Universal, Blumhouse and Leigh Whannell are injecting new life into the classic monster movie The Invisible Man this year, with writer/director Whannell (Upgrade) offering up a fresh new spin on the James Whale-directed film from 1933. Star Elisabeth Moss talked about the rated “R” remake in a new chat with Empire this week, teasing the film’s timely themes.
“You literally have a man who is invisible, you can’t see him, she’s saying he’s there, that he’s attacking her, abusing her, manipulating her, and everyone around her is saying, ‘Relax. It’s fine.’ And she keeps saying, ‘No, he is – he’s alive, he’s doing this,’ and no-one believes her. The analogy is incredibly clear,” Moss explained to the site.
She added, “I’ve had quite a bit of experience playing characters who are dealing with various types of abuse. Whether it’s emotional, physical, sexual, it’s something that I’ve dived into quite a bit. So I was able to bring that knowledge to the role.”
The best horror often holds a mirror up to society and has more on its mind than scares and bloodshed, and it sounds like Whannell’s own take on The Invisible Man has something to say here in 2020. In the wake of the “Dark Universe” failing, it’s sounding more and more like Universal has finally figured out how to properly bring their monsters into the present.
Check out a new image from the film below, also courtesy of Empire.
Here’s the full plot rundown:
“Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Elisabeth Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding, aided by her sister (Harriet Dyer), their childhood friend (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid).”
“But when Cecilia’s abusive ex (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turns lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.“
The Invisible Man stalks audiences on February 28, 2020.
