Invincible Movie - What We Know So Far

Robert Kirkman's "Invincible" comics have been a breath of fresh air since the yellow, black, and blue hero first flew onto shelves back in 2003. The series follows high-schooler Mark Grayson, who discovers he has superpowers much like his globally-revered father, Omni-Man. It's a violent, satirical, coming-of-age story which asks fans to look at the superhero genre from a cynical angle. The comic's meteoric success eventually caught the eyes of streaming services and studios alike, and Mark Grayson got his own gory animated series on Amazon Prime Video in 2021.

A live-action "Invincible" movie has been in the works since 2017, with Universal Pictures working on the project as part of Skybound Entertainment's first look deal with the studio. Seth Rogen and his frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg will write, direct and produce the "Invincible" movie, while creator Robert Kirkman is onboard as a producer. Don't worry, the creative team is working hard to make the film its own entity compared to the animated series.

During a recent Comic-Con@Home panel, Kirkman was asked about how the two projects will be different from each other. Although the creator didn't reveal much he teased that "there are massive efforts going in to make sure that the film experience is unique while also being true to Invincible." But let's take a look at what we know about the "Invincible" movie so far, who might be in it, and when we can expect to see it.

It's been four years since Skybound Entertainment first revealed its plans for the "Invincible" movie from Universal Pictures. In that time, the animated series from the same creative team got off the ground and onto Amazon Prime Video. So it doesn't look like the film will fly into theaters anytime in the near future. It's clear that it's still actively being developed thanks to Robert Kirkman's recent comments about the project, but it's just not clear when audiences will get to see Mark Grayson, Omni-Man, or Atom-Eve in live-action. Even if casting has already taken place, it's likely production wouldn't start till the end of 2021 or early 2022.

Even at the most optimistic of guesses, that would give the "Invincible" release date in 2023 at the absolute earliest. Given all the visual effects needed to bring the various superheroes to life would be pretty vital, there's no point rushing production. "Invincible" has the potential to be a truly grand superhero movie with a lot of heart — it'll be worth the wait.

Unfortunately, there's no casting news from the "Invincible" because it's still being worked on by the creative team, though it's highly likely that it won't use the same cast as the animated series on Amazon. As great as Steven Yeun's voicework is as Mark Grayson, he's a little too old to pull off playing a high-schooler. Hopefully the team will pick an unknown star to lead the role or someone age-appropriate (our suggestion would be 17-year old star Forrest Wheeler, who's best known as Emery Huang in "Fresh Off the Boat," as he'd definitely bring Mark's charming, but naïve sensibilities to life with ease).

But whoever winds up stepping into the Invincible supersuit needs to have an excellent dynamic with Omni-Man. It would be great to see J.K. Simmons reprise the role in live-action after his brilliantly ferocious portrayal of the Viltrumite hero in the animated series. But if he's not interested in donning the white and red costume, "Mad Men" star Jon Hamm would be an equally brilliant pick for the role. When it comes to Mark's mother, Debbie, Sandra Oh could also make the jump from the Amazon show to the big screen.

But since Robert Kirkman previously told Entertainment Weekly that the creative team is "working to make sure that the two can exist and complement each other," it's probably best that an entirely new cast takes over.

Much like the comics and the Amazon series, the "Invincible" movie's plot will probably revolve around Mark Grayson discovering he has superhuman abilities and trying to balance his respective responsibilities to the world, his education, and his friends. He'll (presumably) have to live up to his father's legacy because he's Omni-Man, the world's greatest superhero. However — without spoiling anything — not everything is straightforward, where Omni-Man is concerned. Because superhero origin stories have been done to death over the years, it wouldn't be surprising if Kirkman, Rogen, and Goldberg approach the film with a different formula. It might begin with Mark already established as a global superhero rather than starting with his origin of being half-human, half-Viltrumite.

Anyone who's read the comics or watched the series will know "Invincible" isn't for the faint-hearted, as things get bloodier and bloodier with each new chapter. So hopefully the movie attempts to keep a similar tone with an R-rating. There are obviously ways of working around the various gory moments, but they add to the satirical nature that's woven into the story. For example, Omni-Man's character arc will be much more powerful if the film is allowed to be as violent as possible. Hopefully other heroes like Atom-Eve, Rex Splode, Robot, and Dupli-Kate also make an appearance in the story since they heavily feature in Mark's journey. 

Interestingly, the movie won't use the exact same plot as the animated series. Kirkman also told Entertainment Weekly "There will definitely be some significant differences between the movie and the television show." Also adding "People will easily be able to tell them apart..."

Watch this space until we learn more about the "Invincible" movie.