The Men in Black are back, this time in 3D, for the third movie spawned by the popular comic books. The same creative team from the 1997 original and 2002 sequel will continue their ongoing fight against extraterrestrials. Stars Will Smith (“I Am Legend”) and Tommy Lee Jones (Oscar winner for “The Fugitive”) will return as Agent J and Agent K, along with director Barry Sonnenfeld (“The Addams Family”). According to Sonnenfeld, the storyline came from Will Smith, who proposed the time travel idea on the set of the 2002 MIB sequel.

In this outing, Agent J (Smith) travels back to 1969 and the early days of the anti-paranormal agency. He must stop an alien from assassinating Agent K as a younger man (played by Josh Brolin of “No Country For Old Men”) in order to prevent a future threat to the MIB organization as well as mankind. Oscar winner Emma Thompson (“Sense and Sensibility”) appears as Oh in modern times, and Alice Eve (“She’s Out of My League”) as a young agent.

This leap into the past will give the audience to learn about the founding of the Men in Black organization, which polices and tracks extraterrestrials, while keeping their existence a secret from the rest of the world. The agents, the Men in Black, who wear trademark dark suits and sunglasses, cut all ties with their previous lives. The agency uses a “neuralyze” to wipe out their memories before they serve and at retirement, to avoid the details of their work from ever escaping into the general population.

In the 10 years since the last film, film special effects have reached new and stunning technological heights, so the new sequel will undoubtedly offer a thrill ride for the senses as well as its delightful mix of science fiction, thriller and comedy. Activision is expected to release a video game based on the film. The official trailer has been released online and can give MIB fans a taste of the movie to come.

The Men in Black have come a long way since their humble beginnings as the heroes of a three-issue comic book series in 1990 by creator Lowell Cunningham. In the comic version, the MIB agency also tracked demons and other paranormal phenomena, but the film series has exclusively focused their efforts on invaders from outer space. The movies have also played up the comedy aspects of the agents than the comic book. Although the MIB comics were well-received in the comic book community, the first Men in Black film made the characters a pop culture landmark. The first film rang up a blockbuster $550 million at the box office as well as critical praise for its inventive take on science fiction. It also won a 1998 Academy Award for Best Makeup.

Men In Black 3 Cast

Will Smith, already widely known for his TV series “Fresh Prince of Bel Air,” has made the transition to films with his standout performance in the “Independence Day” ensemble and in “Bad Boys “with Martin Lawrence. “Men in Black” cemented his superstar status and his film career has continued since. Smith easily moves between popular hits like “Hitch” and “I Am Legend,” while also turning in dramatic performances in “Ali” and “The Pursuit of Happyness” that received Oscar nominations. After “MIB 3,” Smith will continue his cinematic encounters with aliens with his son Jaden, a movie star in his own right after “The Karate Kid,” in “After Earth.”

For Tommy Lee Jones, the role of Agent K in the “Men in Black” franchise allows the veteran actor to show his deft comedy skills. Lee’s rugged looks have often cast him as the heavy, such as the abusive husband in “Coal Miner’s Daughter” (1980) or the murderer Gary Gilmore in “Executioner’s Song.” Jones, a Harvard graduate, has enjoyed a long and steady career, with a Best Supporting Oscar for “The Fugitive” (1994), as well as an Emmy, Screen Actors Guild and Golden Globe awards to his credit. After “MIB3,” Lee will be seen as General Douglas MacArthur in “The Emperor” and in Steven Speilberg’s “Lincoln” as Vice President Thaddeus Stevens.

Josh Brolin shares more than the role of Agent K with Tommy Lee Jones. Both actors are better known for their portrayals of the dark side of humanity, and have appeared together in the dramas “No Country For Old Men” and “In the Valley of Elah.” Brolin has been working in Hollywood since he appeared as an adolescent in “The Goonies.” Brolin was better known as the son of father, James of “Marcus Welby, M.D.” fame until “No Country…” demonstrated his talent. Since that Best Picture winner, Brolin has continued to impress audiences with his portrayal of George W. Bush in “W.” and “True Grit.”

The Men in Black 3 cast will also include Bill Hader from “Saturday Night Live” as New York artist Andy Warhol, Jemaine Clement from “Flight of the Concords” and Nicole Scherzinger from The Pussycat Dolls. There have also been rumors of a cameo by pop songstress Lady Gaga. The film shot in New York City for its look back at the late 1960s.

Buzz for the upcoming 3D chapter of Men in Black has been positive, with the Memorial Day weekend opening date indicating confidence from the studio of a summer blockbuster. If the creative team can bring their trademark charm to another gripping tale, audiences just may get to look forward to a fourth installment of the series.