Sony Pictures is initiating a new attempt to revive its $1.9 billion Men in Black sci-fi comedy franchise, tapping a proven hand at franchise revitalization. Chris Bremner, the screenwriter responsible for the successful relaunch of the Bad Boys series with Bad Boys for Life (2020) and Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024), has been hired to pen the script for the next installment.
The move signals an intention by the studio to bring the franchise back to its roots, specifically aiming to lure back its original star.
The Return of Agent J? Will Smith’s Involvement Contingent on Script
The new Men in Black project is currently in the early stages of development, with no director or other actors attached. However, the biggest question revolves around the potential return of Will Smith as the iconic Agent J.
Sources close to the project indicate that the primary goal is to include Agent J in the new story. To this end, Bremner’s completed script will reportedly be delivered to Smith first, in the hopes that he will reprise his role. Smith, who has a successful working relationship with Bremner on the Bad Boys films, is currently not attached and will not commit to the project until he has reviewed the final screenplay.
The nature of Smith’s potential return is flexible. The character could be featured in a starring capacity or in a supporting, “passing-the-torch” role, similar to the trajectory of Sylvester Stallone in the Creed franchise.
Bremner’s Track Record of Revitalization
The decision to hire Bremner comes after his critical success in re-energizing the Bad Boys franchise, which had been dormant for years before Bad Boys for Life became a global box office hit. Bremner is recognized for his ability to blend action, comedy, and buddy-cop dynamics, a tone essential to the original Men in Black trilogy.
Bremner’s connection to Smith is also a factor, as the writer also penned Smith’s upcoming action-thriller, Fast and Loose.
Franchise History
The Men in Black franchise, based on the Lowell Cunningham comic book series, began in 1997 starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The first three films, which featured both actors, collectively grossed over $1.6 billion worldwide.
The last theatrical effort, the 2019 soft reboot Men in Black: International, starring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, underperformed both critically and commercially, failing to reignite the series. By tapping a writer with a strong history of reviving successful comedy-action franchises and by actively courting Will Smith’s return, Sony is clearly hoping to correct course and recapture the magic that made the original films blockbusters.
Sources:
https://deadline.com/2025/12/new-men-in-black-movie-bad-boys-for-life-writer-1236636023/
https://hypebeast.com/2025/12/sony-pictures-men-in-black-5-in-the-works-news
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