As he continues to find success with one of his ongoing movie series, aWill Smithfranchise is finding renewed success on streaming. Since his breakout turn withThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith has found widespread success both as a blockbuster actor and a prestige actor. This, in turn, has netted him four Oscar nominations and one win forBest Actor forKing Richard, as well as seven Golden Globe nominations and one win for Best Actor for the same Venus and Serena Williams biopic.
When it comes to his blockbuster productions,Smith has been the face of both a variety of one-off titles and major franchises. Some of the more notable include Roland Emmerich’sIndependence Day, which helped cement him as a major box office name, 2004’sI, Robotand 2007’sI Am Legendadaptation.The Michael Bay-helmedBad Boysmoviesmarked Smith’s first venture into the world of franchise storytelling, and while he’s returned for all three of its sequels, there’s another franchise that’s now gaining ground in the streaming race.
The First Two Men In Black Movies Are In Peacock’s Top 10
The Success Comes Nearly Three Decades After The Franchise Launched
One such franchise under Smith’s belt was that ofMen in Black, which launched with the 1997 movie of the same name and was based on Lowell Cunnigham’s comic book series. Smith starred in the films as Agent J, a police officer recruited into the titular agency, which monitors and polices alien activity on Earth. Smith co-ledthe first threeMen in Blackmovieswith Tommy Lee Jones as his mentor, Agent K, with their first and third outings garnering positive reviews, while all three were commercial hits.
Now, a little over 27 years after the first film hit theaters,theMen in Blackfranchise is finding new success in the world of streaming. The first two installments in the sci-fi action franchise are currently sitting at the No. 6 and No. 9 spots on Peacock’s Top 10 Movies Today chart.
They’re joined in the chart by the animatedGrinchreboot at No. 1 as well as fellow franchise titlesShrek 2at No. 2,Sing 2at No. 3,Shrek the Thirdat No. 4,The Bad Guysat No. 7,Shrekat No. 8 andTwisterat No. 10. Major Oscars contenderConclavealso continues to hold a top spot at No. 5 on the NBCUniversal streamer.
Our Take On The Men In Black Franchise’s Renewed Streaming Success
Smith Remains A Major Draw For Audiences
Considering the movies didn’t just recently arrive on the streaming platform,thefranchise’s renewed success on Peacock proves something of an interesting twist for the movies. The series hasn’t been in the public sphere since theunderwhelming response toMen in Black: International, which was intended to be a standalone sequel to carry on the franchise with Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson leading instead of Smith and Jones. Unfortunately, the movie’s financial disappointment has left the franchise’s future in an unclear state of limbo.
Men In Black 5: Will It Happen? Everything We Know
The Men in Black franchise stumbled after Men in Black: International underperformed. Will there be a Men in Black 5 movie, and who will star?
That said, should theMen in Blackmovies continue to rank high on streaming platforms for multiple weeks, I could very well see Sony Pictures revisit the idea of bringing the series back with Smith co-leading the charge. Hisrecent returns for theBad Boysmovieshave similarly proven to be critical and commercial hits, some of the best of the franchise, and if he’s paired with the right co-star and good material, there may just be new life inMen in Black’s future.
Men in Black
Men in Black(MIB) is a science fiction franchise that began with the 1997 film, based on the Marvel comic series by Lowell Cunningham. The franchise follows a secret organization that monitors extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The series includes four films, an animated TV series, and several video games, blending action, humor, and sci-fi. The franchise is notable for the performances of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, who portrayed Agents J and K, respectively.
