15 Intriguing Details About 'Men in Black'

On July 2, 1997, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones joined forces as Agents Jay and Kay to discreetly manage the vast alien community residing in New York City. This buddy comedy, inspired by a comic book, led to three follow-up films, collectively earning the franchise over $1.9 billion. The first movie, released almost 25 years ago, became the second-highest-grossing film of 1997, trailing only behind the monumental success of Titanic. Discover some cosmic trivia about the series.

1. Will Smith was once dubbed “The King of the 4th."

In the mid-1990s, Smith achieved consecutive number one hits during the Fourth of July weekend: Independence Day ruled the box office in 1996, followed by Men in Black in 1997. Despite Wild Wild West in 1999 being one of Smith’s weaker openings, earning $27,687,484 in its first weekend, it still claimed the top spot. Men in Black II in 2002 and Hancock in 2008 further cemented Smith’s title.

2. Barry Sonnenfeld, the director of Men in Black, began his career as a cinematographer for the Coen brothers.

Sonnenfeld honed his skills as a director of photography on the Coen brothers’ films like Blood Simple, Raising Arizona, and Miller’s Crossing. He also collaborated with Penny Marshall on Big and Rob Reiner on When Harry Met Sally… and Misery before transitioning to directing the Addams Family series and Get Shorty. In addition to all three Men in Black movies, Sonnenfeld directed Smith in 1999’s Wild Wild West.

3. Sonnenfeld was hesitant to collaborate with Tommy Lee Jones due to his rumored temperament.

Before Sonnenfeld took the helm as director of Men in Black, Les Mayfield was initially chosen for the role. Tommy Lee Jones was part of the cast from the start, back when Chris O’Donnell was in consideration for the part that ultimately went to Will Smith. To Sonnenfeld’s astonishment, he thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Jones. “I once saw Tommy in a TV interview, and he came off so harsh that I thought, ‘Thank goodness I’ll never have to work with this guy,’” Sonnenfeld told Entertainment Weekly. “But it turned out to be a fantastic experience. He can be tough if you’re indecisive, but we clicked incredibly well.”

4. Some believe the Men in Black are more than just fiction.

Tracing back to Ufology in the 1940s and ’50s, numerous individuals documented stories and authored books about these mysterious "men in black." The Mothman Prophecies writer John Keel was the first to coin the "MIB" term in his works. Albert K. Bender alleged that “three men in dark suits visited him, warning of imprisonment if he persisted in investigating UFOs.” Gray Barker authored several nonfiction titles about the men in black, including 1956's They Knew Too Much About Flying Saucers and 1984's MIB: The Secret Terror Among Us. Barker’s sister, Blanch, recalled him saying why he wrote the books: “It’s a lucrative topic.”

5. The creator of the Men in Black comic series also believes they exist.

In the early 1990s, Lowell Cunningham created the Men in Black comic series, inspired by his own vision of these enigmatic agents. “I was fascinated by the concept of these authoritative figures who appear to maintain order,” Cunningham shared with The New York Times in 1997. “I envisioned the men in black as proactive agents, addressing threats and resolving issues. They see themselves as the fragile barrier between order and chaos.” He added that one day, spotting a black car, he thought, “That’s exactly the kind of vehicle the men in black would use.”

6. Frank the pug received royal treatment like a true diva.

In reality, Frank, a pug named Mushu, had a brief appearance in the first movie but played a more significant role in the sequel. Cheryl Shawver, Mushu’s owner, shared with The National Enquirer in 2002, "I had to find a pug for the original Men in Black. I spotted an ad in the newspaper and purchased Mushu for just a few hundred dollars. He travels in style, flying business class in a crate under the seat with his trainer, Cristie. He stays in her hotel room, sleeps on her bed, and enjoys room service meals like steak and chicken. On the road, he only drinks bottled water. He’s treated like a true VIP!"

7. There were talks of combining Men in Black with 21 Jump Street for a unique crossover.

Following the 2014 Sony hack, leaked documents revealed an email from former Sony studio head Amy Pascal discussing plans to combine the 21 Jump Street and Men in Black franchises into a single blockbuster film. The idea involved Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum reprising their roles as cops, though it was uncertain if Tommy Lee Jones or Will Smith would return. Hill enthusiastically wrote to Pascal, calling the merger of Jump Street and MIB 'clean, rad, and powerful.'

In 2013, rumors circulated about Men in Black 4 being in development, with 22 Jump Street writer Oren Uziel penning the script. While a fourth film starring Smith and Jones never came to fruition, 2019 saw the release of Men in Black: International, featuring Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson as the new leads.

8. The website BadAstronomy.com analyzed the film’s scientific accuracies and inaccuracies in detail.

The science-focused site BadAstronomy.com meticulously examined the astronomical elements in the original Men in Black film, highlighting both its strengths and flaws. For example, while Agent Kay humorously mentions a 17 trillion-mile journey, the site pointed out that the nearest star, Proxima Centauri, is actually 25 trillion miles away. Despite the inaccuracy, they acknowledged the effort with a nod of approval.

9. To this day, Men in Black remains the highest-grossing action buddy comedy in cinematic history.

In 2001, Rush Hour 2 nearly surpassed Men in Black at the box office, but the latter maintained its lead with a $250 million gross. 22 Jump Street secured third place, while Men in Black II and Men in Black 3 claimed the fourth and fifth spots on the list, respectively.

10. Vincent D'Onofrio’s iconic bug walk was inspired by basketball braces.

The actor, who portrayed the bug-like alien Edgar, shared how he developed his unique walk for the film. While bug documentaries provided some insight, an unexpected discovery in a sporting goods store added the finishing touch.

“One day, I passed by a sporting goods store and noticed braces worn by basketball players,” he explained. “I tried one on and realized I could lock the hinges to prevent movement. I bought two, taped them to my legs, and adjusted them to keep my knees slightly bent. This created a stiff, unnatural walk that perfectly suited the character.”

11. Will Smith conceived the storyline for Men in Black 3 while working on Men in Black II.

While filming Men in Black II, Smith pitched his concept for a third movie to Sonnenfeld. He envisioned a scenario where Agent Kay disappears, leading to a time-travel mission to rescue a younger version of Kay, revealing hidden truths about their world. Sonnenfeld, preoccupied with finishing the current film, quipped, “Can we just finish this one?” Over a decade later, Men in Black 3 brought this idea to life, with Josh Brolin portraying a young Agent Kay.

12. Will Smith’s debut solo hit was the Men in Black theme song.

Before achieving solo fame, Smith thrived as part of the rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. However, co-writing and performing the Men in Black theme song marked his first solo success. The track was included in both the film’s soundtrack, which sold over 3 million copies, and his debut solo album, Big Willie Style, released shortly after the movie. The song earned Smith a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance, solidifying his reputation as a multi-talented star in television, film, and music.

13. Rick Baker, the legendary makeup artist behind Men in Black, retired in 2015.

Rick Baker, a seven-time Oscar winner for his exceptional makeup effects, including his iconic work on Edgar the Bug in Men in Black, announced his retirement in 2015, concluding a remarkable career.

“I felt the timing was right; I’m 64, and the industry has become chaotic,” Baker explained to 89.3 KPCC regarding his decision to retire. “I take pride in doing things properly, but the demand was for quick and cheap work. That’s not my style, so I decided it was time to step away.”

14. Will Smith and Rip Torn returned to their iconic roles for an amusement park attraction.

In 2000, Universal Studios Florida in Orlando introduced Men in Black Alien Attack, replacing the Back to the Future Part III Locomotive Display. Smith and Torn filmed a short video and provided voiceovers for the ride, where guests use laser guns to target animatronic aliens. Spanning 70,000 square feet, it was the largest dark ride Universal had constructed at the time.

15. The Ray-Ban sunglasses featured in the film nearly missed being acknowledged.

The sunglasses worn by Smith and Jones in the film are Ray-Ban Predator II models. As reported by Promo magazine in 1997, a special coating was added to the glasses to reduce reflections, which required removing the logo. Without the logo, the brand of the sunglasses would have remained unknown (Sonnenfeld even cut a line where Jones mentions “that’s why they call them Ray-Bans”).

Ray-Ban attempted to persuade the studio to restore the logo, but they declined. After negotiations, Smith agreed to mention the brand in the “Men in Black” song: “Black tie with the black attitude / New style, black Ray-Bans, I’m stunnin’, man.” The film’s success and the song’s music video led to a four- to five-fold surge in sales for the $100 Predators and boosted Ray-Ban’s entire sunglasses collection.

This article was originally published in 2017 and has been updated for 2022.