Men In Black, the smash hit sci-fi franchise starting Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, is getting the reboot treatment. The first movie was released in 1997, and was a huge box office hit. The combination of Smith and Jones' chemistry, the comedy script, and the alien horror all combined to deliver a fun, quirky movie which audiences loved. Its sequel, Men In Black II, didn't fare quite as well, and franchise fatigue had well and truly set in by the time Men In Black III arrived in 2012.

The franchise has been on hold ever since then, but now a reboot/ spinoff movie has been announced, set for release in 2019. Here's every update you need.

  • Release Date: June 14, 2019
  • Cast: Tessa Thompson, Chris Hemsworth, Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, Emma Thompson, Rafe Spall, Kumail Nanjiani
  • Director: F. Gary Gray
  • Writers: Matt Holloway, Art Marcum

Related: 15 Secrets You Didn’t Know About The Men In Black Movies

The Men In Black Spinoff Has Found Its Cast

Thor and Valkyrie in Hulk's bedroom in Thor: Ragnarok

News that Men In Black was getting a spinoff was met with a mixed reaction. On the one hand, the franchise was always a lot of fun, and fans were always hoping for more. On the other, a Men In Black spinoff without Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones? Would it ever work? Then the new cast was announced, and all things considered, the untitled Men In Black spinoff could end up being another big hit for Sony. Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson were the first stars to be announced in leading roles. We've already seen them together on screen in Thor: Ragnarok, and we know that not only do they share great chemistry, they're also both good at comedy. Hemsworth also showed his comedy chops in the Ghostbusters reboot. The movie itself might have been a flop, but Hemsworth played Kevin, the dim-witted secretary, to perfection.

In the Men In Black spinoff, Hemsworth will play Agent H, said to be a suave yet goofy British agent, while Thompson will play Molly, a young woman who wants to join the MIB. Joining Hemsworth and Thompson in a leading role, is Liam Neeson. The trio will play the main MIB agent crew, with Neeson said to be the head of the MIB base in London.

Kumail Nanjiani also joins the roster, but not as a MIB agent. Instead, he will play a comedic alien sidekick named Pawny. The character is said to be wise-cracking and sex-driven. Given Nanjiani's comedy pedigree, it's likely he'll really deliver in the role. Rafe Spall is also on the cast list. There's no word on his character, or how big his role will be, but it could well be that we'll see him taking on another villain after his turn in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Rebecca Ferguson has also been cast in an as-yet unspecified role, though it's thought she will play a significant part in the movie. Another villain to team up with Spall, perhaps?

Thus far, the only actor returning from the original franchise, is Emma Thompson. She'll reprise her role as Agent O, the same part she played in Men In Black III. As the chief of the whole MIB organization, Thompson's appearance will be a strong link back to the original franchise.

Related: Men in Black Spinoff & Doctor Sleep Add Rebecca Ferguson in Key Roles

F. Gary Gray Directs The Men In Black Spinoff

F Gary Gray set photo

F. Gary Gray has enjoyed a long career as a director of movies and music videos. His big break, though, came in 2015 with Straight Outta Compton. He followed that up with The Fate of the Furious- a movie that went on to haul $1.2 billion worldwide. That firmly set Gray apart as a director of note, and it's a very promising sign that he's now at the helm of rebooting one of the most popular movie franchises of the 90's/00's. He's already proven himself as a talented action movie director, and he's also strong on character driven movies, as Straight Outta Compton proved. All things point to Gray being a great choice to direct Men In Black.

Production Has Already Started on Men In Black

F. Gary Gray Fast and Furious 8

With a 2019 release date, and plenty of time needed for special effects, it will come as no surprise to learn that production is already well underway for the Men In Black spinoff. Gray will direct from a script by Iron Man screenwriters Matt Holloway and Art Marcum, and Stephen Spielberg will serve as executive producer.

We've already had our first look at Hemsworth in his suit, and filming has been taking place in London. However, that's not going to be the only city featured in the movie. Hemsworth has said to expect multiple cities to be used in the movie, and added that he hopes the finished movie will be "epic" and "unique," in keeping with the original franchise.

Related: Chris Hemsworth Wants Men in Black Reboot To Be 'Epic'

Is It A Spinoff Or A Reboot?

Emma Thompson as Agent O in Men in Black 3

Emma Thompson will serve as the main link between the original franchise and the new spinoff movie. While it's easy to bill this as a reboot, that would imply more of a connection to the original movies in the franchise, but it seems that Sony are keen to follow in the footsteps of  Disney with their Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle sequel/spinoff - that is, to create something that's in a similar vein, but still markedly different from the original.

For a start, it looks as though neither Smith or Jones will appear, and if they do, it's not likely to be anything more than a brief cameo. Then there are the (admittedly vague) plot details released, which says that Hemsworth's Agent H and Tessa Thompson's Molly (to become Agent M, no doubt), become involved in a murder mystery that sees them traveling the globe. So the biggest difference so far, apart from the movie having a female lead included, is the change of location. There are sure to be some fun nods to the original, and most likely some Easter eggs thrown in for good measure, but this Men In Black will be the new beginning of an old franchise.

The Jump Street Crossover Isn't Happening

MIB 23 Jump Street Men in Black

Remember the idea that Jump Street and Men In Black could come together as a crossover movie? If you don't, let us remind you. For some time, it was rumored that Sony were keen to reunite Jump Street stars Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, and crossover with MIB, with new special agents being cast. The movie had an official title, MIB 23, and it was even rumored that James Bobin (The Muppets) was set to direct. However, nothing has ever come to fruition on that, and this new Men In Black spinoff is not in any way related to the Jump Street crossover idea.

There Is No Trailer For Men In Black Yet

Keep checking back: we'll update this page as soon as it's released.

Men In Black Has a Teaser Poster

There is a Men In Black Teaser poster, even though the movie doesn't yet have an official title. Here's hoping we'll find out more soon!

Other Upcoming Movies

More: Men in Black Spinoff Teaser Poster & Reported Plot Details Revealed

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