MOVIE NEWS – The Invisible Man became a critical and box-office success, breathing new life into Universal’s monster universe after the failure of the Dark Universe. However, director Leigh Whannell has no desire to work on a sequel.
Released on February 28, 2020, The Invisible Man grossed $144.5 million globally on a modest $7 million budget. Despite its theatrical run being limited to just three weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film thrived thanks to glowing reviews and strong word-of-mouth. Whannell quickly gained a reputation for reimagining Universal’s classic monsters for the modern audience, a trend he continues with his latest project, Wolf Man.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter about Wolf Man, Whannell was asked about a potential follow-up to The Invisible Man. While he acknowledges that Universal Pictures might be interested in extending the story, Whannell made it clear that he is not personally invested in returning. For him, the ending of the original film was more of a satisfying conclusion than the beginning of a new chapter. He explained:
“I was really happy with how The Invisible Man ended, so I just don’t feel a creative drive to continue it. Financially, that’s a different story. The studio might see an opportunity to make more money and want a sequel. But from an artistic standpoint, I think it’s a closed chapter. Let’s leave it that way.”
The 2020 film ended with Elisabeth Moss’s Cecilia defeating her abusive ex Adrian Griffin by taking his invisibility suit after killing him. While the conclusion left room for a sequel, Whannell believes the story should remain as it is.
Nevertheless, Blumhouse producer Jason Blum and Moss seem to be pushing forward with a sequel. In April 2024, Moss stated on the Happy Sad Confused podcast: “We’re closer than ever to cracking it. I feel really good about the direction it’s going, and we’re absolutely intent on continuing the story.”
Universal’s New Approach to Monsters Abandons Continuity
Even though Whannell has ruled out directing another The Invisible Man film, it appears that the sequel is progressing. This development has seemingly sidelined Elizabeth Banks’s Invisible Woman project, which Universal Pictures had been developing since 2019. In 2024, Banks commented:
“They made The Invisible Man, and now they’re making another. I think Universal wants to see that through. I’m still intrigued by the concept we worked on, but it’s not something I’m actively pursuing at this point.”
After the widely publicized failure of the Dark Universe, Universal Pictures abandoned its plans for an interconnected monster movie universe. Instead, the studio has shifted focus to standalone reimaginings of its iconic monsters, encouraging directors to create unique interpretations without worrying about continuity.
In just two years, Universal produced four distinct takes on the Dracula story. These included the comedic Renfield, the gothic horror The Last Voyage of the Demeter, and the reimagined Dracula’s Daughter, titled Abagail. The series culminated with Nosferatu, a remake of the 1922 classic, which became a box-office hit.
Similarly, Lisa Frankenstein added a darkly romantic twist to the Frankenstein story, while Whannell’s Wolf Man brought a grounded, realistic take on the classic tale.
While a sequel to The Invisible Man might sound appealing on paper, it doesn’t seem necessary. Universal’s new approach thrives by delivering radically different interpretations of its monsters, rather than rehashing what has already been done.
Source: MovieWeb
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