Men in Black Inspired Dog Names

The success of the Men in Black film franchise helped launch a lot of careers and catapulted a lot of actors into stardom, including that of Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. One unexpected scene-stealer, however, was Mushu, the Pug who plays Frank in the movie. Frank the Pug is one of the most memorable characters in the entire franchise, having appeared in the first and second MIB movies as well as the animated series and video game based on the film.

In the movies, Frank takes the appearance of a Pug. But in reality, he is an extraterrestrial of the Remoolian alien specie. In the first film, Men in Black, Frank plays a minor but important role. He is seen at a small kiosk sitting next to a man who sells keys. Agent J starts talking to the man about how his disguise is the worst, thinking that the man is an alien. Frank responds to Agent J, which caught him off guard because he did not suspect that Frank is an alien. Frank’s role in the film is an informant for the Men in Black. He informs the agents that the “galaxy” that the Arquillians are looking for can be found on Earth. This exchange was the only appearance of Frank in the first film.

Frank was well received despite his small role in the first film, instantly becoming one of the most favored characters by viewers. Even Director Barry Sonnenfeld himself liked the dog’s performance, so much so that he decided to write a major arc for Frank in the second film, Men in Black II. In the sequel, Frank is shown as an employee at the headquarters, tasked to deliver passports to the office of Chief Zed. As he is on his way to the office, he overhears a conversation between the Chief and Agent J regarding a new mission. With Agent J’s former partner, Agent T, being neuralyzed, Frank volunteers to be J’s new partner, given the moniker “Agent F”. The entirety of the film displays some comical antics from Frank, including singing along to Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and barking to the song “Who Let the Dogs Out?”. He also caused some mishaps with his stubbornness and overbearing attitude. Eventually, Frank steps down as an agent and instead becomes assistant to Chief Zed.

Frank’s role in the second film became notable due to his clowning around. Unfortunately, Frank does not return in the third MIB film, Men in Black 3, because the dog actor Mushu passed away. He is, however, seen in a billboard and a photo in Agent J’s room in the third film.

Frank the Pug was well adored by many viewers and fans of the franchise. Not only that, soon after the film made a successful debut, the popularity of Pugs reached a new high and the name “Frank” became a popular choice for a dog name.