I have to admit, although I always “got” why the “Men in Black” movies were popular with audiences (Will Smith, crazy action, wild CGI), I always thought it was lacking a lot of things. The plot, for one, was always so outrageous as to be silly, and the special effects alway looked a bit rushed or incomplete to me. But hey, the first two movies did gonzo box office, which is probably why greenlighting a “Men in Black 3″ was a no-brainer for Sony.

Word from Dark Horizon is that Sony Pictures is indeed moving forward with a third movie. The announcement was made at ShoWest yesterday. ShoWest, for those of you who don’t know, is where studios hawk their upcoming movies to the national chain of theater owners under the bright lights of Las Vegas, and is held annually. Mostly, it’s just an excuse for theater owners to shake celebrity hands and get their pictures taken with Vegas strippers.

Obviously there won’t be much of a sequel if both Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones don’t return, but especially Smith. Luckily for the franchise, Smith seems very willing to do sequels, so there’s a good chance both will return. Of course, it’ll probably depend on the CHA-CHING.

The “Men in Black” film series starred Smith and Jones as the eponymous men in black, mysterious Government agents in black suits, tie, and sunglasses that go around containing alien trouble. They are famous for wiping the memories of anyone who finds out the truth.