'Bad Boys 3' coming soon with 'Safe House' writer in talks to pen script, Will Smith & Martin Lawrence returning?

It looks as though we might be treated to a Bad Boys 3 movie in the near future according to reports of a writer being hired for the action franchise's next installment. The popular buddy-cop series starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence could be returning to theaters and the script could be penned by Safe House writer David Guggenheim. Currently in negotiations with Sony Picture, Guggenheim could be the film's screenwriter but will Michael Bay return as director and will we have our stars, too?

Deadline reports:

"The mantra behind Sony Pictures' recent restructure that brings in Michael De Luca as production co-president was to make higher quality tent poles. That means spending money on hot writers. I'm told the studio is in early talks with David Guggenheim to script Bad Boys 3, which the studio hopes will bring back Will Smith and Martin Lawrence as fast-talking undercover cops who solve crimes with spectacular action, gunplay, and harsh language. Guggenheim scripted Safe House, the Denzel Washington-Ryan Reynolds action thriller."

The website also points our that Michael Bay directed both the original film and its immensely successful sequel, but there is no word on whether or not he'll return for this new project. Clearly fans of the series would notice the lack of Bay's style in the series, so we're hoping that he jumps on board soon.

Maybe the most important piece to this puzzle is getting the films' stars back for the third movie. Without Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, this new installment won't work. Hopefully this does not turn into a reboot with new stars.