Marcus Burnett’s life is in serious jeopardy duringBad Boys: Ride or Die, raising questions about where his two sons are. Martin Lawrence’s character in theBad Boysmovies has always been closely tied to his family.His wife, Teresa, and their three kids were key parts of the franchise’s first two installmentsas Marcus balanced being a cop with his duties as a father and husband. But by the timeBad Boys for LifeandBad Boys: Ride or Diecame, Marcus and Teresa were practically empty nesters after their daughter, Megan, got married and started a family of her own.
Megan and her husband Reggie are amongBad Boys 4’s returning characters, as they and Teresa remain vital parts of Marcus' life. This proves to be more crucial when Marcus has a mild heart attack that puts him in a coma.Bad Boys: Ride or Dieis all about familyin some ways, as Mike Lowrey gets married and Captain Howard’s daughter and granddaughter factor into the story too. It’s that emphasis that makes two ofBad Boys 4’s missing charactersall the more glaring. The whereabouts of Marcus' two sons are completely ignored.
Themystery of what happened to Marcus and Theresa’s sons, Quincy and James, afterBad Boys IIbegan withBad Boys for Life, as the two boys were strangely missing from the film. This was notable at the time since there were two major events that they probably should have been around for: Megan and Reggie’s wedding and the birth of Megan and Reggie’s baby. After not being around for the last movie,Bad Boys: Ride or Dieis also missing Marcus' sons.
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Not only are Quincy and James Burnett completely absent fromBad Boys: Ride or Die, but they are also not even mentioned or referenced. That is worse than how the movie treated Marcus' sister, as at leastBad Boys 4referenced Gabrielle Union’s Sydney. Instead of getting a vague shoutout,the franchise acts like Marcus does not even have any other children besides Megan. Reggie assumes a spot as the new man of the house when Marcus can’t, which otherwise could have been a role for one of his sons to take.
Quincy & James Should Have Been There For Their Dad
The decision not to bring Marcus' sons back forBad Boys: Ride or Diehas not been explained by anyone involved in the film. But, the potential oversight or purposeful absent roles are made worse by the movie’s actual story.A key part of the plot is Marcus recovering from his heart attackand coma. This puts some extra stress on his family as they look to care for him and help him recover as needed. The responsibility falls on Theresa, Megan, Reggie, and Mike and his new bride, Christine.
Why Theresa Randle Was Recast For Bad Boys: Ride Or Die
Theresa Randle became synonymous with the character of Theresa Burnett in the Bad Boys series, but did not appear in Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
Quincy and James really should have been inBad Boys 4to visit their father when he was recoveringfrom a near-fatal heart attack. The movie emphasizes the care that Marcus' wife, daughter, and best friend have for his well-being after this moment. By leaving out Marcus' sons, the film also indicates that Quincy and James do not have that same level of care. That’s a stark contrast to how Marcus' relationship with his sons is portrayed in the original movies, which makes the fact that they don’t visit in this moment all the more pivotal.
The continued absence of Marcus' sons in the recentBad Boysmovies suggests a heartbreaking outcome for the Burnett family. It would appear thatMarcus is no longer as close with his sons as he once was. There is no information given inBad Boys 3orBad Boys 4as to why this could be, but the sons' actions - or lack thereof - speak for themselves. They’ve had multiple opportunities to be there for their family, includingBad Boys: Ride or Die’s ending, and have failed to do so.
There is always the chance that Quincy and James moved out of Miami and were too busy with their individual lives to come back for the major family events, so perhaps the fallout between Marcus and his sons is not as severe as it could be. However, the uncertainty around the situation also means that something as dark as both sons dying betweenBad Boys IIandBad Boys for Lifeis possible. SinceBad Boys: Ride or Dieonly adds to the mystery of where Marcus' sons are, a future installment will be needed to resolve this question.
