Justifying the decade-long gap in making the third part of his sci-fi comedy Men In Black (the second part came out in 2002), Will Smith says he was waiting for the “right inspiration”. He adds, “When people see this movie, they will realise that the film needed the 10 years for the maturity of the idea and characters.”
For his next project (no, it’s not another sequel and has no aliens), he’s working once again with son Jaden Smith.
How have things changed from the first part of MIB (1997) to now?
I am 43 now, so I’m a different guy. It was a pleasure for me to be able to make a movie that reaches even eight or nine-year-old kids. I love science-fiction comedy, since Star Wars (1977) made an impression on me as a kid. Also, in this part of MIB, we worked with 3D, which added to the impact of the film.
What did you personally love about the film?
I think it stands out conceptually. The film is a return to old times — in the 1970s, science fiction was all about the story.
Do you intend to act in any other sequels?
I don’t pick up every sequel. I am not doing Bad Boys 3. I have ideas and philosophies that I want to share with the world through my movies.
After Karate Kid (2010), you are working with Jaden again for After Earth. Tell us about it.
We just came back from Costa Rica after shooting a portion of After Earth in a jungle. We shot a scene with him up to his neck in a river pushing a raft. It’s like really bad parenting, but the shot is insane! The films is about this little kid who has to make his way 100 kilometers across Earth, now an abandoned planet, by himself.
After Karate Kid (2010), you are working with Jaden again for After Earth. Tell us about it.
We just came back from Costa Rica after shooting a portion of After Earth in a jungle. We shot a scene with him up to his neck in a river pushing a raft. It’s like really bad parenting, but the shot is insane! The films is about this little kid who has to make his way 100 kilometers across Earth, now an abandoned planet, by himself.