TMDb/Men in Black Movie Will Smith's return as Agent J? Explore why the Men in Black franchise stumbled without him and if a new sequel can recapture the magic. April 4, 2026 AceShowbiz - Men in Black propelled Will Smith to superstardom in the 1990s with his role as Agent J, starring in a trilogy that wrapped up in 2012. Despite Smith's defining presence, the franchise attempted to move forward without him by casting Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson as leads in the 2019 spin-off Men in Black: International.