'Bad Boys 4' in works at Sony

A fourth part in Will Smith and Martin Lawrence's Bad Boys franchise is already being developed at Sony, with Chris Bremner writing the script.

The news comes ahead of the release of the franchise's third movie Bad Boys for Life, which reunites the two actors after a gap of 17 years.

The threequel features Smith and Lawrence reprising their fan-favourite characters of detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett, respectively.

It is a follow-up to the franchise's previous two entries -- Bad Boys (1995) and Bad Boys II (2003).

Bremner shares a screenplay credit on Bad Boys for Life with Peter Craig and Joe Carnahan, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The scribe, meanwhile, is also working on Disney's much-awaited National Treasure 3, which will see Nicolas Cage returning as treasure hunter Benjamin Franklin Gates.

Jerry Bruckheimer, who has produced Bad Boys for Life, will also finance National Treasure 3.