Sometimes in order to re-explore a property on the big screen, it's necessary to completely reboot it, but other times it's possible to tell a brand-new tale with a fresh cast of characters within the same continuity. Jurassic World did that with the Jurassic Park series, and Men in Black is gearing up to do the same with its upcoming spinoff. Earlier this month, it was reported that Chris Hemsworth was in negotiations to star in the new Men in Black movie, and now there's word that when his deal closes, he'll reunite with his Thor: Ragnarok costar, Tessa Thompson.
Four months after the world saw her join the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Valkyrie in Thor: Ragnarok, THR dropped the news that Tessa Thompson will star in the new Men in Black movie. While no details were provided about Thompson's character, she'll join Chris Hemsworth as one of the finely-dressed agents working for MIB, the government organization that keeps Earth safe from alien threats. The new Men in Black movie will also be more of an ensemble piece rather than a duo-centric story like in the Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones days, and it will supposedly be more global in scope.
Tessa Thompson's acting work includes movies like Dear White People, Selma and Creed, while her TV resume includes Veronica Mars, 666 Park Avenue and Copper. Along with currently reprising Bianca for Creed 2, she stars as Charlotte Hale in the HBO series Westworld. It's safe to say that Thor: Ragnarok has been her Thompson's biggest cinematic appearance yet, and this Men in Black spinoff will help with strengthening her blockbuster career. Of course, with Thompson reuniting with Chris Hemsworth, I can't help but hope that other Ragnarok actors are added to this spinoff. Maybe Jeff Goldblum could take over as the new Agent Zed, a.k.a. the head of MIB, and Taika Waititi could succeed Tony Shalhoub as the alien shopkeeper who the agents visit to acquire information about shady extraterrestrial dealings.
Although the Men in Black spinoff will take place in the same continuity that the first Men in Black movies were set in, don't expect to see Will Smith's Agent J or Tommy Lee Jones' Agent K to appear. This new movie is intended to relaunch the franchise, building off what the original trilogy did and blazing a path for new agents to leave their own special mark. The spinoff was one of several projects considered to keep the film series going after Men in Black 3, with others including a direct Men in Black 4 follow-up and a crossover with the 21 Jump Street films.
Directed by The Fate of the Furious' F. Gary Gray and written by Matt Holloway and Art Marcum, the Men in Black spinoff hits theaters on June 14, 2019. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates on how the movie is progressing. In the meantime, you can still see Tessa Thompson in theaters playing Josie Radek in Annihilation, and don't forget to browse through our 2018 release schedule to learn what other movies come out this year.
