Will Smith is among the most prominent personalities in the entertainment sector who gained global prominence with his intense on-screen persona. For now, the actor has faced a massive decline in his fan following due to the infamous incident that happened last year, it is still a fact that his movies have done an incredible job of impressing the fans.
Though he is linked with several successful projects, he is quite known for his portrayal in Men in Black film series. The actor not only gained a prominent status by working in the film but also saved the franchise which has still fallen into quite a risk.
Will Smith Saved The Men in Black Franchise With His Time-Travel Suggestion
The first installment in the Men in Black (MIB) franchise was a critical and commercial success that came out in 1997. Starring Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith among other actors, the film grossed over $589.4 million worldwide, becoming the third-highest-grossing film of that year.
With the first film, fans were excited to see the advancements in the next parts which would further extend the franchise. However, the 2002 film disappointed many as critics felt the second installment was inferior to the first one. Having grossed $441.8 million worldwide, it garnered mixed reactions from the fans. Many believed that this film nearly tarnished the franchise however it never happened due to Will Smith’s idea.
MIB 3 director, Barry Sonnenfeld in an interview revealed that the time-traveling idea was what Smith suggested. In the film, Smith’s character, Agent J travels back in time to rescue his partner, which ended up saving the franchise.
The director shared,
“When we were shooting ‘Men In Black II’ [in 2002], one night he said ‘Hey Baz, I think I have an idea for number three’. The basic idea was that Will’s character, Agent J, would have to go back into the past to save his partner.”
It eventually gave them more time to further work on different elements which was a long process however they eventually worked out in the end. The third sequel, MIB 3 came out in 2012 garnering $654.2 million worldwide, and is considered the best among the other films in the franchise.
What Happened to Men in Black Franchise After The Mega Success of MIB 3?
The 2012 film, Men in Black 3 was a mega success that revived the failing franchise once again. It received a positive response from the critics who not only liked the overall performance of the cast and crew but also showed their interest in the plot.
Due to the major success, the franchise decided to go for another project, but this time, the stand-alone sequel, MIB: International featured MCU actors, Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson.
While the franchise might have thought that this film would extend to another height, it ended up becoming a disappointment. The fourth installment highly received negative reviews with critics emphasizing the “lackluster action and forgettable plot” which made it a complete disaster.