Second half of Men in Black III delayed, more script trouble stalls production

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Well folks, it doesn’t look like the MEN IN BLACK are coming anytime soon!

In fact, they’re currently stuck in place. You see, the plan all along was to shoot the film in two halves – the present day stuff with Big Willy and Tommy Lee first, and the past sequences with Josh Brolin last. Today was the day to start filming the second half, but production has been delayed until March 28th. The reason? More script issues!

As you’ll recall, Tommy Lee hinted at script deficiencies last week (okay, he said there are vast parts of the script yet unwritten), perhaps as a result of Jeff Nathanson polishing Etan Cohen’s script. Before that, Will Smith was apparently unhappy with part of the script. And now, according to The L.A. Times, it’s again the unfinished script that caused the halt in shooting. Word is the film will still make it in time for its May 25th, 2012 release date.

Here’s some new plot developments:

The plot for the new film, which is being directed by Barry Sonnenfeld (helmer of the first two installments), takes the franchise further into whimsical territory. In addition to Smith as Agent J, Tommy Lee Jones reprises his role as the wisecracking Agent K in the present (the part already shot). Josh Brolin, through a time-travel twist, plays a young Agent K from 1969 who encounters countercultural figures such as Andy Warhol and Yoko Ono, according to a person who read a version of the script in November.

Sounds cool, but will it ever happen? Is there already too much trouble in paradise to end up being worthwhile? What do you think the delays will mean long-term for MEN IN BLACK III?