MEN IN BLACK 3 Director Was Almost Forced To Cast Mark Wahlberg As The Young Tommy Lee Jones

MEN IN BLACK 3 Director Was Almost Forced To Cast Mark Wahlberg As The Young Tommy Lee Jones

Men in Black 3 director Barry Sonnenfeld reflects on casting Josh Brolin as the young Agent K in the threequel, but reveals how he was pressured to instead consider Spenser Confidential's Mark Wahlberg...

By JoshWilding - Apr 23, 2020 03:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Men in Black
Source: Cinema Blend

Released in 2012, Men in Black 3 brought back original stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, though the latter was given a reduced role in the time-travelling adventure. Playing the new Agent K was future Avengers: Endgame star Josh Brolin, but director Barry Sonnenfeld has now revealed that things could have played out quite a bit differently.

During a recent interview with Cinema Blend, he explained that there was some pressure behind the scenes not to cast Brolin (who was widely praised for his performance). Instead, Transformers: The Last Knight star Mark Wahlberg was suggested as a possible doppelgänger for Jones.

"One of the most powerful agents there are is a guy named Ari Emanuel," the filmmaker explained. "He's the head of William Morris Endeavor. And he's really good friends with Mark Wahlberg. And he really wanted Mark Wahlberg to play young Tommy Lee Jones. And I think Mark would have done a great job. But I think Brolin was born to play Tommy."

Sonnenfeld explained that he always wanted Brolin as Agent K, and Sony Pictures actually backed him on that decision. He admits to being "nervous" about going against Emanuel's wishes, but was quick to point out that, "Mark was lovely. He was great."

Do you think the director made the right choice sticking with Brolin in his Men in Black threequel?

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NotoriousWolf23
NotoriousWolf23 - 4/23/2020, 3:54 AM
Brolin was perfect casting
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 4/23/2020, 4:28 AM
Recently watched it and gotta admit that Brolin was the perfect choice. Although I do wish we got more of Will Smith and Will Arnett's partnership in the movie
Chewtoy
Chewtoy - 4/23/2020, 5:41 AM
Two time Academy Award nominee Mark Wahlberg?

GhostDog
GhostDog - 4/23/2020, 5:56 AM
That would’ve been stupid as hell. Brolin was perfect.
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 4/23/2020, 5:59 AM
Glad they stuck with Brolin, he was perfect casting.
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 4/23/2020, 7:13 AM
... Though, now the idea of Tommy Lee Jones getting into people's faces and raging about their letting him be a peacock is in my mind and it's pretty delightful.
SerKurtWagner
SerKurtWagner - 4/23/2020, 8:43 AM
Brolin was incredibly perfect. The movie wouldn't have been nearly as fun without him, though having Jermaine Clement around for the ride always helps as well.
MrDandy
MrDandy - 4/23/2020, 9:30 AM
Brolin was perfect
Baf
Baf - 4/23/2020, 10:24 AM
Whahlberg be like "Get the Neuruhlyzah!"
LlamaLord
LlamaLord - 4/24/2020, 7:34 AM
So this Ari bitch is the reason we have to suffer through Wahlberg as Sully? These kind of agents need to die.
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