The Behind-the-Scenes Challenges Explained: Why The Invincible Live-Action Movie is Taking Its Time

Summary

The live-action Invincible movie is still in the script development stage, and once the script is finalized, progress can move quickly.

The creators aim to bring a fresh and distinct feel to the movie, separate from the animated show, while also incorporating the show's triumph.

To ensure the movie's viability, the most suitable strategy is to place it in a parallel timeline alongside the show. This approach permits the coexistence of numerous iterations of the protagonist and antagonists without disrupting the show's ongoing storyline.

Creator Robert Kirkman has provided an update on the live-action Invincible movie amidst the return of the animated show. The movie, which was initially in progress with Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg onboard to write, direct, and produce, alongside Universal Pictures distributing, has been a continued focus despite the shift towards the Invincible show. Kirkman has reassured that development is still ongoing, with the Point Grey duo involved, and Universal remaining enthusiastic about the project due to the show's success. In a recent interview, Kirkman stated that the movie is currently in the script development stage, emphasizing the time and effort being dedicated to distinguishing it from the animated show.

Still in the script development stage,

How The Invincible Movie Can Happen Separate From The Show

I believe that once we reach the desired state of the script, we will be in a favorable position and able to progress swiftly. However, we are currently contemplating various factors mentioned earlier: How can we make this feel fresh? How can we make it stand out? How can we ensure it becomes something extraordinary? These are all enormous challenges. Moreover, we need to strike a balance between leveraging the animated series and creating a distinctive identity for the movie, giving it a purpose to exist. There is still a great deal of work that lies ahead, but we remain optimistic.

In the event that the project gets underway while the show is still running, the Invincible film would not be the first to face the challenge of airing at the same time as its television counterpart. Some franchises have approached these expansions as independent narratives within their universes, as exemplified by The Simpsons Movie or the recently unveiled The Bob's Burgers Movie. Others have adopted a more interconnected approach to their films, such as the 1998 release of The X-Files, which served as a connecting link between seasons 5 and 6, among other instances.

Kirkman has a wide range of his comics to draw inspiration from for the live-action Invincible movie. This provides him with various possibilities to differentiate it from the ongoing Prime Video show. One option would be to fully reimagine the cast and storyline, capturing the essence of the original comics more closely than the show has done. Alternatively, the creative team might choose to keep as many members of the show's cast as feasible for a live-action journey that connects the seasons. However, the age gap between the actors and their characters could present a challenge.

A more feasible approach for the live-action Invincible movie, which won't disrupt the show's continuity, would be to place it in a parallel timeline. In Season 2, the multiversal antagonist Angstrom Levy is slated to be introduced, creating the opportunity for the eponymous hero to confront different versions of villains previously encountered in the show or those yet to be revealed. Taking cues from successful projects like Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which effectively incorporates multiple versions of the hero alongside their live-action counterparts, this could be the ideal direction for Kirkman and his team.