Chris Hemsworth Was Men in Black: International Director’s “First Choice” for Lead Role

Not only are the Men in Black returning to the big screen this summer, but the mysterious organization is coming back and an all-new look. After three films starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, the Men in Black franchise has found two new leads for the upcoming Men in Black: International. After showing off their incredible chemistry in Thor: Ragnarok, Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth were brought back together to star in the new Men in Black, a pairing that fans couldn’t be more excited to see again.

This duo is undoubtedly a slam dunk from a casting perspective, and director F. Gary Gray wouldn’t have had it any other way. In fact, when it came to finding the male lead for the movie, Hemsworth was the director’s very first choice.

Earlier this week, Variety published a new cover story on Chris Hemsworth, chronicling his rise to one of Hollywood’s most sought-after movie stars. When the subject of his role in Men in Black: International came up, Gray praised the work of Hemsworth throughout his career.

“He was my first choice,” said Gray. “There’s a difference between superstars and actors who study their craft. He’s a combination of both. You can’t bring up Chris Hemsworth’s name without people going crazy.”

After several years as the stoic Thor of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Hemsworth has broken out as a comedic star. These talents showed up in full force during 2016’s Ghostbusters reboot, where Hemsworth took on the role of a clumsy and hilarious secretary to women of the Ghostbusters team. Hemsworth carried that momentum into Ragnarok and Avengers: Endgame, bringing a new version of Thor to life.

Men in Black: International represents the best of both worlds, just like the original film did for Will Smith back in 1997. Hemsworth will get to showcase his talents as a comedian and action star simultaneously, which is exactly what F. Gary Gray is hoping for.

Men in Black: International hits theaters on June 14th.