Old franchises just won’t stay down in Hollywood these days, even when they’re really not that old. The first
Men in Black flick—teaming Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as government agents who police and monitor extraterrestrial activity on Earth—was released in the summer of 1997. The Barry Sonnenfeld flick was a hit, and, to my young mind at the time, was reminiscent of the original
Ghostbusters film with its blend of action, comedy and bizarre creatures. Like
Ghostbusters, the film spawned an animated series, toys and a lesser sequel that never quite lived up to the original. When the second
Men in Black film landed with a resounding thud in 2002, most of us suspected the series had run its course. But according to Sonnenfeld, it hasn’t.
The director recently told
Showbiz 411 that Smith and Jones are confirmed for
Men in Black 3, which could hit theaters as early as next summer.
MTV’s Splash Page blog reports that the film was greenlit in October, and that
Tropic Thunder scribe Etan Cohen is attached to write it. The film is rumored to revolve around Smith’s character, Agent J, going back in time and teaming with another version of Jones’ character, Agent K.
Oh, and the movie’s apparently going to be in 3D, but you probably saw that coming.
It’s official: Sony Pictures announced on May 7 that Men in Black 3 will be released on May 25, 2012. Series star Will Smith (Agent J) has already signed on for the 3D film along with Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed the original film and its lesser sequel. The studio is in talks to sign Men in Black veteran Tommy Lee Jones as well as Josh Brolin, who would play a younger version of Jones’ Agent K character.