Rebecca Ferguson's Star-Studded Sci-Fi Comedy Is a Streaming Sleeper Hit

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Rebecca Ferguson smiling on the red carpet

Published Jan 24, 2026, 8:21 PM EST

Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.

For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.

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His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.

When Men in Black: International hit theaters in 2019, the consensus was pretty brutal. A spin-off without Will Smith or Tommy Lee Jones? Risky. A lighter, globe-trotting tone? Not what longtime fans expected. And yet, years later, the sci-fi comedy is quietly having a moment, charting on Starz as a surprise streaming hit.

Directed by F. Gary Gray, International leans hard on the charisma of Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson, whose chemistry does a lot of heavy lifting. Their agents, H and M, don’t try to recreate the old MiB dynamic; instead, the movie reframes the franchise as a slick, international buddy comedy with suits, gadgets, and enough charm to smooth over a fairly standard plot.

The supporting cast doesn’t hurt either. Rebecca Ferguson makes a memorable appearance as an intergalactic arms dealer, while Liam Neeson and Emma Thompson add just enough gravitas to keep things grounded. Toss in Kumail Nanjiani’s scene-stealing Pawny, and suddenly the movie feels way more watchable than its reputation suggests.

Is 'Men in Black: International' Worth Watching?

Collider’s review stated that Men in Black: International ultimately lived or died on the sheer charisma of its two leads. Chris Hemsworth and Tessa Thompson carried the film almost entirely on their backs, radiating movie-star charm in perfectly tailored suits and managing to smooth over a script that was serviceable but rarely inspired. Their chemistry elevated otherwise bland action beats, turning a middling blockbuster into something consistently watchable. Despite those shortcomings, the review noted that the world-building, humor from side characters like Pawny, and the undeniable appeal of its leads made the film feel full of unrealized potential.

"As Agent H, Hemsworth is basically ramping up the most dick-ish of Thor Odinson's personality quirks, but weaponizing well-timed smirks or winks—or, let's be honest, an unbuttoned button—to make us still like him. Thompson has the harder role; Agent M is extremely competent and a bit of a fangirl for the Men in Black at the same time. Thompson combines those two qualities into pure, crackling energy. That's the funny part, really. Thanks to the combination of Hemsworth + Thompson + the world-building, I'd watch the hell out of a sequel to this movie despite feeling cold about it overall."

Men in Black: International is currently streaming on Starz.