Miami On Star Watch As Will Smith, Martin Lawrence Film 'Bad Boys 3'
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Miami is on star watch as 'Bad Boys 3' begins filming across the Magic City.
CBS4 cameras captured one of the stars of the film, Will Smith, on the set outside the Broadmoor Hotel on 7450 Ocean Terrace Wednesday morning.
The filming will continue at the Broadmoor Hotel through Friday April 6, according to film permits filed with the City of Miami Beach.
The scenes being shot there include "interior and exterior fight scenes with simulated gunfire and other special effects." There is also a permit through April 6 for Collins Avenue between 41st and 87th Streets.
WEB EXTRA: Will Smith On Set Of 'Bad Boys 3' In Miami Beach
On Friday April 5 and Monday April 8, the crew is set to film at Jose Marti Park at 351 SW Fourth Street in Little Havana between 3am and midnight each day. There will be filming in the gym, the pool area and the dance room.
The City of Miami permit states the scenes will include "simulated gunfire and gunshot wounds."
Several streets around the park will shut down Thursday as well as on Sunday and Monday.
The closures are SW 5th Street between SW 4th and 3rd Avenues and SW 3rd Avenue between SW 6th and 5th Streets, Friday through Monday. The park and surrounding streets will be open Saturday, the off day for cast and crew.
The following weekend, the filming will cause some traffic headaches for anyone driving to or from Miami Beach as the westbound lanes of the MacArthur Causeway shut down on April 14 between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. There will also be intermittent closures on the eastbound lanes. Motorists are being asked to use the Venetian Causeway or the Julia Tuttle Causeway to get between the mainland and Miami Beach during this time.
This is the second time the filming of a 'Bad Boys' movie has shut down the MacArthur Causeway. It happened during the filming of 'Bad Boys 2' in 2002 during a wild explosive car chase scene. It was a thriller on screen, but the headlines were all about the standstill traffic for days .
WEB EXTRA REWIND: Filming Of 'Bad Boys 2' In 2002 Caused MacArthur Causeway Chaos
WEB EXTRA REWIND: From 2002, Filming Of 'Bad Boys 2' In Miami Beach
South Florida film industry folks and those at the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau are happy to see big budget films shooting again in town despite the state shutting down tax incentives a few years back.
"The fact that we have film and production returning to Miami with a big movie, we are very excited as a Convention and Visitors Bureau. There is tremendous economic impact from our understanding. In 8 days they will be spending an estimated 10 million dollars," said Rolando Aedo, Chief Marketing Officer at The GMCVB.
WEB EXTRA: Raw Video From The Filming Of 'Bad Boys 3' In Miami Beach
You should also remember the movie set is not accessible to the public, but there are still onlookers who managed to catch a glimpse of the A-list stars and they don't mind enduring some street closures and inconveniences.
"I'm not from here, I'm from Argentina, so it's a good opportunity to see something fun here. It's very exciting," said a fan named Teana.
"It's just amazing how so many people sit around for so long and nothing happens and then boom it breaks loose and a lot happens," said fan Doreen Hyman.
"Did you see Will Smith?" asked CBS4's Lisa Petrillo. "No, I Saw Martin Lawrence and I'm staking it out," she said.
"A lot of people are complaining saying they are blocking the streets. Come on. Miami should be a film hub, It's such a beautiful place. We should support the arts here and it's so wonderful here on camera," said onlooker Victor Altomare.
'Bad Boys 3' or 'Bad Boys For Life' once again stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence who are reprising their roles as Miami narcotic detectives Mike Lowrey and Marcus Burnett.
The new installment centers on the Miami PD and its elite AMMO team's attempt to take down the head of a major drug cartel who is trying to kill Lowrey.
The movie, which also stars Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig and DJ Khaled, is set for a 2020 release.