Will Smith may soon be dusting off his black suit and shades as Sony Pictures looks to reboot the Men in Black franchise with the actor back in the mix. The studio has enlisted Bad Boys for Life screenwriter Chris Bremner to draft a new installment, hoping to reignite the sci-fi series by banking on Smith’s recent box office rebound.
The decision 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 major release since the 2022 Oscars incident and showed audiences are still turning out for the Hollywood veteran.
Sony’s move mirrors the formula that worked for the Bad Boys sequels, both penned by Bremner. Together, Bad Boys for Life and Ride or Die raked in more than $837 million globally, proving the writer knows how to build crowd-pleasing action comedies around Smith’s star power.
Bremner has become a regular collaborator for Smith, also writing the upcoming Netflix thriller Fast and Loose, which is expected to be the actor’s next project. His familiarity with Smith-led stories made him an obvious pick to take on the next Men in Black chapter.
The original Men in Black trilogy, which paired Smith with Tommy Lee Jones, earned nearly $2 billion worldwide between 1997 and 2012. But the 2019 reboot, Men in Black: International, which starred Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, failed to connect with audiences and brought in only $253 million globally.
That underperformance prompted Sony to rethink its approach. This time, executives want Smith involved from the start, whether in a lead or mentor role, similar to Sylvester Stallone’s position in the Creed films. The goal is to restore continuity with the original trilogy by bringing back Agent J in some form.
While no plot details have been released, the studio plans to send Smith the script once Bremner finishes the draft. Smith has not officially signed on but is expected to consider the project after reading the screenplay.
The timing aligns with Smith’s ongoing image rebuild. His recent success with Ride or Die and upcoming Netflix titles suggest studios are confident in his ability to draw crowds again. Sony is betting that his return could turn a risky franchise revival into a box-office hit.
Producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, who have been attached to every Men in Black film, are likely to return. Steven Spielberg is also expected to stay on as executive producer, maintaining continuity behind the scenes.
Sony’s strategy reflects a broader Hollywood trend of reviving legacy franchises with original stars instead of starting from scratch. With Smith’s return, the studio hopes to avoid the pitfalls of its last reboot and recapture the magic that made the original trilogy a global hit.
Bremner’s involvement signals Sony’s intent to prioritize storytelling over speed. His track record with Smith suggests the studio is aiming for a smart, commercially viable reboot rather than a rushed sequel.
Smith’s decision will likely come after Bremner delivers the script, which is currently in development.