Emma Thompson has boarded the cast of the upcomingMen in Black 4spin-off. The two-time Oscar-winning actress will reprise her role as Agent O, which she previously played in 2012’sMen in Black3.Emma Thompsonjoins a mostly new cast that is headlined by Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, who reunite as the new agents we’ll track on this adventure following their team-up in 2017’sThor: Ragnarok.
This is a particularly important bit of casting when it comes to thisMen in Blackspin-off. Though Sony has been pretty clear that this isn’t an outright reboot, without the presence of Will Smith or Tommy Lee Jones, it was difficult to know for sure if this new movie was going to have any actual ties to the previous three movies. Indeed, having Emma Thompson back as Agent O will provide the glue that connectsMen in Black4 to its predecessors. This also opens the door for Smith or Jones to possibly return at a later date, assuming this reboot does well enough to warrant another sequel.
The cast for the reboot also includes Kumail Nanjiani, who stars in HBO’sSilicon Valleyand starred in last year’s critically-acclaimed comedyThe Big Sick, which he co-wrote alongside his wife Emily V Gordon. Nanjiani is said to be playing an alien sidekick, but that’s about all that has been revealed so far. Liam Neeson, who became an unlikely action star withTakena decade ago, is alsoamong the franchise newcomers, withJurassic World: Fallen Kingdomstar Rafe Spall also on board in an as-of-yet undisclosed role.Chris Hemsworth previously was glimpsed in photos from the setas filming got underway in London.
F. Gary Gray is in the director’s chairfor the spin-off, who most recently directedThe Fate of the Furious, which grossed more than $1 billion in 2017. Gray also previously helmed movies likeThe Italian JobandStraight Outta Compton. All three of the previousMen in Blackmovies were directed by Barry Sonnenfeld. The script for the spin-off comes from Matt Holloway and Art Marcum, who previously pennedIron Manfor Marvel Studios. So, they do have a previously established track-record of starting off very profitable franchise ventures.
Emma Thompson had a great year in 2017, having starred in Disney’s live-actionBeauty and the Beast, which was the top-grossing movie of the year worldwide. She also appeared inThe Meyerowitz Storieson Netflix, which received a great deal of critical acclaim. She’s currently in production on Robert Downey Jr.‘sThe Voyage of Doctor Dolittleand can be seen inJohnny English Strikes Againlater this year. TheMen in Blackspin-off is set to arrive in theaters on June 16, 2025. We’ll be sure to keep you up to date as more details on the project are made available. This news comes to us courtesy ofThe Hollywood Reporter.
