How Men in Black: International Sets Up a Sequel
WARNING: The following article contains major spoilers for Men in Black: International, in theaters now.
F. Gary Gray’s Men in Black: International focuses on Agent M (Tessa Thompson) being sent on an international assignment to London, where she teams up with Agent H (Chris Hemsworth) to recover a weapon of mass destruction. Eventually, they figure out this gun is being handed off to the warmongering Hive through an agent who’s disguised himself as the head of MiB London, High T (Liam Neeson).
In the climactic battle at the Eiffel Tower, though, thanks to the wiles of their alien sidekick Pawny (Kumail Nanjiani), they use the gun to blast the impostor away and also destroy the Hive through the wormhole their spy was trying to escape through. With the day saved and two foreign divisions working in sync with each other, the franchise sets up a couple possible directions for a MiB sequel.
AGENT M BRINGS WOMAN POWER TO NYC
Agent M was sent to London by the head of MiB New York, O (Emma Thompson), as she didn’t trust that branch to handle the Hive. However, with the case solved, O reveals M has passed her trial phase and is ready to take on the super big leagues, which she views the Big Apple to be. O admits they’ve got more alien traffic there and way more issues than Europe to handle at once, even hinting there’s a partner lined up for M back home.
This could see the franchise return to the familiar territory, mapping out the same American dynamic we did saw between K (Tommy Lee Jones) and J (Will Smith) in the previous trilogy of films from Barry Sonnenfield. M has finally come into her own, gaining confidence after achieving her super goal of saving the world, and O wants her to use this experience to become her right-hand woman.
It’s worth noting O wants more women on the job and she and M have indicated that they’re coming back to NYC to make their case to their higher-ups about shaking up the status quo for the Women in Black. As for her partner, it remains a suspensemystery, but O did admit there were also some experienced agents who’d be impressed by her, possibly teasing the return of K and J, too, if the series returns to their old stomping grounds.
AGENT H HAS THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM
This other direction offers potential not just for a sequel, but also a spinoff as well, as Agent H has been promoted to replace High T as head of London. T, before he was replaced by the Hive soldier, made it clear to O he wanted H to succeed him and, after the infiltration, H wants to expand and set things right for all of Europe. He’s already gotten a new sidekick in C (Rafe Spall), an agent who butted heads with him throughout the movie, but now they know they’ve got to work together for the greater good.
Additionally, M left Pawny to look after H because the latter has proven he can be a bit hasty and an immature playboy at certain times. Pawny joined the gang from Morocco and has a vast knowledge of the seedy alien underworld in the Eastern hemisphere, so H has indicated he’ll be his new, unofficial partner as they plan to tighten up on illegal activity, especially arms dealing. With C basically acting as support sometimes, a la Q in the James Bond franchise, and Pawny as his eyes and ears on the ground, H vows to do everything he can to honor T’s legacy and trust in him as he viewed the old-timer as a father figure following so many missions together.
Interestingly enough, with Pawny acting as the connecting link between both H and M, and romance budding between the agents, we could even see H coming to New York to help her out in return for the favor in London. Pawny pledged allegiance to M and views her as his Queen after his race went extinct, and given H’s chemistry with M, it makes sense for the franchise to reunite this trio and continue building relationships between both the divisions by sending them on another wild adventure.
Release and Star Cast
In theaters nationwide, director F. Gary Gray’s Men in Black: International stars Chris Hemsworth, Tessa Thompson, Rebecca Ferguson, Kumail Nanjiani, Rafe Spall, Laurent Bourgeois, and Larry Bourgeois, with Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson.
Source: comicbook
