It speaks to the legacy of “Men in Black” that the film still holds strong as an incredible adaptation of the Lowell Cunningham and Sandy Carruthers comic book series, in addition to one of the most creative blockbusters of the ’90s, period. It featured a murderer’s row of talent, with “Bill & Ted” screenwriter Ed Solomon, composer Danny Elfman, production designer Bo Welch, Vincent D’Onofrio in an elastic villain performance, and the incredible team at ILM revealing a world of extraterrestrials hiding in plain sight, not to mention the two movie stars that sold the whole enterprise.
’90s superstar Will Smith was already coming off the one-two box office punch of “Bad Boys” and “Independence Day,” which made him the perfect choice to play Agent J, the rookie. Alongside the more experienced Agent K, he would be taught the ropes of the titular secret organization tasked with protecting the planet from alien threats. The role of the humorless mentor figure would involve some contention before Academy Award-winner Tommy Lee Jones nabbed it, as the studio executives initially wanted Eastwood. Director Barry Sonnenfeld, however, didn’t see him as a good fit and fought hard to get Jones for Agent K (via Inverse):
“The studio really wanted Clint Eastwood. It was me who asked for Tommy, and then I almost got screwed — they couldn’t hire me because Tommy had director approval. Tommy gave me approval.”
If we’re taking a peek into an alternate world, it’s easy to see where Columbia was coming from. Eastwood, by this point, had not only played a seasoned cop in the “Dirty Harry” movies, but had also starred opposite Jeff Bridges in “Thunderbolt & Lightfoot,” as well as Charlie Sheen in the buddy action movie “The Rookie,” even though that film was considered a low point in his career. He possessed a certain gruff that, on paper, would have made him a viable candidate as one half of the alien-busting odd couple. But as we’ve previously discussed, Eastwood is a man who likes to be in charge, and there’s no way he’d have enough authority over his role here for his liking.
Sonnenfeld fighting for Jones was the right decision, as the actor’s gruff yet affectionate chemistry with Smith was undeniable. The two were a once-in-a-lifetime magic pairing that withstood the brunt of the franchise’s diminishing sequels. They were the epitome of cool on every movie poster, and that image alone secured its fate, ensuring the film’s status as a smash hit at the 1997 summer box office, raking in $589.4 million on a $90 million budget.