Men in Black 3 brought Agent J across decades, and now the box office hit is expanding across other media and merchandise platforms through a partnership between Starlight Runner Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment.
Although the deal was just announced, the relationship has been in place for awhile. Jeff Gomez and Mark S. Pensavalle, co-founders of Starlight Runner Entertainment, worked closely with star Will Smith, director Barry Sonnenfeld, producers Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald, screenwriter Etan Cohen and Sony Pictures, among others.
Licensing is involved, of course, but the nature of this deal is much deeper than that. Gomez and Pensavalle applied their experience as transmedia storytellers to the Men in Black brand, creating a backstory for many of the elements and fleshing out the property’s mythology so that it could remain consistent and authentic throughout every usage.
Consumers can expect to see online entertainment and video games among the expressions Starlight Runner oversaw.
“As we sought to create a unique buzz and fan engagement around the launch of Men in Black 3, we felt that we had an excellent opportunity to expand the world of Men in Black beyond the film. Starlight Runner’s work on the movie ensured that no matter how fans engage in the world of the Men in Black, they will immerse themselves in a wide-ranging, consistent universe,” said Walter F. Parkes, producer on all three of the Men in Black films.
Related links:
Starlight Runner Entertainment – http://www.starlightrunner.com
Sony Pictures Entertainment – http://www.sonypictures.com
Men in Black 3 – http://www.meninblack.com
From Sony Pictures: In Men In Black 3, Agents J (played by Will Smith) and K (played by Tommy Lee Jones) are back… in time. J has seen some inexplicable things in his 15 years with the Men in Black, but nothing, not even aliens, perplexes him as much as his wry, reticent partner. But when K’s life and the fate of the planet are put at stake, Agent J will have to travel back in time to put things right. J discovers that there are secrets to the universe that K never told him — secrets that will reveal themselves as he teams up with the young Agent K (played by Josh Brolin) to save his partner, the agency, and the future of humankind. Barry Sonnenfeld directs the film. The film’s screenplay is written by Etan Cohen, based on the Malibu Comic by Lowell Cunningham. Walter F. Parkes and Laurie MacDonald produce, and Steven Spielberg and G. Mac Brown are the executive producers.
