How The Invisible Man ending sets up a sequel you didn't see coming
The Dark Universe might have legs after all, if a sequel picks up where this one leaves off.
Remember that scene in the Mad Men finale where Peggy Olson walks into the offices of McCann Erickson like a BAMF, cigarette dangling in her mouth and no f*cks given? Moss basically does the same thing in the new horror movie The Invisible Man.
Here's how the ending to Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man sets up a sequel that would keep Universal's shared universe of vintage movie monsters going.
Warning: Spoilers for The Invisible Man ahead.
In The Invisible Man, Moss stars as Cecilia, a woman imprisoned by her abusive boyfriend Adrian, a wealthy tech innovator (Oliver Jackson-Cohen). When Adrian kills himself, Cecilia is finally free, until strange phenomena causes her to become isolated from her family and friends. That's when she realizes she's never truly alone.
At the end of the movie, Cecilia learns her invisible assailant hasn't been her abusive ex, who is actually alive and "tied up" in his basement, but Adrian's brother and lawyer, Tom (Michael Dorman), who stole Adrian's body suit that uses advanced optics to make the wearer invisible. Where the original 1933 film (itself based on an H.G. Wells novel) had the Invisible Man transform because of chemical science, the 2020 movie uses technology, a change that illustrates the cutting-edge reinvention of evil.
While the police and the media think they know the whole story, Cecilia knows Adrian better than anyone else. So when Adrian invites her to dinner to make amends, Cecilia uses the suit to kill him, being careful not to make it obvious on any of his security cameras. Cecilia walks out of Adrian's house, leaving him to die and carrying Adrian's suit with her. Though Cecilia's detective friend James (Aldis Hodge) learns the truth, he reluctantly lets her slide, knowing how dangerous Adrian was and what Cecilia endured.
But now that Cecilia has Adrian's invisible suit, just what does she intend to do with it?
We're not quite sure. But we do know what Elisabeth Moss is meant to become.
'The Invisible Woman' was a 1940 comedy and spin-off of the horror movie 'The Invisible Man.' The film starred Virginia Bruce, who is the test subject to a machine that can make people invisible. She uses her invisibility to get back at her old department store boss.
The Invisible Woman
The original Invisible Man film series from Universal sparked The Invisible Woman in 1940, which starred Virginia Bruce. Unlike the previous movies, The Invisible Woman was a screwball comedy that found the idea of an unseen woman funny than frightening. The spin-off has since been closely tied to the Invisible Man mythos, and is part of that character's shared universe.
It's not likely that Elisabeth Moss will star in a comedic spin-off of her terrifically great horror movie. But an Invisible Woman reboot is in the early stages.
Back in November, news outlets reported that Universal is pursuing a serious remake of The Invisible Woman, originating from a pitch by Elizabeth Banks. Banks will direct and star in that movie, with a script by Erin Cressida Wilson, writer of The Girl on the Train. The film will be Banks' next directing project after her recent action movie, Charlie's Angels.
Elisabeth Moss and Oliver Jackson-Cohen star in 'The Invisible Man.'
Given that Universal's original "Dark Universe" franchise has gone, well, dark, it's not known how any shared universe involving the classic monsters will work. As of now, we can wager that Banks' take onThe Invisible Woman will have no connections to The Invisible Man, which could take off as an independent franchise should it perform at the box office... or die a quick death if it doesn't. Whatever Banks is cooking up, we can only assume it will be its own thing. For now. And who knows? There doesn't have to be just one invisible woman.
The Invisible Man is in theaters now.
