Men in Black: International
The Men in Black franchise, famous for its witty humor and alien antics, tried something new with "Men in Black: International." This 2019 spin-off ventured beyond the iconic duo of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, introducing a new generation of agents to protect Earth from cosmic threats. But could fresh faces and a global scale recapture the magic, or would it prove a mission too challenging for even the best in black? The film aimed to revitalize the Men in Black universe with new protagonists and a global setting, but faced high expectations. Significant creative clashes between the director and producer behind the scenes led to a troubled production and multiple script changes. Despite its star power and expansive scope, the film ultimately struggled both critically and financially, failing to resonate with audiences.
AI Summary
The Men in Black franchise, famous for its witty humor and alien antics, tried something new with "Men in Black: International." This 2019 spin-off ventured beyond the iconic duo of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, introducing a new generation of agents to protect Earth from cosmic threats. But could fresh faces and a global scale recapture the magic, or would it prove a mission too challenging for even the best in black?
- The film aimed to revitalize the Men in Black universe with new protagonists and a global setting, but faced high expectations.
- Significant creative clashes between the director and producer behind the scenes led to a troubled production and multiple script changes.
- Despite its star power and expansive scope, the film ultimately struggled both critically and financially, failing to resonate with audiences.
A New Era for Men in Black
In 2019, the beloved Men in Black universe attempted a bold expansion with "MIB: International." Directed by F. Gary Gray, this science fiction action-comedy aimed to introduce new agents to a familiar world, continuing the legacy of the comic book series that started it all. It was the first film in the franchise not to feature the iconic duo of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, signaling a significant shift.
New Faces, Familiar Foes
This new chapter brought together a star-studded cast, with Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson stepping into the roles of the franchise's new leads. Familiar faces like Emma Thompson's Agent O and the fan-favorite Frank the Pug also returned, linking this fresh story to the established lore. Their mission? To uncover a dangerous mole hiding within the very ranks of the Men in Black.
Behind the Scenes: A Troubled Mission
Discussions for a fourth Men in Black film had been swirling since 2012, eventually solidifying with the casting of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson in early 2018. While filming spanned exotic locations from New York to Morocco and London, the production itself was far from smooth. Significant creative differences between director F. Gary Gray and producer Walter F. Parkes created a challenging environment behind the camera.
When "MIB: International" finally premiered in June 2019, it faced a less-than-stellar reception. Critics often cited "lackluster action and a forgettable plot," leading to generally negative reviews. Despite its global ambitions, the film struggled at the box office, ultimately becoming a financial disappointment against its substantial production budget.
Agent M: An Obsessive Path to the MIB
Our story truly begins in 1996, when a young Molly Wright glimpses something extraordinary in her Brooklyn home—an alien. She witnesses her parents being neuralyzed by Men in Black agents but, remarkably, manages to avoid the memory wipe herself. This encounter ignited an unshakeable belief and an almost obsessive quest.
For twenty-three years, Molly’s persistent talk of aliens led to her rejection from conventional government agencies. Undeterred, she eventually tracked an alien landing to its source and followed MIB agents right into their secret New York City headquarters. Her determination and unique ability to evade neuralyzation impressed Agent O, earning her a probationary agent status as "Agent M" and a posting to the London branch.
London Calling: Agent H and High T
Arriving in London, Agent M quickly meets the branch's esteemed head, High T, and the rather charming but seemingly lackadaisical Agent H. She learns of H and T's legendary 2016 triumph at the Eiffel Tower, where they repelled an invasion by the parasitic Hive. However, H now appears indifferent to his duties, maintaining his position largely due to High T's protective guidance.
While on assignment guarding alien royalty Vungus the Ugly—a close friend of H's—their night out takes a deadly turn. They are ambushed by mysterious alien Twins, who manifest as pure energy and fatally wound Vungus. With his dying breath, Vungus entrusts M with a strange crystal and a cryptic warning: H has changed and cannot be trusted.
Agent M, sharp as ever, quickly deduces that Vungus's location was known to very few, pointing to a probable mole within MIB. Nervous about this internal betrayal, High T swiftly assigns the skeptical Agent C and the keen Agent M to investigate. Agent H, meanwhile, is demoted to desk duty, especially after traces of Hive DNA are found on the Twins—a chilling link to H and T's past battle.
Desert Chase and New Allies
Refusing to be sidelined, Agent H persuades M to join him on a lead to Marrakesh. There, they find Pawny, a tiny, endearing alien warrior—the sole survivor of an attack by the Twins—who pledges his unwavering loyalty to Agent M. Their discovery is short-lived, however, as they are soon cornered by MIB agents led by Agent C, who, having seen footage of Vungus passing the crystal to M, now believes she is the mole.
After a daring escape on a rocket-powered bike, H, M, and Pawny learn the crystal is actually a potent weapon, powered by a compressed blue giant. But their efforts to repair the bike are interrupted when their contact, Bassam, steals the weapon, delivering it to H’s formidable ex-girlfriend, Riza Stavros, an notorious alien arms dealer. Infiltrating Riza's island fortress, the trio is captured.
It's here they encounter Riza’s imposing bodyguard, Luca Brasi — who M recognizes as the very alien child she helped escape neuralyzation years ago! In a surprising turn, Luca repays the favor, allowing them to escape with the powerful crystal weapon. Just as they make their getaway, they are cornered by the relentless Twins, only for High T and a squad of MIB agents to suddenly appear and eliminate the threat.
Unmasking the Betrayer
With the Twins eliminated, the case seems closed. But H and M's sharp instincts kick in. They realize the Twins' earlier statements hinted at needing the weapon to fight the Hive, not aid them. Then, they discover High T himself was the sole source of Hive DNA evidence, and he deleted the crucial case file, never sending the weapon for proper processing.
The truth becomes chillingly clear: High T is the mole, now a hybrid host for the very Hive he supposedly defeated. Agent C, realizing the deception, grants H and M permission to pursue him to the Eiffel Tower, where a wormhole is reopening. It's there that M's probing questions finally break through H’s neuralyzed memories, revealing the terrifying truth: during the 2016 battle, High T was converted, and H's memory was wiped clean.
With the High T/Hive hybrid activating a wormhole to unleash the full Hive infestation on Earth, the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. Agent H manages to briefly awaken High T's true personality, creating a vital distraction. This precious moment allows Agent M, with an enthusiastic assist from Pawny, to unleash the crystal weapon’s full power, utterly destroying both the hybrid and the encroaching Hive.
A New Chapter for MIB London
With the galaxy saved and the truth about High T's conversion exposed, Agent O herself arrives in Paris to assess the aftermath. Recognizing Agent M's extraordinary skills and unwavering dedication, she grants her full agent status. Agent H, having faced his own past and proven his mettle once more, is appointed the probationary head of MIB's London branch, ready for a new era under his leadership.
Meet the Agents and Aliens
Beyond the thrilling plot, "MIB: International" assembled a vibrant cast of characters, both human and alien, to populate its expanded universe. Let's meet some of the key players who brought this intergalactic adventure to life.
Character Actor Role Agent H Chris Hemsworth Charming but reckless MIB veteran Agent M Tessa Thompson Determined rookie from Brooklyn High T Liam Neeson Esteemed head of MIB UK Pawny Kumail Nanjiani (voice) Loyal, tiny alien warrior Riza Stavros Rebecca Ferguson Dangerous alien arms dealer Agent C Rafe Spall By-the-book MIB UK agent Agent O Emma Thompson Authoritative head of MIB US Frank the Pug Tim Blaney (voice) Fan-favorite MIB informant
Crafting the MIB World
The journey to the big screen for "MIB: International" began with early casting announcements in 2018, securing Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson as the leads. The script was penned by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway, with veteran producers Laurie MacDonald and Walter Parkes overseeing the project. Even original MIB director Barry Sonnenfeld and Steven Spielberg returned as executive producers, lending their established touch.
Principal photography kicked off in July 2018, transforming diverse real-world locations into the backdrop for alien encounters. From the historic streets of London and the vibrant souks of Marrakesh to the picturesque Aragonese Castle in Ischia, Italy, and the iconic skyline of New York City, the film embraced a truly international scope. Luxurious vehicles like the Lexus RC F and the rugged Rezvani Tank also played their part, blending seamlessly into the MIB's high-tech world.
Bringing the fantastical alien worlds and high-tech gadgets to life required extensive visual effects, handled by industry leaders like Double Negative and Sony Pictures Imageworks. Musically, the franchise's signature sound was maintained, with Danny Elfman returning to compose the score alongside Chris Bacon, ensuring that iconic MIB feel resonated throughout the new adventure.
Turmoil Behind the Camera
Despite its grand vision, the production of "MIB: International" was notoriously difficult, largely marred by a significant power struggle between director F. Gary Gray and veteran producer Walter F. Parkes. This internal conflict intensified when a key Sony executive, who might have mediated, departed the studio during filming, leaving a vacuum of authority.
An initial script draft, praised by Sony and attracting the stars, featured a sharper, edgier tone, even incorporating sociopolitical commentary on immigration. It presented a unique villain: an alien music group inspired by The Beatles, who would merge into a single antagonist for the climax. However, producer Walter Parkes, who held final cut authority, heavily influenced rewrites throughout production.
Parkes' rewrites largely stripped away these modern sensibilities and changed major plot points, often for budget reasons. Actors Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson reportedly received new script pages daily, causing such confusion that they brought in their own writers to refine their dialogue. The clashes extended into post-production, even over details like color correction, and director F. Gary Gray reportedly attempted to exit the production multiple times.
Ultimately, the studio tested two distinct cuts of the film — one championed by director Gray and another by producer Parkes. It was Parkes' version that was ultimately chosen for the theatrical release, a decision that would heavily influence the final critical and commercial outcome.
Rollout and Reception
After a brief delay, "MIB: International" finally landed in theaters on June 14, 2019, following its New York City premiere. Sony invested an estimated $120 million into its marketing and distribution, alongside promotional partnerships with major brands like Lexus and Hamilton Watches, hoping to generate significant buzz.
A notable marketing effort was the extensive partnership with Lexus, whose RC and RX F Sport vehicles were prominently featured in the film. Going a step further, Lexus even designed a unique, alien-inspired spaceship concept based on the sleek body of their RC model, tying the automotive brand directly into the film's sci-fi aesthetic.
A Disappointing Performance
With a production budget between $94-110 million, plus an additional $120 million estimated for marketing, "MIB: International" needed to earn significantly to break even—somewhere between $220-300 million worldwide. Unfortunately, it fell short, grossing a total of $253.9 million globally, marking it as a financial disappointment for the franchise.
In the United States and Canada, the film opened to $30 million, a figure that topped the weekend box office but significantly underperformed expectations. This marked the first time a Men in Black film failed to open above $50 million, a clear sign of waning audience enthusiasm. Its underwhelming debut was attributed to a perceived "dated" franchise, lukewarm critical reviews, and the looming releases of highly anticipated blockbusters like "Toy Story 4" and "Spider-Man: Far From Home."
Internationally, the film opened concurrently in 56 countries, pulling in $73.7 million overseas for a global debut of $102.2 million. While it topped the box office in 36 markets, its performance was notably weak in key Asian territories like China and South Korea, where poor word-of-mouth spread quickly. Despite this, it managed decent openings in countries such as Russia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.
A Critical Miss
Critics largely agreed that "MIB: International" missed the mark. On Rotten Tomatoes, it garnered a meager 23% approval rating, with the consensus lamenting that the film "grinds its stars' substantial chemistry through the gears of a franchise running low on reasons to continue." Metacritic echoed this sentiment, classifying reviews as "generally unfavorable," while audiences, though slightly kinder with a "B" CinemaScore, still gave it the lowest grade of the entire franchise.
Article
Men in Black: International
Men in Black: International (stylized as MIB: International in promotional material) is a 2019 American science fiction action-comedy film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. It is the fourth in the Men in Black film series, based on The Men in Black comic book series, in turn based on the conspiracy theory. It is set in the same universe as the previous films but is the first in the series to feature neither Will Smith nor Tommy Lee Jones. It stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Emma Thompson (reprising her role from the third film), Liam Neeson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, and Les Twins. The film follows the Men in Black taking on its biggest threat: a mole in the agency.
Talks of a fourth Men in Black film began after the release of Men in Black 3 in 2012. In February 2018, Hemsworth signed on to lead a spin-off, Gray was hired to direct, and Thompson joined the cast the following month. Filming took place in New York City, Morocco, Italy and London from July to October 2018. Danny Elfman, who had scored the previous three films, returned to compose the reboot with Chris Bacon. The film was marred by significant production strife between producer Walter F. Parkes and director Gray during the production.
Men in Black: International premiered in New York City on June 11, 2019, and was released in the United States on June 14. The film received generally negative reviews from critics, who criticized the lackluster action and forgettable plot. It grossed $254 million against a $94–110 million production budget.
Plot
Men in Black: International
In 1996 Brooklyn, Molly Wright witnesses her parents being neuralyzed by agents of Men in Black after they see an alien in their home. Molly helps the alien escape, avoiding neuralyzation herself. Twenty-three years later, rejected from government agencies due to her "delusions" regarding alien life, Molly tracks down an alien landing and follows MIB agents to their headquarters in New York City. Caught entering the agency, Molly makes an impression on Agent O after revealing she had bypassed neuralyzation, arguing that her obsessive search for them makes her "perfect" for the job and she has no life outside her search for the agency. She is awarded probationary agent status as "Agent M" and assigned to the organization's London branch.
There, M meets High T, head of the London branch, and Agent H. M learns that H and T fought off an invasion of the Hive, a parasitic race who invade planets by merging with the DNA of the conquered species, at the Eiffel Tower in 2016, using a wormhole included in the original migration to Earth. H has since become unconcerned with his duties and only keeping his job due to High T covering for him. M arranges for herself to be assigned to assist H in his meeting with alien royalty Vungus the Ugly, H's close friend.
During their night out with Vungus, they are accosted by mysterious alien Twins able to manifest as pure energy. The Twins fatally injure Vungus, who gives M a strange crystal before he dies, claiming that H has changed since they last met and cannot be trusted. M points out that few people knew Vungus' location, and he was likely betrayed by one of the agents present when High T assigned H to guard him. Nervous at the possibility of a traitor within MIB, High T assigns Agents C and M to investigate while H is demoted to desk duty, with evidence suggesting that the Twins had DNA traces of the Hive.
H convinces M to join him in following a lead to Marrakesh, where they recover "Pawny", the last survivor of a small group of aliens attacked by the Twins. Pawny pledges loyalty to M, and they are trapped by MIB agents coordinated by C, who recovered video footage of Vungus passing the crystal to M and believes she is the traitor. With the aid of alien contacts Nasr and Bassam, H escapes with M and Pawny on a rocket-powered bike, and they learn that Vungus' crystal is a weapon powered by a compressed blue giant. As they repair the damaged bike, Bassam steals the weapon and takes it to H's ex-girlfriend Riza Stavros, an alien arms dealer. Traveling to Riza's island fortress, the trio attempts to infiltrate the base, but is caught by Riza and her bodyguard Luca Brasi. Luca, the alien M rescued as a child, returns the favor by allowing them to leave with the weapon while he keeps Riza contained. The three are cornered by the Twins, who are killed by High T and a group of agents.
Although the case appears concluded, H and M review the evidence and realize that the Twins' phrases suggest they required the weapon to use against the Hive, especially when the only evidence of Hive DNA was provided by High T. They discover High T has deleted the case file and not sent the weapon to evidence, and has gone to the Eiffel Tower with the weapon. C also realizes High T's deception and allows H and M to follow High T to the Eiffel Tower. As they travel to the reopened wormhole, M's questioning of H's memory of the Hive's defeat reveals he was neuralyzed when the Hive converted T into one of their own during the battle. The High T/Hive hybrid activates a wormhole to draw the Hive to Earth, but H draws out High T's true personality long enough for M, with the help of Pawny, to use the weapon at full capacity to destroy both the hybrid and the Hive infestation trying to reach Earth.
With the truth of T's conversion exposed, Agent O joins H and M in Paris, where she grants M full agent status and appoints H probationary head of MIB's London branch.
Cast
Men in Black: International
• Chris Hemsworth as Henry Brown / Agent H, a top agent in the MIB UK branch and Kevin Brown's son • Tessa Thompson as Molly Wright / Agent M, a rookie MIB recruit assigned to the UK branch • Mandeiya Flory as Young Molly • Liam Neeson as High T, the head of the MIB UK branch • Kumail Nanjiani (voice) as Pawny, a tiny alien warrior that H and M befriend • Rafe Spall as Agent C, a senior MIB agent in the UK branch who is skeptical of H's past • Rebecca Ferguson as Riza Stavros, an alien intergalactic arms dealer and H's ex-girlfriend • Les Twins as the Twins, a shape-shifting alien duo seeking a dangerous artifact • Twin Larry Bourgeois also portrays the human that the Twins kill and base their appearance on • Emma Thompson as Agent O, the head of the MIB US branch who operates out of New York • Kayvan Novak as Vungus the Ugly, a member of an alien royal family and friend of H • Kayvan Novak also portrays Nasr and voices Bassam • Annie Burkin as Nerlene • Tim Blaney as Frank the Pug (voice) • Spencer Wilding as Luca Brasi, an alien mobster who acts as personal bodyguard to Riza Stavros • Marcy Harriell and Inny Clemons cameo as Molly's parents in a flashback • Thom Fountain and Drew Massey as the Worm Guys (voices), worm-like aliens that work for MIB • Stephen Wight as Guy / Stupid guy in a call center next to Molly
Ariana Grande, Elon Musk, and Donald Glover make uncredited cameos as themselves via archival footage as extraterrestrials discovered by MIB.
Production
Development and casting
In February 2018, it was reported that Chris Hemsworth would star in the film, set to be directed by F. Gary Gray. The following month, Tessa Thompson joined the cast. In May 2018, it was reported that Liam Neeson was in talks to star as the head of the agency's UK branch. The film was written by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway and produced by Laurie MacDonald and Walter Parkes. In June 2018, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall and Les Twins (Laurent and Larry Bourgeois) were added to the cast. Danny Elfman, who scored the first three Men in Black films, returned to compose the score with Chris Bacon. Steven Spielberg executive-produced, as he did for the first three MIB entries, along with Barry Sonnenfeld, who directed all the previous films.
Filming
The Aragonese Castle in Ischia was one of the filming locations.
Principal photography began on July 9, 2018, at Leavesden Studios and on location in London, and continued in Marrakesh at the Jemaa el-Fnaa and El Badi Palace, Ischia and the Aragonese Castle, and New York City. Later that month, it was announced that Emma Thompson would reprise her role as Agent O. In August 2018, Rebecca Ferguson joined the cast. On October 17, Hemsworth confirmed that filming had wrapped. The vehicles used in the film were: the Lexus RC F and the Jaguar XJ 6 and the Rezvani Tank
Visual effects
Visual effects were provided by Double Negative, and supervised by Alessandro Ongaro with the help of Rodeo FX, Sony Pictures Imageworks and Method Studios.
Producer/director clash
The film experienced a troubled production due to frequent clashes between director Gray, and producer Parkes, which began when the executive overseeing the project, Sony executive vice president of production David Beaubaire, left the studio in the summer of 2018 and was not replaced.
An early draft of the script, which Sony initially praised, and which received the attention of stars Hemsworth and Thompson, had an edgier tone than the finished film, featuring sociopolitical commentary on the current debate surrounding immigration. The main antagonists were to be an alien music group inspired by the Beatles, with the four members merging into one villain during the climax.
Parkes, who had final cut on the film, had a heavy hand in overseeing rewrites during pre-production and filming, which he and MacDonald claimed were necessary because of the small prep time. The rewrites largely dealt with production/budget constraints (including changing several major locations), punch-ups for the actors, and reconceiving the villains. His new script pages stripped away the early draft's modern sensibilities, and were sent daily to Hemsworth and Thompson, who were both so confused that they hired their own dialogue writers. Parkes also stepped into traditional directing duties, although the Directors Guild of America did not get involved. Parkes and Gray also clashed over the color-correction process in post-production.
Gray tried to exit the production several times but was convinced to stay by Sony. The studio tested two cuts, one by Gray, the other by Parkes, and Parkes' was chosen as the theatrical cut.
Music
Danny Elfman returned to compose International due to having scored the three previous Men in Black films with Chris Bacon, his protégé and fellow composer, working with him on co-producing and arranging his scores as the co-composer.
Release
Theatrical
The film was scheduled for theatrical release on May 17, 2019, but was pushed back to June 14. It premiered in New York City on June 11, 2019.
Marketing
Deadline Hollywood estimated that Sony would spend around $120 million on prints and advertising for the film, a figure considered on the "lower end" for a tentpole feature. They also partnered with several companies to promote it, including Lexus, Hamilton Watches, Zaxby's, Dave & Buster's and Booking.com, for an estimated $75 million worth of advertising.
Lexus partnered with Sony Pictures to feature their vehicles in the film: the RC and RX, both in their F Sport variants. They also designed an alien-looking spaceship based on the body of their RC model.
Home media
The film was released on Digital HD on August 20, 2019, and on Blu-ray, Ultra HD Blu-ray and DVD on September 3, 2019, in the United States.
Reception
Box office
Men in Black: International cost $94–110 million to make plus another estimated $120 million for marketing in addition to ancillary market expenses. It was estimated that it would need to gross $220–300 million worldwide to break even. It grossed $80 million in the United States and Canada, and $173.9 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $253.9 million.
In the United States and Canada, it was released alongside Shaft and the wide expansion of Late Night, and was projected to gross $30–40 million from 4,224 theaters in its opening weekend. It made $10.4 million on its first day, including $3.1 million from Thursday night previews. It went on to debut to $30 million, topping the weekend box office but coming in below expectations, and making it the first film in the series not to open above $50 million. The underwhelming opening was blamed on the dated franchise, poor critical reviews and audience anticipation for other, upcoming big releases Toy Story 4 and Spider-Man: Far From Home. The film fell 64% in its second weekend to $10.7 million, finishing fourth, then made $6.7 million in its third weekend, finishing sixth.
Worldwide, it was released concurrently with the United States in 56 additional countries and was projected to gross $70–85 million, for a worldwide debut of $100–115 million. It ended up making $73.7 million overseas and $102.2 million globally, finishing first in 36 of the markets. It underperformed in Asian countries like China ($26.3 million) and South Korea ($4.9 million) due to poor word-of-mouth, similar to the US, although it finished first in Mexico ($3.9 million), Brazil ($1.8 million), Russia ($5.1 million), the United Kingdom ($3.4 million), Australia ($2.6 million) and France ($2.5 million).
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, Men in Black: International has an approval rating of 23% based on 322 reviews, with an average rating of 4.5/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Amiable yet forgettable, MIB International grinds its stars' substantial chemistry through the gears of a franchise running low on reasons to continue." On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 38 out of 100, based on 51 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, the lowest score of the franchise, while those at PostTrak gave it a 72% overall positive score and a 46% "definite recommend".
Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian called it "Men in Black, making another intensely tiresome and pointless reappearance," and gave the film 1 out of 5 stars. Peter DeBruge of Variety said that "The connection between Tessa Thompson and Hemsworth is what saves the day, not anything their characters do onscreen" and called the film itself "amusing, if uneven." Michael Phillips of the Chicago Tribune gave the film 2.5 out of 4 stars, writing: "Men in Black: International isn't bad; it's an improvement over Men in Black II (2002) and Men in Black 3 (2012), sequels that even its makers may have forgotten. As a species we appear destined to revisit this basic concept and renew the hunt for fresh variations on the zingy, disarming first picture, which brought the Lowell Cunningham comics to the screen so shrewdly and well in 1997."