Time to grab those sunglasses! Sony Pictures has enlisted Chris Bremner, the screenwriter behind “Bad Boys For Life” and “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” to pen a script for a fifth installment in the “Men in Black” franchise.
It’s still uncertain whether Will Smith or Tommy Lee Jones will reprise their roles as Agent J and Agent K, the alien-hunting duo who starred in three of the franchise’s four previous films. However, Bremner’s involvement might be particularly appealing to Smith, who also starred in the two “Bad Boys” movies he wrote. Sony previously attempted to reboot the series with 2019’s “Men in Black: International,” featuring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson as new agents. Unfortunately, the film underperformed commercially, earning $253.9 million against a production budget over $100 million. Despite this, Sony clearly believes the property retains value, as the franchise has collectively grossed over $1.9 billion.
Bremner has also written “The Man From Toronto,” a mistaken identity comedy starring Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson, which premiered on Netflix in 2022. Additionally, he wrote “Fast & Loose,” a Netflix film expected to star Will Smith. The original “Men in Black” debuted in 1997 shortly after “Independence Day,” and its success helped launch a blockbuster franchise with sequels in 2002 and 2012. Smith’s company, Westbrook, recently announced a deal with Paramount, though the actor has been relatively low-profile since the controversy surrounding his Oscar slap.
Bremner is represented by WME and Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment.
Sony has not commented on this report. Deadline was the first to report that a new “Men in Black” movie is in development.
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