MEN IN BLACK 3 (2011) - PREVIEW

Men in Black 3 (2011)

Starring: Will Smith (TBC), Tommy Lee Jones (TBC)
Director: TBA
U.S. Opening Date: TBA 2011

Rumors about a third Men in Black movie have been floating around for ages, but it seems more definite when a Sony suit recently mentioned it in the passing by during a public speech. (The comments were made on 1 April 2009. But one can only assume that Sony suits are humourless drones who are not I the habit of playing April fool’s jokes on the public even though that doesn’t explain why it takes the Spider-man 3 disc a full two minutes to load on my Sony BLU-RAY player.) This makes it more or less official.

The question is however: who exactly has been clamouring for a Men in Black 3? Sure, if they can get Will Smith back then it’ll open big. Smith is a megastar and his name is big enough to make a success out of an Ishtar remake – but come on!

The 2002 Men in Black II was a lacklustre, exhausted rehash and there is a reason why a Men in Black 3 wasn’t rushed into production shortly thereafter. Still Sony is probably hoping that (a) short-term nostalgia will make the original Men in Black (released in 1997 – more than a decade ago now!) will make audiences forget just how mediocre Men in Black II was and (b) that the Will Smith brand will cast its normal box office magic.

Point (a) is probably the same strategy the company has for Ghostbusters 3.

Word has it that Smith and Jones will return, but no news yet what the plot will involve and who will write and direct at this stage.

UPDATE (30 October 2009): Etan Cohen who was a writer on Tropic Thunder is going to write a screenplay for Men in Black III.