Will Smith could quickly be dusting off his black swimsuit and shades as Sony Pictures appears to reboot the Men in Black franchise with the actor again within the combine. The studio has enlisted Bad Boys for Life screenwriter Chris Bremner to draft a brand new installment, hoping to reignite the sci-fi collection by banking on Smith’s latest field workplace rebound.

The resolution follows Smith’s theatrical comeback with Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which pulled in $56 million in its June 2024 opening weekend. It marked his first main launch for the reason that 2022 Oscars incident and confirmed audiences are nonetheless turning out for the Hollywood veteran.

Sony’s transfer mirrors the method that labored for the Bad Boys sequels, each penned by Bremner. Together, Bad Boys for Life and Ride or Die raked in additional than $837 million globally, proving the author is aware of construct crowd-pleasing motion comedies round Smith’s star energy.

Bremner has turn into an everyday collaborator for Smith, additionally writing the upcoming Netflix thriller Fast and Loose, which is anticipated to be the actor’s subsequent undertaking. His familiarity with Smith-led tales made him an apparent decide to tackle the subsequent Men in Black chapter.

The original Men in Black trilogy, which paired Smith with Tommy Lee Jones, earned almost $2 billion worldwide between 1997 and 2012. But the 2019 reboot, Men in Black: International, which starred Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, failed to attach with audiences and introduced in solely $253 million globally.

That underperformance prompted Sony to rethink its method. This time, executives need Smith concerned from the beginning, whether or not in a lead or mentor function, much like Sylvester Stallone’s place within the Creed movies. The objective is to revive continuity with the unique trilogy by bringing again Agent J in some type.

While no plot particulars have been launched, the studio plans to ship Smith the script as soon as Bremner finishes the draft. Smith has not formally signed on however is anticipated to think about the undertaking after studying the screenplay.

The timing aligns with Smith’s ongoing picture rebuild. His latest success with Ride or Die and upcoming Netflix titles counsel studios are assured in his skill to attract crowds once more. Sony is betting that his return might flip a dangerous franchise revival right into a box-office hit.

Producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, who’ve been connected to each Men in Black movie, are more likely to return. Steven Spielberg can also be anticipated to remain on as government producer, sustaining continuity behind the scenes.

Sony’s technique displays a broader Hollywood development of reviving legacy franchises with unique stars as an alternative of ranging from scratch. With Smith’s return, the studio hopes to keep away from the pitfalls of its final reboot and recapture the magic that made the unique trilogy a worldwide hit.

Bremner’s involvement indicators Sony’s intent to prioritize storytelling over pace. His monitor report with Smith suggests the studio is aiming for a sensible, commercially viable reboot quite than a rushed sequel.

Smith’s resolution will possible come after Bremner delivers the script, which is at the moment in growth.

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