Less than a month after Sony’sMen in Black 4brought on Chris Hemsworth to star, the studio has found a familiar co-star for their leading man. ActressTessa Thompson, who recently starred alongside Hemsworth in the Marvel Cinematic Universe adventureThor: Ragnarok, has come aboard as the female lead. This new report adds that Chris Hemsworth’s deal is still not closed yet, but it’s expected to be finalized soon.
Unfortunately, no details were given for eitherChris Hemsworthor Tessa Thompson’s characters yet, but this project is said to be more of an ensemble piece than a “two-hander,” with the story also expected to be more global in scope. Previous reports claimed that the story would be set in London, but that has yet to be confirmed by the studio at this time. Way back in 2015, producer Laurie MacDonald stated that the newMen in Blackmovie would center on a female lead joining theMen in Blackteam, but it seems thestory has expanded greatly in scopebetween now and then.
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones will not return to reprise their Agent J and Agent K characters, although this story will be set in the contemporary sci-fi world they inhabited. There is no indication yet if other characters from the existingMen in Blackfranchise will be brought back, such as Emma Thompson’s Agent O or others, since this will not be a straight-up reboot of the original franchise. This new project has been compared to the approach ofJurassic World, which was set several years after the originalJurassic Park, while focusing on new characters.
F. Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious) has been slated to direct, working from a script by Art Marcum and Matt Holloway (Iron Man). OriginalMen in Blackproducers Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are returning to produce, alongside original executive producer Steven Spielberg. Sony has already set a August 21, 2025 release date, putting this project up against another sequel/remake hybrid, New Line’sShaft. That project is currently in production, starring Richard Roundtree as the original John Shaft, Samuel L. Jackson as his nephew, John Shaft II and Jessie T. Usher as his son, John Shaft Jr.
Tessa Thompson had previously starred in TV roles such as Jackie Cook onVeronica Mars, Laurel Harris on666 Park Avenueand Sara Freeman onCopper, along with a number of minor film roles and guest-starring TV roles, before her breakout role in the 2014 indie movieDear White People. She went on to star inSelma,Creed,War on EveryoneandSouth Dakotabefore joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Valkyrie in last year’s blockbuster Thor: Ragnarok. This year, she starred in the critically-acclaimed thrillerAnnihilationand she returns as Charlotte Hale on Season 2 of HBO’sWestworld. She is also in post-production on her new filmLittle Woodsand is slated to return as Bianca inCreed 2.The Hollywood Reporterbroke the news on this casting earlier today.
