 7, 2024. For those keeping track, Ride or Die comes nearly three decades after the initial Bad Boys movie. The first installment hit theaters in 1995, followed by the second in 2003 and third in 2020.

Where can you watch Bad Boys 1-3 online?

Want to catch up on the action from Bad Boys, Bad Boys 2, and Bad Boys for Life before heading to the theaters? Fortunately, all three films are streaming at the same place (unheard of these days!): Hulu. Subscriptions to Hulu begin at $7.99 per month, but there are deals available if you're eligible.

Can you get Hulu for free?

Hulu newbies and some returning subscribers who haven't had an active Hulu account in a while can watch all three Bad Boys films for free using the very convenient 30-day Hulu trial. T-Mobile customers and students also have a couple options to score a free subscription. Keep scrolling to learn more.

Best for most people: Hulu 30-day free trial

It's hard to beat a free 30-day trial. It's rare these days for a streamer to offer trials at all, let alone such a generous one. If you take advantage of the Hulu free trial (valid for new and some returning subscribers), you can easily watch all three Bad Boys films before heading out to the theater for the new one. Should you choose, you can keep your subscription going after the trial for just $7.99 per month for the plan with ads. Cancel before the trial is up and you'll owe nothing.

Best for T-Mobile customers: Hulu (with ads) included for one year

T-Mobile customers, if you're not already on the Go5G Next plan, this might be an incentive to switch. Customers on the Go5G Next plan get Hulu with ads included for no extra cost with their plan — and that's on top of the already stacked lineup of Netflix, Apple TV+, and MLB.tv. Head over to the T-Mobile website and choose "redeem now" to claim your offer if you haven't already. You'll have to enter your T-Mobile number and account details in order to sign up for Hulu. After your initial 12-month promotional period, you'll also have to take action in order to keep your subscription alive.

Best for students: Spotify Premium for Students with Hulu

Students wanting to watch Bad Boys 1-3 have a couple great options. Our favorite way is to sign up for Spotify Premium for Students, which not only offers a generous one-month free trial, but also includes access to Hulu with ads. After the trial period, it'll cost you just $5.99 per month for both Spotify Premium and Hulu. You'll have to actually prove you're a student, of course, by entering your .edu email address into SheerID.

Don't need a Spotify account? You also have the option to sign up for a student account via Hulu on its own for only $1.99 per month. There's no free trial, but you'll be able to watch all three movies for only $2 and then you can cancel at any time. That's 75% off the full cost of Hulu with ads.

Other ways to watch on Hulu

Don't fret if you don't qualify for any of the free options. There's still a way to save on a Hulu subscription, but it will require some commitment — a full year, to be exact. If you're only interested in catching up on the Bad Boys franchise and heading out, you can also just sign up for a single month of Hulu and cancel once you're finished your movie marathon. While you won't technically save any money this way, you won't waste any either. If getting the most bang for your buck is important to you, the Disney Bundle (which includes both Hulu and Disney+ or Hulu, Disney+, and ESPN+) can save you up to 49%. Obviously, you'll pay more overall, but you'll get access to two or three streaming services for one low price. It all comes down to your personal preference.

Best for long-term viewing: Hulu (with ads) annual subscription

Committing to a year of Hulu instead of paying monthly will knock the $7.99 per month cost down to only $6.67 per month. That saves you about 17% by just paying for a year in advance. If you're a new or returning subscriber, you may even qualify for a free month trial, which would then knock the price down to about $6.15 per month for 13 months. Better yet, with a long-term subscription, you can watch a whole lot more than just Bad Boys 1-3.

Best bundle deal: Hulu + Disney+ (with ads)

For those who want more for their money, the Disney Bundle remains one of the best streaming deals around. With the Disney Duo Basic bundle, you'll get access to all the content Hulu and Disney+ have to offer for only $9.99 per month — that's just $2 more than paying for Hulu on its own. Sports fans can also throw ESPN+ into the mix for $12.99 per month with the Disney Trio Basic bundle and save a total of 49%. While this may not be the best option for someone hoping to watch Bad Boys 1-3 and move on, it's definitely a great option for those who want access to the most content possible for the most affordable price.

Other ways to watch the Bad Boys franchise

While a Hulu subscription is the most obvious way to stream all three films, it's certainly not the only way to watch the Bad Boys franchise. For example, the first film is currently streaming on Apple TV+, but the other two aren't. The first two films are also streaming for free on Pluto TV, but the third one isn't. You also have the option of renting or purchasing the films on digital retailers like Prime Video or Apple TV, but it'll cost you.

Here's a brief rundown of everywhere you can watch each film — and how much it will cost.

Bad Boys

• Streaming on Hulu (free trial, then starting at $7.99 per month)

• Streaming on Apple TV+ (free trial, starting at $9.99 per month)

• Streaming on Pluto TV (free)

• For rent at digital retailers ($1.74 at Prime Video)

• For purchase at digital retailers ($5.74 at Prime Video)

Bad Boys 2

• Streaming on Hulu (free trial, then starting at $7.99 per month)

• Streaming on Pluto TV (free)

• For rent at digital retailers ($2.24 at Prime Video, $3.99 at Apple TV)

• For purchase at digital retailers ($5.74 at Prime Video, $7.99 at Apple TV)

Bad Boys for Life

• Streaming on Hulu (free trial, then starting at $7.99 per month)

• For rent at digital retailers ($2.24 at Prime Video, $3.99 at Apple TV)

• For purchase at digital retailers ($5.74 at Prime Video, $7.99 at Apple TV)