Talk of a Men in Black reboot has circulated around Hollywood for years, and there were even rumors of apossible crossover projectinvolving the crew from the21 Jump Streetmovie from 2012. While the crossover film seems to have stalled out, we do have an update on the franchise-revivingMen in Black Internationalmovie, which was recently given its official title.
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The new film is expected to be set within the universe of the original trilogy, but feature a new cast and adventures outside the U.S., where all three of the prior films were set.
WithMen in Black Internationalscheduled to hit theaters in 2019, here’s everything we know about the movie so far.
The official title of the film was finally revealed in December, but not by the studio. During CCXP, Brazil’s largest comic convention,Colliderspotted Sony Pictures’ booth for the film, which featured the titleMen in Black International.
Theofficial Twitter accountfor the franchise was later updated to feature the logo for the movie.
Marvel Studios franchise star Chris Hemsworth (below) will reunite withThor: Ragnarokactress Tessa Thompson inthe film’s lead roles, withTakenstar Liam Neeson also attached toplay a key rolein the film. During production, Hemsworth posted a series of photos from the set of the film onInstagramandTwitterfeaturing himself and Thompson (as well as other members of the cast and crew) in some of the international locations where filming took place.
A post shared by Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)
That’s a wrap on#MIBfor me! From London to Morocco to Italy and NYC. Thanks to all the fantastic cast and crew who took part on this epic journey and our director F.Gary Gray, cheers for the fun times, big laughs and solid memories. Can’t wait to show what we’ve put together.pic.twitter.com/Y2CFbPA6A1
— Chris Hemsworth (@chrishemsworth)June 04, 2025
The only returning character announced will be Agent O, the head of the American branch of the Men in Black organization, who was portrayed by Emma Thompson inMen in Black III. Thompson willreprise her role in some formfor the reboot, providing some continuity between the prior trilogy and the new film.
Just before filming was expected to begin on the movie, severaladditions to the castwere reported.Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdomactor Rafe Spall, Oscar-nominatedThe Big Sickactor Kumail Nanjiani, and street-dancing duo Laurent Nicolas Bourgeois and Larry Nicolas Bourgeois (aka Les Twins) were alladded to the cast.
In August,Mission: Impossible – Falloutactress Rebecca Ferguson (pictured above) alsojoined the projectin an unspecified role, but is rumored to be playing the film’s villain.
Official plot details are scarce, butMen in Black Internationalis expected to feature a new cast of characters existing within the same universe as the first threeMen in Blackfilms, but expanding the story’s focus globally. The initial film will reportedly be centered on London, but will also feature action unfolding elsewhere around the world. Neeson is rumored to be playing the head of the U.K. branch of the alien-investigating agency, similar to the role Rip Torn played as part of the American agency featured in the earlier films.
The script for theMen in Blackspinoff is penned byIron Manwriters Matt Holloway and Art Marcum.
The director
Each installment of the original trilogy ofMen in Blackmovies was helmed by Barry Sonnenfeld, but the new film will have a new face behind the camera, too. The spinoff is set to be directed byFridayandFate of the Furiousdirector F. Gary Gray, who joined the project in February 2018.
The legacy
Original franchise stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jonesaren’t expected to appearin the film, but original franchise producers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald will oversee the project along with executive producer Steven Spielberg, who served a similar role on all three of the prior films.
Despitemixed reviewsfor 2012’sMen in Black 3, theMen in Blackseries is undoubtedly a lucrative proposition, as the first film (released in 1997) grossed nearly $600 million, while the first sequel (2002) reached nearly $500 million.
Updated on July 09, 2025: Added photos and official title for the film.
