Men in Black (franchise)

Last updated
Men in Black
Men in Black.png
Official franchise logo
Created by Lowell Cunningham
Original work The Men in Black
Owner Sony Pictures
and Marvel Comics
Years1990–2019
Print publications
Comics The Men in Black
Films and television
Film(s)
Animated series Men in Black: The Series
Games
Video game(s)
Audio
Soundtrack(s)

Men in Black is a semi-comic science fiction media franchise that originated with the Malibu/Marvel comic book of the same name created by American author Lowell Cunningham. The franchise focuses on the titular non-governmental organization which monitors and regulates paranormal and alien activity on Earth while preventing civilians from finding out about it. The most notable agents within the organization are Jay, Kay, and Zed. The franchise has been adapted into other media including a series of four films, an animated television series, video games, and a theme park attraction.

Contents

Premise

The Men in Black as shown in the movies is a secret organization devoted to policing and monitoring extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The Men in Black, founded in the U.S. in the mid-1950s, began as a small and poorly funded government organization devoted to making contact with extraterrestrial life known as the Baltians. They were initially seen as a joke, but did make contact on March 2, 1961, outside New York City.

It was decided to make Earth an apolitical zone for aliens without a planet, and the organization broke its government ties to become the Men in Black, which became the force to conceal and police the aliens that came to Earth, no longer answerable to the government and therefore not obligated to answer any questions or respond to outside demands. The founding members were the seven agents present at the landing, plus an amateur astronomer and a teenager who got lost going to see his girlfriend. This last became Agent K, who later came to be regarded as the agency's best agent, and one of the agents became his partner D. The MIB has continued since then, with Zed as its chief, to protect the normal citizens of Earth from alien threats and police extraterrestrial immigrants. Other notable members include Agents B, J, and L.

MIB agents sever all ties with their former lives and have all traces of their previous identities erased. They dress in black suits specifically chosen to avoid creating any lasting impression on civilians who see them. Their fingerprints and any other unique identifying features are erased, and they are issued neuralyzers to use in erasing the memories of civilian witnesses and Ray-Ban sunglasses to protect themselves against the device's effects. They have access to a wide array of alien weaponry and other technologies for use during missions. Retiring agents are neuralyzed to wipe their memories of working for MIB and may have their previous identities restored. The agency possesses a "deneuralyzer" that can restore retired agents' memories in emergency situations.

No longer receiving federal funding from the government, the MIB are supported by the patents they hold on various confiscated alien innovations, including liposuction, the microwave oven, and velcro. Their standard operating day is based on Centaurian time, which lasts 37 hours, 16 of which an agent must spend on duty. Their main base is located at 504 Battery Drive in New York City.

The Men in Black have bases in other locations, including one in the western United States (Zone 16), one mobile undersea base, and a Los Angeles division (dubbed "The Agency"). The three other founding members became Agent T, H and Q. In the animated series, an agent known as Alpha was said to be the first chief of the MIB; after he went rogue, Zed became the chief. With the release of the films Men in Black II and Men in Black 3, most if not all elements of the Men in Black animated series have been verified as non-canon and taking place in an alternate continuity.

Comics

The story and show franchise originated in the medium of comic books.

The original The Men in Black [1] comic books were published in 1990 and 1991.

The Men in Black are a secret organization that monitors and suppresses paranormal activity on Earth (including aliens, demons, monsters, and mutants), while keeping the populace ignorant of its happenings.

Films

Men in Black story chronology
Original continuity
The Series continuity

The series was adapted into a film in 1997, titled Men in Black , starring Tommy Lee Jones as Agent K and Will Smith as Agent J, with Barry Sonnenfeld as director. The film went on to become a commercial success, grossing US$587 million worldwide on a $90 million budget [2] and earning a 91% rating from review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes. [3] A sequel, Men in Black II , was released in 2002 which saw both Jones and Smith reprising their roles. The film was a box office success, earning $441 million worldwide. [4] Despite its success, the film was less critically acclaimed than its predecessor and received average reviews from critics with a score of 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. [5] A third installment, Men in Black 3 , was released ten years after the second film on May 25, 2012. It was also the first film in the series to be released in 3D. The film saw Smith and Jones reprise their roles, with Josh Brolin and Jemaine Clement joining the cast. It scored a 70% on Rotten Tomatoes. Although Men in Black 3 has concluded the series, talks have been made about the future of the series. Sonnenfeld claimed that Men in Black 3 is the conclusion of the MIB series, though leaving it open for the idea of a rebooted film series. Barry Sonnenfeld, Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith have expressed interest in a possible Men in Black 4. A crossover with the Jump Street franchise has also been discussed by Sony but without Jones and Smith. [6] [7] [8] [9] Despite talks with James Bobin to direct, the idea was dropped in May 2016. [10]

A spin-off film, Men in Black: International was released in 2019. [11] The film stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson.

Television

An animated television series, Men in Black: The Series , [12] aired from 1997 to 2001. The show was based on the films, taking place after the events of the first film. There are a few changes, such as Agent K apparently not having his memory erased.

Video games

The first Men in Black video game, Men in Black: The Game , was released for Windows 95 in 1997, followed by a release for the PlayStation. [13] The game, developed by Gigawatt Studios and published by SouthPeak Interactive, is loosely based on the 1997 film.

Another game, titled Men in Black: The Series , was released for the Game Boy Color in 1999, and is based on the animated television series.

It was followed by a sequel in 2000, titled Men in Black 2: The Series and also for the Game Boy Color. In 2001, a version of Men in Black: The Series was released for the Game Boy Advance.

Men in Black: The Series – Crashdown was released later in 2001, for the PlayStation.

In 2002, a video game partially based on the second film was released, titled Men in Black II: Alien Escape . [14]

A video game published by Activision entitled MIB: Alien Crisis was released in May 2012, around the time when the third movie was released. [15]

Other

Will Smith, who played Agent J in the films, released two rap singles based on the films: "Men in Black" [16] (from Men in Black: The Album ) and "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)" [17] (from Men in Black II: The Soundtrack ).

Men in Black: The Roleplaying Game was published by West End Games in 1997.

The theme park ride Men in Black: Alien Attack [18] at the Universal Studios Florida theme park is based on the film Men in Black, as is the parody film Men in White . [19]

In August 2015, Air New Zealand released a Men in Black themed safety video featuring members of the All Blacks, Rip Torn (reprising his role as Zed), and Frank the Pug. [20] [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Men in black</span> Government agents who supposedly intimidate UFO witnesses

In popular culture and UFO conspiracy theories, men in black (MIB) are government agents dressed in black suits, who question, interrogate, harass, threaten, allegedly memory-wipe or sometimes even assassinate unidentified flying object (UFO) witnesses to keep them silent about what they have seen. The term is also frequently used to describe mysterious men working for unknown organizations, as well as various branches of government allegedly tasked with protecting secrets or performing other strange activities.

<i>Men in Black</i> (1997 film) 1997 film by Barry Sonnenfeld

Men in Black is a 1997 American science fiction action comedy film based on Lowell Cunningham's eponymous comic book series, which was itself based on the “Men in black” conspiracy theory. Produced by Columbia Pictures and Amblin Entertainment in association with MacDonald Parkes Productions, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is the first installment in the Men in Black franchise. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld from a screenplay and screen story written by Ed Solomon, it stars Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in the lead roles, with Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio, and Rip Torn in supporting roles. In the film, Kevin Brown / Agent K (Jones) and James Darrell Edwards III / Agent J (Smith) investigate a series of seemingly unrelated criminal incidents related to the extraterrestrial lifeforms which live in secret on Earth.

<i>Men in Black II</i> 2002 science fiction action film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

Men in Black II is a 2002 American science fiction action comedy film based on the Marvel Comics series of a similar name based on the conspiracy theory. Produced by Columbia Pictures and Amblin Entertainment in association with MacDonald Parkes Productions, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is the sequel to Men in Black (1997) and the second installment in the Men in Black franchise. The film was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld from a screenplay by Robert Gordon and Barry Fanaro, and it stars Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith, with Lara Flynn Boyle, Johnny Knoxville, Rosario Dawson, Tony Shalhoub, and Rip Torn in supporting roles. It also featured Michael Jackson's last theatrical film appearance before his death in June 2009. In the film, the emergence of an assumed subdued alien threat reunites Kevin Brown / Agent K (Jones) and James Darrell Edwards III / Agent J (Smith).

Men in black, in American popular culture and in UFO conspiracy theories, are men dressed in black suits who claim to be government agents who harass or threaten UFO witnesses to keep them quiet about what they have seen.

<i>Men in Black: The Series</i> American animated television series

Men in Black: The Series is an American animated television series that originally aired on Kids' WB from October 11, 1997, to June 30, 2001.

<i>The Men in Black</i> (comics) Comic book

The Men in Black is an American comic book created and written by Lowell Cunningham, illustrated by Sandy Carruthers, and originally published by Aircel Comics, based on the actual “men in black” conspiracy theory. Aircel would later be bought out by Malibu Comics, which itself was bought out by Marvel Comics. Three issues were published in 1990, with another three the following year. The comic book later spawned a media franchise which includes a series of four films, an animated television series, video games, and a theme park attraction, as well as a number of tie-in one-shot comics from Marvel. Cunningham had the idea for the comic once a friend of his introduced him to the concept of government "men in black" upon seeing a black van riding the streets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agent K</span> Character in the Men in Black franchise

Agent K, born Kevin Cunningham Brown, is a fictional character and one of the two main protagonists of the Men in Black franchise. Kay is portrayed by Tommy Lee Jones in the three films, with Josh Brolin portraying his younger self in the third film, and voiced by Ed O'Ross and Gregg Berger in the animated series. The film's trading card series and Men in Black: The Game give K's full name as Kevin Cunningham, a nod to Lowell Cunningham, the creator of the comic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agent J</span> Fictional character in the Men in Black franchise

Agent J, born James Darrell Edwards III, is one of the two protagonists of the Men in Black film series. Born October 19, 1965, Jay is an agent of the MiB, recruited by Agent K. He is energetic and tries to bring life and emotion back to the bland organization. He is portrayed by Will Smith in the Men in Black film franchise, as well as in the amusement park ride Men in Black: Alien Attack at Universal Studios Florida. He is voiced by Keith Diamond in the animated series.

Alien is a science fiction horror and action media franchise centered on the original film series which depicts warrant officer Ellen Ripley and her battles with an extraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as the Alien ("Xenomorph"), and the prequel series following the exploits of the David 8 android and the creators of the eponymous creatures referred to as the "Engineers".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Men in Black: Alien Attack</span> Dark ride at Universal Studios Florida

Men in Black: Alien Attack is a shooting interactive dark ride located at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Florida, based on the film, Men in Black, itself based on the original comic book of the same name created by Lowell Cunningham. The ride opened in 2000 after a five-year development process. The ride has generally been well received, winning an Outstanding Achievement award from the Themed Entertainment Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank the Pug</span> Fictional character

Frank the Pug is a fictional character from the Men in Black franchise, first seen in the 1997 film. He has also appeared in the 2002 sequel, 2019 spin-off, the animated series and the video game MIB: Alien Crisis. Within the films, Frank has the appearance of a normal pug dog, but he is actually an extraterrestrial in disguise. Frank is played in the first two films by a trained pug named Mushu, with Tim Blaney providing his voice in the films and the video game. In the animated series, the voice is provided by Eddie Barth. Mushu was raised by Ted Brac, who trained him for all his acting roles.

<i>Men in Black 3</i> 2012 science fiction action film directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

Men in Black 3 is a 2012 American science fiction action comedy film based on the Marvel Comics series of a similar name based on the conspiracy theory. Produced by Columbia Pictures and Amblin Entertainment in association with Parkes+MacDonald Image Nation and Hemisphere Media Capital, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing, it is the sequel to Men in Black II (2002) and the third installment in the Men in Black franchise. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and written by Etan Cohen, the film stars Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin, with Jemaine Clement, Michael Stuhlbarg, Bill Hader and Emma Thompson in supporting roles. In the film, James Darrell Edwards III / Agent J (Smith) is required to go back in time to prevent the assassination of his partner Kevin Brown / Agent K (Jones), the fallout of which threatens the safety of Earth.

<i>Predator</i> (franchise) American media franchise

Predator is an American science fiction action anthology media franchise centered on the film series depicting humankind's encounters with an intelligent race of extraterrestrial trophy-seeking hunters known as the "Yautja". Produced and distributed by 20th Century Studios, the series began with Predator (1987), directed by John McTiernan, and was followed by three sequels, Predator 2 (1990), Predators (2010), The Predator (2018), and one prequel, Prey (2022). The series has led to numerous novels, comics, and video game spin-offs such as Predator: Concrete Jungle (2005) and Predator: Hunting Grounds (2020). The Alien vs. Predator franchise combines the continuities and universe of the Alien franchise with the Predator franchise and consists of two films as well as varying series of comics, books, and video games. Unlike the Alien franchise, which features a continuous story arc, the Predator films are more non-linear, instead focusing on individual encounters with the Predators spread across multiple timeframes.

<i>Lilo & Stitch</i> (franchise) Disney media franchise about extraterrestrials living with humans on Earth

Lilo & Stitch, also marketed as Disney Stitch or simply Stitch, is an American media franchise created by Disney that commenced in 2002 with the release of the animated feature film of the same name written and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois. The combined critical and commercial success of the original film, which was a rarity for the company's feature animation studio during the studio's post-Renaissance downturn in the early 2000s, led to three direct-to-video and television sequel feature films, a short film, three animated television series, several video games, theme park attractions, comics, literature, and various merchandise.

<i>Men in Black</i> (film series) Film series

Men in Black is a series of American science fiction action comedy films directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and based on the Malibu / Marvel comic book series The Men in Black by Lowell Cunningham, which was itself based on a UFO conspiracy theory. The first film, Men in Black, was released in 1997, the second film, Men in Black II in 2002, the third film, Men in Black 3 in 2012, and the fourth film, a spin-off Men in Black: International in 2019. Amblin Entertainment and MacDonald/Parkes Productions produced all four films and distributed through Columbia Pictures.

<i>MIB: Alien Crisis</i> 2012 video game

MIB: Alien Crisis is an on rails third-person shooter video game for the PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. It was developed by Fun Labs and published by Activision. The game is the third installment in the Men in Black series of video games. Instead of Agent J or Agent K, the game features a new MIB agent named Agent P. The game was released on May 22, 2012. Alien Crisis is partially based on the Men in Black 3 movie and coincided with its launch in theaters. Tim Blaney reprises his role as Frank the Pug from the first two films.

<i>Men in Black: International</i> 2019 film directed by F. Gary Gray

Men in Black: International is a 2019 American science fiction action comedy film directed by F. Gary Gray and written by the writing team of Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. It is the fourth installment in the Men in Black film series, serving as a stand-alone sequel set in the same universe as the previous films, but is the first film in the series to not feature Will Smith or Tommy Lee Jones as the main characters.

<i>Men in Black: The Game</i> 1997 video game

Men in Black: The Game is an adventure video game developed by Gigawatt Studios for Microsoft Windows in 1997. Although it is an officially licensed game based on the 1997 film Men in Black, the plot is unrelated and it is a survival horror game as opposed to being a comedy. It is most likely an homage to the original The Men In Black comic book created by Lowell Cunningham with its dark aesthetics and 2D cinematics that resemble comic book panels. The game was ported to the PlayStation in 1998 by The Collective.

<i>Men in Black: The Series – Crashdown</i> 2001 video game

Men in Black: The Series – Crashdown is a first-person shooter video game based on the animated television series, Men in Black: The Series. The game was developed by Runecraft and published by Infogrames for the PlayStation. It was released in November 2001 to mixed reception.

<i>Men in Black: The Series</i> (video game) 1998 video game

Men in Black: The Series is an action platform video game developed by Tiertex Design Studios and published by Crave Entertainment for the Game Boy Color (GBC) on December 14, 1998. The game is based on the animated television series of the same name, and was followed by a sequel titled Men in Black 2: The Series, released for the Game Boy Color in 2000.

References

  1. ↑ Grand Comic Database (2012). "The Men in Black". comics.org. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Men in Black (1997)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved 2007-12-14.
  3. ↑ "Men in Black". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved 2009-11-16.
  4. ↑ "Men In Black II". BoxOfficeMoJo.com . Retrieved February 3, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Men in Black II (2002)". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Newsbeat - Men In Black's Will Smith 'doesn't want to be sequel guy'". BBC. 2012-05-16. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
  7. ↑ "Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones on 'MIB4' possibility – The Marquee Blog - CNN.com Blogs". Marquee.blogs.cnn.com. Retrieved 2013-11-12.
  8. ↑ Schaefer, Sandy (April 20, 2012). "Barry Sonnenfeld Talks 'Men in Black 3' Ending & Reboot Potential". Screen Rant. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  9. ↑ Alexander, Julia (March 4, 2016). "Report: 23 Jump Street will be a crossover with Men in Black". Polygon.
  10. ↑ Johnston, George (August 10, 2016). "Jonah Hill Doubts '23 Jump Street-Men in Black' Crossover Movie Will Get Made". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  11. ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (September 29, 2017). "Sony Sets 'Men In Black' Spinoff For Summer, 2019; Script by 'Iron Man' Team Holloway & Marcum". Deadline . Penske Media Corporation . Retrieved July 10, 2018.
  12. ↑ Internet Movie Database (2012). "Men in Black: The Series (TV Series 1997–2001)". imdb.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  13. ↑ "Men in Black: The Game (1997)". MobyGames. Retrieved 2023-08-02.
  14. ↑ MobyGames (2012). "Men in Black II: Alien Escape for GameCube (2002)". mobygames.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  15. ↑ Haas, Pete (2011-10-13). ""Men In Black" Video Game Arriving In 2012". Cinema Blend. Retrieved 2011-10-14.
  16. ↑ "Will Smith - Men In Black". discogs.com. 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Black Suits Nod Ya Head, Australian Single by Will Smith". artistdirect.com. 2012. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Men in Black Alien Attack at Universal Studios Florida". universalorlando.com. 2012. Archived from the original on May 23, 2011. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  19. ↑ Internet Movie Database (2012). "Men in White (TV 1998)". imdb.com. Retrieved May 3, 2012.
  20. ↑ "Air NZ teams up with All Blacks for new safety video". stuff.co.nz. August 13, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Men In Black Safety Defenders". stuff.co.nz. Air New Zealand. August 12, 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-08-12.
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