LOS ANGELES: "Thor: Ragnarok" star Chris Hemsworth is in negotiation with Sony Pictures to star in the "Men in Black" spinoff.
The actor is in advance talks with the studio for the lead role in the film.
The studio is also in negotiations with director F Gary Gray to helm the project.
"Iron Man" scribes Matt Holloway and Art Marcum have penned the script of the new film, reported Variety.
Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are not expected to return to the film, which is meant to launch a new franchise with the fresh talent involved.
Sony had originally planned to combine the "Men and Black" and "21 Jump Street" franchises, but have since shelved that idea.
Walter F Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are producing with Steven Spielberg executive producing.
David Beaubaire is overseeing the project for Sony.
The original movie followed Smith and Jones, who played agents of a secret organisation, known as the Men in Black, and protected Earth from intergalactic bad guys.
The first film was a major critical and commercial success and was followed by two more sequels. The three films hauled a cumulative USD 1.7 billion worldwide.