Bad Boys Writer Chris Bremner Hired for New Men in Black Film Script

Following the successful continuation of the Bad Boys franchise, Sony Pictures is planning to revive another film series starring Will Smith: Men in Black.

Deadline exclusively reported last week that Sony Pictures is developing a new Men in Black movie and has hired screenwriter Chris Bremner (Bad Boys for Life, Bad Boys: Ride or Die) to write the script. While the star of the first three films, Will Smith, has not yet confirmed his return as Agent J, the studio hopes the initial script will include the character, either as a lead or supporting role, allowing Smith to decide on his return at that time. Sony Pictures released the third Bad Boys film, Bad Boys for Life, in 2020, which saw Will Smith return to the series after 17 years. He then starred in the fourth installment, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, last year. Chris Bremner wrote both of these successful films. Furthermore, Smith's next film, Fast & Loose, is also reportedly written by Bremner. This relationship raises hopes that Bremner can similarly persuade Smith to return to the Men in Black franchise.

The first Men in Black film was released in 1997, adapted from the comic of the same name. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, it starred Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Rip Torn. The studio followed up with two sequels in 2002 and 2012, both directed by Sonnenfeld and starring Jones and Smith. These three films collectively grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide, with each installment ranking in the top ten box office hits of its release year. In 2019, the studio released Men in Black: International, directed by F. Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious) and starring MCU actors Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson. However, the film received worse reviews than the original trilogy and was a box office disappointment, grossing only about $250 million. This performance is likely why the studio is eager to bring back Will Smith for the next installment.

Will Smith has long been considered a bankable box office star. His films in the last decade, such as Suicide Squad and Aladdin, grossed $750 million and $1 billion, respectively. His two most recent Bad Boys films each grossed over $400 million. In 2022, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richard. However, on the same night, he slapped presenter Chris Rock on stage after perceiving a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, as offensive. He subsequently resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and was banned from attending Academy events, including the Oscars, for 10 years.

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Photo: Sony Pictures

Source: Deadline