With the major success of the first two Men in Black films it’s about time for Sony to try and get some more life out of the franchise. Josh Brolin is apparently on board and set to join series star Will Smith; although the presence of Tommy Lee Jones is not yet decided upon. Perhaps this is the reason that we’re now hearing casting rumors for the potential third picture, and why they’re also from actors of a comedic persuasion.

The two names being thrown around are that of Sacha Baron Cohen, best known for the films Borat and Bruno, and Jemaine Clement, one half of New Zealand’s formerly fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo, Flight of the Conchords. The character is said to be named “Yaz” and is possibly a new agent, although not much else is known at this time. The script was penned by Tropic Thunder co-writer Etan Coen (add an “H” into the first name and I would be more excited for this movie).

What do you think of this potential casting? Are you excited for Men in Black III?

Source: Gordon and the Whale, Bloody Disgusting

A new teaser trailer/montage for the new John Wells film, The Company Men has just been released. The movie stars Ben Affleck, Tommy Lee Jones, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper, Maria Bello, Craig T Nelson, and Rosemarie DeWitt and is premiering at Sundance this month. It was shot by the 8-time Oscar winning DP Roger Deakins, who most recently worked on A Serious Man. Check out the teaser below. Read the full story

Variety has reported that Tommy Lee Jones will not be directing or starring in The Lincoln Lawyer, Lakeshore Entertainment’s adaptation of the Michael Connelly novel. Jones was set to star next to Matthew McConaughey but it is reported Jones “has left the project over creative differences on the script.” With that script, written by John Romano, Lakeshore is in a scramble to find another director and start production next spring. Tommy Lee Jones is a busy man as Variety lays out his other projects below.

Jones is in post-production on HBO’s The Sunset Limited, a telepic based on the Cormac McCarthy play that Jones directed. He stars with Samuel L. Jackson. He’s also readying an adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s Islands in the Stream. On the bigscreen, Jones most recently wrapped the John Wells-directed The Company Men with Ben Affleck and Kevin Costner.

The plot for Michael Connelly’ Lincoln Lawyer novel is below:

Mickey Haller has spent all his professional life afraid that he wouldn’t recognize innocence if it stood right in front of him. But what he should have been on the watch for was evil. Haller is a Lincoln Lawyer, a criminal defense attorney who operates out of the back seat of his Lincoln Town Car, traveling between the far-flung courthouses of Los Angeles to defend clients of every kind. Bikers, con artists, drunk drivers, drug dealers — they’re all on Mickey Haller’s client list. For him, the law is rarely about guilt or innocence — it’s about negotiation and manipulation. Sometimes it’s even about justice. [read the rest at the official site]

Are you upset Jones isn’t directing? Who would you like to see take command?

Thanks to THR affiliate Risky Biz Blog we can confirm that a Men In Black 3 is being written. This confirmation comes straight from Sony themselves. The film is being written by Tropic Thunder scribe Etan Cohen. The studio is eying a 2010 start date that could be as early as spring with possible direction by Barry Sonnenfeld who directed the first two films. The involvement of the two key players, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones is still uncertain. However both have expressed interest and Smith has been reported as saying he currently has no “go” movie ready. Read the full story