Tessa Thompson Has Explained Why "Men In Black" Is Still Called "Men In Black"

"Change happens sometimes faster than we have language to describe what change has occurred."

So we're all pretty familiar with the film franchise Men In Black. The alien blockbuster, originally starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, is based on the comic book series by American author Lowell Cunningham.

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The first installment premiered in 1997 and was followed by two sequels and an animated series.

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Did I mention that it also gave us a major bop sound track, complete with choreography?

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Well, in its latest reboot, the franchise has reunited Tessa Thompson with her Thor Ragnarok co-star Chris Hemsworth as the new leads for Men In Black: International which debuts worldwide on June 14.

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Hemsworth and Thompson, who play Agent H and Agent M respectively, have been out and about promoting the film which sees the Men In Black tackle their biggest, most global threat to date: a mole within the galaxy-defending organisation.

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On Tuesday night, they attended the AMC Lincoln Square in New York for the premiere.

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Speaking to Variety on the, yes, black carpet, Thompson was asked about the word "men" in the film's title, considering the fictional non-governmental alien monitoring agency isn't an all-male institution.

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Tessa Thompson explains why it's still called *Men* in Black #MIBInternational

12:26 AM - 12 Jun 2019

Thompson responded: “Well, I think first of all we wanted to make sure that people know that this is the franchise that they know and love, because it is. And my presence in it because I’m a woman shouldn’t diminish the fact that we're making a movie very much in the same tone and style of the original films.”

The 35-year-old also revealed that the issue is also a topic of discussion in the film: “Emma Thompson has a brilliant quip in the movie, where I say, ‘Men in Black?’ because I’m confused that is the title of the organisation, and she goes ‘I know. I’ve had the conversation. It’s taking time.'”

The actor drew parallels between the franchise and Hollywood as a whole, noting that both had "antiquated ways of working".

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She said: “I think what she speaks to which is funny, but true, is that change happens sometimes faster than we have language to describe what change has occurred. ... We have certain institutions that have antiquated ways of working. Hollywood is certainly one of them where we don’t have the infrastructure to support the change that is actually happening. I think what she is speaking to is there has always been representation in the organisation it hasn’t always been reflected in the title.”

Thompson then added that she hoped that in the future, her character Agent M would be a catalyst for change from within the organisation.

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She said: “Maybe if we make more maybe that will change, and certainly I think if Agent M sticks around the organisation long enough she will probably push some buttons to make it change and, frankly, that’s the only way that things change. People on the inside that have a real stake. Really calling the institutions out.”

And there you have it. News.

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