But, in its own way, Men in Black International is arguably more important for the studio. So a projected $40 million debut, presuming it’s any good, is a decent enough place to start for the sci-fi caper. While Men in Black cost $90 million way back in 1997, Men in Black 2 cost a hefty $140 million while Men in Black 3 (which had a tumultuous production) cost a whopping $225 million. The projected $20 million debut weekend would be nearly tied (sans inflation) with the $21.7 million launch of Shaft back in 2000. Actually, sans inflation, a $20 million debut for Shaft would be Sam Jackson’s third-biggest launch as the top-billed star after Coach Carter ($24 million in 2005) and Shaft ($21.7 million in 2000).

Source: Forbes May 23, 2019 19:06 UTC