Today in “want to feel old?” “no, why I would want that?” news, that long-buzzed about Bad Boys sequel may finally be coming to fruition, neatly tying up the Martin Lawrence- and Will Smith-starring franchise in a big, cop-blue bow, 20 years after the first film hit the big screen. (There, now you feel old.)

The Bad Boys franchise has always been sort of charmingly lackadaisical about pushing out sequels, thanks to the eight-year gap between Bad Boys and Bad Boys II, a move that would likely be unthinkable in our increasingly sequel-crazed Hollywood economy. Rumors of a third film—a trilogy-ender, very Lord Of The Rings—have long persisted, and the assorted talents involved have stoked the gossip fire for years and years.

Back in August, Lawrence himself took to Conan to share that the third film was definitely happening (or, alternately, that he and producer Jerry Bruckheimer just totally talk a lot), with a script in the works and everything. Now Deadline reports that the actually-probably-maybe-happening film might have snagged a new screenwriter and director in one neat, action-packed package. The outlet reports that Joe Carnahan is “in early talks” to board the film, first to do a “quick pass” on a David Guggenheim-penned script, and then possibly to direct the entire feature.

Despite the long lag time between features, Deadline also reports that Sony Pictures now wants to move “quickly” on the project (yes, 20 years is certainly quick) in order to lock Smith in after he completes work on Suicide Squad. Lawrence is presumably available.

Carnahan’s career has been an intensely varied one, thanks to well-regarded actioners like Narc and Smokin’ Aces, a venture into the world of big-screen adaptations with The A-Team, and a foray into Oscar-caliber (or, at least Oscar-buzz-caliber) work with his Liam Neeson-starring The Grey. Carnahan’s last film, the long-delayed Stretch, was shunted onto VOD last year, after Universal Pictures dropped the finished product without much in the way of explanation or ceremony. Since then, he’s been dabbling in television, thanks to stints writing and directing on The Blacklist and State Of Affairs.