Next year’s Men in Black International may be the first installment in the sci-fi series not to star Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, but going by the social media reactions to the film’s first trailer, the switch in leads is one change that fans by and large aren’t having trouble adjusting to.
In fact, this looks to be that rare case of a franchise installment that’s earning excitement not in spite of its new cast but because of it. Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson exhibited some strong chemistry in last year’s Thor: Ragnarok, and for many Twitter users, this teaser has recaptured the magic while offering the added bonus of Thompson in a suit and tie:
https://twitter.com/infinitystony/status/1075775552894623745?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1075775552894623745&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2018%2F12%2F20%2Fmen-in-black-international-trailer-reaction%2F
https://twitter.com/emiliaheards/status/1075754362797023232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1075754362797023232&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2018%2F12%2F20%2Fmen-in-black-international-trailer-reaction%2F
https://twitter.com/parody_bit/status/1073775807536029696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1073775807536029696&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2018%2F12%2F20%2Fmen-in-black-international-trailer-reaction%2F
RIP bisexuals. You’ll be missed. But what a way to go. #MenInBlack https://t.co/yp7OrydUqg
— Jolly Old St Nic (@CloneNic) December 20, 2018
https://twitter.com/harleivy/status/1075783410508095488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1075783410508095488&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2018%2F12%2F20%2Fmen-in-black-international-trailer-reaction%2F
https://twitter.com/mercurhye/status/1075755138143248386?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1075755138143248386&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2018%2F12%2F20%2Fmen-in-black-international-trailer-reaction%2F
https://twitter.com/captainslouis/status/1075797250541043717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1075797250541043717&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2018%2F12%2F20%2Fmen-in-black-international-trailer-reaction%2F
Of course, Hemsworth and Thompson won’t be the only familiar figures suiting up in the upcoming release. For one thing, Emma Thompson will be reprising her role as Agent O from 2012’s Men in Black 3, while Liam Neeson makes his franchise debut as the head of MIB’s UK branch. Sure enough, a few Twitter users took a moment to praise and acknowledge them:
https://twitter.com/madsthetic/status/1075759757305225217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1075759757305225217&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2018%2F12%2F20%2Fmen-in-black-international-trailer-reaction%2F
https://twitter.com/themattmcd/status/1075764218773659648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1075764218773659648&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fcomicbook.com%2Fmovies%2F2018%2F12%2F20%2Fmen-in-black-international-trailer-reaction%2F
But no matter how appealing the new cast is, it was inevitable that some fans would still be wondering where their old favorites are:
Men in Black without Will Smith? pic.twitter.com/HEMoNTd7Xa
— Just.T (@Ndi_Terry) December 20, 2018
Though Smith and Jones are no longer the faces of the franchise, the adventures of Agent J and Agent K remain canon to the series. Nonetheless, a fresh cast won’t be the only change that this next film will bring, with the story also venturing away from the usual New York and into parts of London, Morocco, and Italy as our new heroes seek out a mole in the organization.
You can find out if the movie lives up to its leads when Men in Black International hits theaters on June 14th, 2019.
