Men in Black II is a 2002 science-fiction action comedy directed by Barry Sonnenfeld and the second film in the Men in Black series. Will Smith returns as Agent J, who is forced to bring Agent K back into the organisation when a new alien threat emerges in the form of Serleena, a shape-shifting creature searching for a hidden object known as the Light of Zartha. Compared with the first film, the sequel leans even more heavily into fast-paced comedy, bizarre creature design and the idea of New York as a city where alien life is hiding in plain sight.
Like the first film, Men in Black II is closely tied to New York City, and principal photography took place primarily there in 2001. The film uses a range of recognisable Manhattan and Queens locations, including the Empire Diner in Chelsea, Grand Central Terminal, the American Museum of Natural History area, and parts of Soho and Midtown. The climax was originally conceived with the World Trade Center in the background, but after the September 11 attacks the ending was reworked and refilmed around the Statue of Liberty instead. Altogether, the film builds its world through a mix of diners, train halls, museums, city streets and major landmarks, giving it the same playful sense of a hidden alien New York that defined the original.
Empire Diner
Empire Diner appears in both film and television, including Manhattan, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, Men in Black II, Law & Order, and many more.
Fire Island Lighthouse
Fire Island Lighthouse has appeared in several productions, including "Men in Black II" (2002) and "What Happens in Vegas" (2008).
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