Latest news with #MeninBlack
News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Why Is Will Smith's Men In Black Trending 28 Years After Its Release
Last Updated: Originally released in 1997, Men in Black saw Smith alongside Tommy Lee Jones, both playing Agent J and Agent K. Will Smith's iconic 1997 sci-fi comedy Men in Black is enjoying a surprising resurgence in popularity, nearly three decades after its debut on the big screen. The renewed interest in the beloved film comes at a time when the Oscar-winning actor continues his 26-date European tour. According to the reports, its 2002 sequel, Men in Black II has surged into the top 10 movies on US streaming platform Starz, months after also appearing in the top 10 on Peacock. The resurgence in the popularity of the Men in Black franchise leads to a face-off with its contemporary hits like Flight Risk starring Mark Wahlberg, Tower Heist featuring Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy and Kevin Hart's action-comedy Ride Along. Originally released in 1997, Men in Black saw Smith alongside Tommy Lee Jones, both playing Agent J and Agent K—members of a secret government agency that monitors and regulates alien activity on Earth. The film was a runaway success, earning a stellar 91% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, three Academy Award nominations, with a massive collection of $589 million at the global box office. Although the sequel Men in Black II didn't quite match the original's earnings, it still pulled in a respectable $441 million. The third instalment, Men in Black 3, released in 2012, outperformed its predecessor with a worldwide haul of $624 million. The 2019 reboot Men in Black: International, headlined by Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, struggled to make an impact and minted just $253 million. Earlier this year, in March, Will teased the possibility of another Men in Black iteration. During an interview on the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, he said, 'I told myself I was done with sequels. I was like, 'I've made enough sequels. I got some new things I want to make." 'This morning, an hour before I came down here, they just threw the bag for another man in Black. I was like, 'Ah, I'm supposed to be going on tour this summer," added the actor. Will Smith, the father of three, is currently busy with a Europe tour where he is performing hits from his new album, Based on a True Story. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Will Smith Discovers His Roots In Wales, Jokes Renaming Himself ‘Welsh Smith'
Will Smith's old neighbourhood, Wynnefield, was named after a Welsh doctor named Thomas Wynne. Will Smith has always known how to steal the spotlight—but this time he is doing it by celebrating his surprising connection to Wales. After learning his home state of Pennsylvania has several ties with Welsh culture, the Men in Black star is contemplating changing his name to reflect his roots. During an interview with BBC Radio Wales, Smith came to know his surprising ties with Wales when host Lucy Owens pointed out how Smith's old neighbourhood, Wynnefield, was named after a Welsh doctor named Thomas Wynne. The actor's mother's hometown, Bryn Mawr, also shares its name with a village in Wales. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air alum seemed to be amused by the revelation. 'So I'm Welsh! I'm Welsh, basically. That's what we are saying," Smith replied while breaking out in laughter. 'Yes, Will! This is what I'm trying to say. You are Welsh, and we are claiming you," host Lucy Owens joked. The witty exchange left fans laughing when Will Smith was contemplating changing his name to Welsh Smith. 'That might be my new name," Will joked. 'Welsh Smith. I'm going to be Welsh Smith," he said hilariously. The BBC host later noted that Bryn Mawr, where the actor owns a home, means 'big hill" in Welsh, to which Smith laughed and said, 'Big Will lives in Big Hill. That is crazy." Smith's connection to the UK did not end at the names of his hometown and mother's town in Pennsylvania. The actor and rapper also revealed during the show that he and DJ Jazzy Jeff recorded some of the music for their first album in the UK. Smith has been focusing more on his music career in the past few months. He is currently touring his latest album, Based on a True Story, which dropped nearly two decades after the release of his first studio album, Lost and Found, in 2005. Smith's global tour kicked off in Morocco on June 25, and he is all set to tour five UK cities between August 24 and 30. Smith will also make a stop at Wales' capital, Cardiff, on August 25 before wrapping up the tour in Paris. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Miami Herald
07-07-2025
- General
- Miami Herald
San Diego's USS Midway Museum debuts ‘top secret' exhibit on Navy intelligence
SAN DIEGO - The USS Midway Museum is opening the doors to a previously unseen, top-secret area of the ship where naval intelligence history was once made. Dozens of guests flocked to the flight deck of the USS Midway Museum on Friday morning, standing in front of a ribbon and balloon display that marked the grand opening of the museum's immersive new exhibit, "Top Secret: Inside the High-Stakes World of Naval Intelligence." Men in bright red sport coats, dressed in a style reminiscent of characters from the movie "Men in Black," assisted retired Rear Adm. and the USS Midway Museum's current President and CEO Terry Kraft with unveiling the once restricted area of the ship known as the Carrier Intelligence Center, or CVIC. "I took over the Midway Museum in 2023 and I thought about spaces that were important to me when I served on Midway. I did two deployments on Midway. I flew forward to combat missions from Desert Storm," Kraft said. "One of the places where it was kind of transformational for me was all the work we did here in the Carrier Intelligence Center during Operation Desert Storm. So, I wanted to open it up." The USS Midway's CVIC once served as the backbone and nerve center for naval intelligence during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in the early '90s. The exhibit takes guests through the day-to-day lives of the naval intelligence specialists behind Desert Storm's strategic gathering and analysis, mission planning and decision-making that supported aviators' efforts against the Saddam Hussein-led Iraqi army's invasion and occupation of Kuwait. The exhibit consists of six themed displays. Through a narrow hallway and the connecting rooms of the once high-stakes environment, bright photographs, naval artifacts and old newspaper clippings don the walls of the exhibit. Tables are scattered around each room, filled with artifacts that offer guests a more hands-on experience, as they're able to get a close-up glimpse of detailed flip-books aviators created for a quick reference during flights, toolkits where intelligence specialists stored their grease pencils and measuring tools or one of the telephones that play a recording describing the stories of intelligence officers. Guests are even allowed to step into the shoes of intelligence specialists, testing their skills in a group of tests based on visual memory, codebreaking, site assessment and close aerial looking skills, where guests learn what naval intelligence role best suits them, and participate in an immersive mission-planning activity. The exhibit's opening comes after a nearly two-year planning and working period. Initial talks to restore the CVIC were fleshed out in 2009; however, the idea didn't come into fruition until summer 2023, when discussions of restoring the space earned the formal backing of a partnership between Naval Intelligence Professionals and the USS Midway Museum, which funded the bulk of the project. Construction began in the winter of 2023 and concluded in May this year. "We worked with a great company called Art Processors, who did our another new exhibit for us last year," Kraft said. "We wanted to make this something that anybody can come down and understand the role of intel professionals, how they interface with aviators, that kind of fusion that took place and get an appreciation for really the high-stakes planning that went on down here." Kraft and the museum enlisted the help of every intelligence officer he remembered serving with on the USS Midway, as well as intelligence officers and specialists from the Midway's docents, to study and prepare for the exhibit - eventually totaling up to around 750 volunteers. Retired Commander Diana Guglielmo, an imagery analyst, helped lead the planning efforts. "I was one of their advisers, because I served on board five aircraft carriers as a senior intelligence officer," Guglielmo said. "I was the first woman to serve as the senior intelligence for the air wing, and so I basically ingested all the artifacts, and then grouped them together, and then put them into the exhibit in the right place based on what would be on a carrier." Reflecting and honoring the real stories behind the CVIC and the intelligence specialists involved was essential to the team; a space of the exhibit is dedicated to retired Capt. William Marcus "Marc" Luoma, who died in 2021. Luoma's jacket and the coffee cup he used frequently on board are even on display. As guests exit, the last section of the exhibit displays historic photos from the naval intelligence community and a message paying tribute to their "dedication and excellence" in CVIC "We hope they feel honored," Mark Berlin, the USS Midway Museum's director of operations said. "We hope that they recognize our appreciation for the hard work and dedication that they have to everything that they do. We saw that in engineering, when we had a lot of our former engineers go through this space and feel like their story is being told. We hope the same thing happens here." The team behind the exhibit hopes that even the general public will find something meaningful to take from their experience. "I hope one day, as young people come through here, men and women, they see kind of this quiet profession, and they're motivated or enthusiastic about doing this job. It's one of those parts of the Navy that we just don't talk a lot about," Guglielmo said. "In the intelligence community, we say open the green door, because all the classifieds are always hidden behind the green door, and so this will open the green door and let them see kind of what their contributions can do." _____________ Copyright (C) 2025, Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Portions copyrighted by the respective providers.
Scottish Sun
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Universal's UK theme park plans have dropped – here's what you can expect including nightclubs and film studios
Plus, The Sun's Sophie Swietochowski spent three days at Universal's huge new £7bn theme park PARK UP Universal's UK theme park plans have dropped – here's what you can expect including nightclubs and film studios PLANS have been dropped for the new Universal theme park coming to Bedfordshire. The attraction will be divided into four main land areas known as the Core Zone, Lake Zone, West Gateway Zone and the East Gateway Zone. 5 Plans have been dropped for the new Universal theme park coming to Bedfordshire Within these zones will be the theme park; retail and entertainment destinations; visitor accommodation including hotels, camping and caravanning; sport, recreation, leisure and spa facilities and conference and convention spaces. The plans state: "[Guests will ]experience blockbuster attractions, adrenaline-pumping coasters, and mind-blowing spectaculars. "They'll come face-to-face with incredible creatures, heroes, and villains. "They'll discover great food, new laughs, new ways to play, and step into immersive worlds they've only ever dreamed of." The application also expresses that in the first year, 8.5million visitors are expected to the Core Zone. Then, in future years, 12.5million visitors are expected annually. The split between domestic and international visitors is expected to be 70 per cent and 30 per cent respectively in the first year. Then 52 per cent and 48 per cent respectively in future years. The attraction is also due to be open each day between 9am and 9pm, with visitors starting to arrive at 7am and depart up until 10pm. Hotel arrivals would take place later, at 3pm, to coincide with check-in times. Inside Universal Epic Universe with incredible thrill rides and amazing food The Universal UK theme park is expected to open in 2031. Rides, experiences and attractions Many parts of the application reference what will be included in the theme park. This includes indoor and outdoor rides, attractions, games and pools. There is also set to be events spaces for parades, shows and displays. Entertainment venues are set to include theatres and cinemas and sport, recreation, leisure and spa facilities are also planned. Other entertainment venues suggested are music and dance venues, nightclubs and even tattoo parlours. Planned indoor and outdoor cultural spaces include exhibition spaces, art galleries and museums. Under the accessibility section, the proposal also includes ride examples such as a Men in Black experience, One Fish Two Fish fairground ride and a Jurassic Park water-based ride. 5 The attraction will be divided into four main land areas known as the Core Zone, Lake Zone, West Gateway Zone and the East Gateway Zone Credit: Universal Destinations & Experiences Interestingly, the document also reveals that the site could have media and film production facilities, stating: "For instance a building may be used as a sound stage, film studio, event space or hosting a Universal Destinations & Experiences show or even a mixture of these uses." The application goes on to explain how the use of some buildings at the site may vary seasonally, "for instance during events such as Halloween Horror Nights". There will also be a maximum height of anything in the theme park of 115metres. Core Zone The Core Zone will be the central part of the attraction and is set "to contain the theme park, amusement park and/or water park". The plans also show that it could have an entry plaza, car and coach parking, a 500-room hotel, valet parking service and a transport hub. Lake Zone The Lake Zone will be the northernmost part of the attraction. In this zone, the proposed plans include business hotels with 2000 rooms, further hotels and accommodation with 3370 bedrooms and entertainment complex support. This zone is also set to include the Convention Centre, which will span across 55,000square-metres. 5 Within these zones will be the theme park; retail and entertainment destinations; visitor accommodation including hotels, camping and caravanning; sport, recreation, leisure and spa facilities and conference and convention spaces Credit: Universal Any shops in this zone will have a maximum size of 1,100square-metres. In addition, this zone would have a new wetland habitat. East Gateway Zone The East Gateway Zone will be located in the eastern area of the Bedfordshire site, located near the village of Wixams. The East Gateway Zone would also adjoin the planned site of the new Wixams Rail Station. West Gateway Zone The westernmost area of the site will feature the West Gateway Zone. This zone is set to include a petrol station with 16 pumps, restaurants up to 5,866square-metres, a 200-bedroom hotel and entertainment resort complex support. Any shops in this zone will have a maximum size of 1,100square-metres. Accessibility and inclusion Universal is also committed to "creating a theme park experience that's inclusive and accessible to everyone, ensuring that all our guests can embark on unforgettable journeys regardless of their abilities". 5 The plans state: "[Guests will ]experience blockbuster attractions, adrenaline-pumping coasters, and mind-blowing spectaculars" Credit: Universal Destinations & Experiences For the UK park this means that there will be wide and smooth pathways for wheelchairs, ramps and lifts, accessible toilets in each toilet block and accessible hotel accommodation. Rides would each have one row or seat that can accommodate wheelchair users or visitors with walking impairments. Assistive technology would also be available throughout the park such as captioning, audio description, tactile maps and a phone app. Transport The overall site also plans to include a new junction on the A421, an expanded railway station on the Thameslink/Midland Main Line at Wixams, improvements to roads and potential land for a new railway station on the proposed EWR Bletchley to Bedford line (if this were to happen in the future). The vision includes a four-platform, four-track station at Wixams with a new station building. The application also reveals that the Core Zone could have a transport hub, where a "rail-related development may be provided". Pedestrian and cycle routes are set to be added to the park too. In the mean time The Sun's Sophie Swietochowski spent three days at Universal's huge new £7bn theme park and has shared all the things worth doing… and the bits to skip.
The Irish Sun
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Universal's UK theme park plans have dropped – here's what you can expect including nightclubs and film studios
PLANS have been dropped for the new Universal theme park coming to Bedfordshire. The 5 Plans have been dropped for the new Universal theme park coming to Bedfordshire Within these zones will be the theme park; retail and entertainment destinations; visitor accommodation including hotels , camping and caravanning; sport, recreation, leisure and spa facilities and conference and convention spaces. The plans state: "[Guests will ]experience blockbuster attractions, adrenaline-pumping "They'll come face-to-face with incredible creatures, heroes, and villains. "They'll discover great food, new laughs, new ways to play, and step into immersive worlds they've only ever dreamed of." Read more on Universal The application also expresses that in the first year, 8.5million visitors are expected to the Core Zone. Then, in future years, 12.5million visitors are expected annually. The split between domestic and international visitors is expected to be 70 per cent and 30 per cent respectively in the first year. Then 52 per cent and 48 per cent respectively in future years. Most read in News Travel The attraction is also due to be open each day between 9am and 9pm, with visitors starting to arrive at 7am and depart up until 10pm. Inside Universal Epic Universe with incredible thrill rides and amazing food The Rides, experiences and attractions Many parts of the application reference what will be included in the theme park. This includes indoor and outdoor There is also set to be events spaces for parades, shows and displays. Entertainment venues are set to include theatres and cinemas and sport, recreation, leisure and Other entertainment venues suggested are music and dance venues, nightclubs and even tattoo parlours. Planned indoor and outdoor cultural spaces include exhibition spaces, art galleries and Under the accessibility section, the proposal also includes ride examples such as a Men in Black experience, One Fish Two Fish fairground ride and a 5 The attraction will be divided into four main land areas known as the Core Zone, Lake Zone, West Gateway Zone and the East Gateway Zone Credit: Universal Destinations & Experiences Interestingly, the document also reveals that the site could have media and film production facilities, stating: "For instance a building may be used as a sound stage, film studio, event space or hosting a Universal Destinations & Experiences show or even a mixture of these uses." The application goes on to explain how the use of some buildings at the site may vary seasonally, "for instance during events such as Halloween Horror Nights". There will also be a maximum height of anything in the theme park of 115metres. Core Zone The Core Zone will be the central part of the attraction and is set "to contain the theme park, amusement park and/or The plans also show that it could have an entry plaza, car and coach parking, a 500-room hotel, valet parking service and a transport hub. Lake Zone The Lake Zone will be the northernmost part of the attraction. In this zone, the proposed plans include business hotels with 2000 rooms, further This zone is also set to include the Convention Centre, which will span across 55,000square-metres. 5 Within these zones will be the theme park; retail and entertainment destinations; visitor accommodation including hotels, camping and caravanning; sport, recreation, leisure and spa facilities and conference and convention spaces Credit: Universal Any shops in this zone will have a maximum size of 1,100square-metres. In addition, this zone would have a new wetland habitat. East Gateway Zone The East Gateway Zone will be located in the eastern area of the Bedfordshire site, located near the village of Wixams. The East Gateway Zone would also adjoin the planned site of the new Wixams Rail Station. West Gateway Zone The westernmost area of the site will feature the West Gateway Zone. This zone is set to include a petrol station with 16 pumps, restaurants up to 5,866square-metres, a 200-bedroom hotel and entertainment resort complex support. Any shops in this zone will have a maximum size of 1,100square-metres. Accessibility and inclusion Universal is also committed to "creating a 5 The plans state: "[Guests will ]experience blockbuster attractions, adrenaline-pumping coasters, and mind-blowing spectaculars" Credit: Universal Destinations & Experiences For the UK park this means that there will be wide and smooth pathways for wheelchairs, ramps and lifts, accessible toilets in each toilet block and accessible hotel accommodation. Rides would each have one row or seat that can accommodate wheelchair users or visitors with walking impairments. Assistive technology would also be available throughout the park such as captioning, audio description, tactile maps and a phone app. Transport The overall site also plans to include a new junction on the A421, an expanded The vision includes a four-platform, four-track station at Wixams with a new station building. The application also reveals that the Core Zone could have a transport hub, where a "rail-related development may be provided". Pedestrian and cycle routes are set to be added to the park too. In the mean time The Sun's Sophie Swietochowski spent three days at 5 The Universal UK theme park is expected to open in 2031 Credit: PA
