The first trailer for Marvel’s Inhumans has finally arrived, giving us a brief glimpse into the secret society of the Royal Family and the turmoil that awaits them this fall. As far back as 2011, rumors began emerging that Marvel Studios was attempting to turn their Inhumans property into a feature film. By 2014, the movie was officially confirmed as the finale film in Marvel’s ambitious planned lineup.
With the movie set to premiere in 2019, Vin Diesel was long-rumored to play Inhuman king Black Bolt. Early last year, however, signs of trouble began to emerge and the film was removed from Marvel’s slate. By last fall, the change-up was clarified when the TV version of the property was announced.
Since that time, we’ve had casting news, set photos, and a look at the main characters. Now, the first proper look at Inhumans has emerged, showing us many of the main characters in action and teasing the scope of the show. Though there’s still a lot we haven’t seen, we can finally answer a few more questions while asking just as many new ones.
Attilan on the Moon
While fans have waited for some version of the Inhumans to arrive, one of the biggest questions has been the city-state of Attilan. The secret home of the royal Inhuman society, Attilan was once its own island before being ferried around different locations on Earth. For a time, it resided in the Himalayas, before jumping to the moon. It’s that latter iteration of the stronghold that seems to be in Inhumans, as we open with a shot of the Earth, then our moon, and then travel inside the city. There’s also talk from Maximus about journeying to our planet, further confirming that the Royal Family are in their moon phase.
The Royal Family
Speaking of the Royal Family, we get a number of shots of them together and separate. Like the first cast photo, family member Triton is oddly absent from a number of gatherings - and perhaps from Attilan itself. Sitting at what looks to be one last supper together, we see Gorgon, Black Bolt, and Medusa on one side of the table, facing Karnak, Maximus, and Crystal on the other. In the comics, Black Bolt and Maximus are brothers: the only two children of the previous rulers of Attilan. As the eldest, Black Bolt eventually becomes king himself, marrying Medusa and joining their families. Crystal is Medusa's younger sister, while Karnak and Gorgon are both cousins of the king.
An Unspoken Connection
There isn’t much warmth between Black Bolt and Medusa shown in the trailer, but the two share a fierce relationship in the comics. There have been times when it’s been on the rocks and they’ve been at odds, but they generally hold things together for their people. Still, despite that seeming divide between them, they have a long-standing connection.
As Black Bolt is unable to speak without causing complete devastation, he and Medusa have developed a sort of shorthand for communicating. In this way, the queen serves as the ruler in proxy, though she’s certainly sat the throne herself in the comics. We’ve heard that in the show the two will communicate using sign language, a rare occurrence on TV. Likely, the show will also find some creative ways to allow Black Bolt to talk—dream sequences, telepathic conversations, etc. After all, it would certainly be odd if Anson Mount didn’t utter a word for the entire season. While that works in the comics, it’s a harder sell on TV.
Manifest Destiny
The big plot push early in the season looks to be Maximus’ desire to head to Earth. While this was once the Inhumans home in the comics, it’s unclear if they’d be returning to the planet in the show or arriving for the first time. There could also be some sort of connection to the mysterious figures in white we see. Perhaps they are prophets of some sort, sensing a coming catastrophe or opportunity.
Regardless, Maximus has long schemed for power in the comics, and he likely sees Earth and its relatively non-powered population as the perfect subjects. Like many imperialistic leaders, he probably also feels a divine right to claim any land he desires and rule those weaker than himself. Sadly, it looks as if the people of Attilan feel the same way.
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The Inhumans
During one of Maximus’ many speeches, we see a collection of Inhuman people and get a better idea of how they’ll appear. While Afterlife on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. attempted to add a little cultural flair to their version of a secret Inhuman society, Inhumans looks like it will stick to a version of sci-fi minimalism for the sets. There’s also a noticeable lack of mutations or physical deviations amongst the citizens.
In the comics, the process of Terrigenesis that unlocks an Inhuman’s powers can often lead to physical transformation, like with Mutants. Sadly, only a few characters we’ve seen so far have any non-human physical traits. Even then, it’s mostly Crystal’s cool hair and some facial patterning on Karnak—and he hasn’t even gone through Terrigenesis. We do see one Inhuman with a slightly swollen face, but that’s about it, save for Gorgon's legs and (later on) Triton.
Of course, not all Inhumans undergo Terrigenesis. Even in the Inhumans’ society, many don’t go through the process - and those who do often have refined genetics. Still, the lack of any noticeable intricacies in art, fashion, or bodily features is disappointing for a part-alien society that lives outside of humanity in a secret city on the moon.
Maximus’ Revolt
Over the course of the trailer, we see that Maximus’ call to head to Earth is one that his people are ready to hear. Moreover, he seems to have the manpower and firepower to back up his coup. In the comics, Maximus’ powers make him a gifted inventor and all-around genius. As such, those guns his guards are carrying are likely nasty pieces of work.
Still, it’s hard to imagine Maximus and a few gun-toting thugs taking on the likes of the Royal Family. The threat of Black Bolt alone should be enough of a challenge, but watching Medusa’s hair lie limp while two guards hold her down is something fans won’t be pleased with. While hairstyles in a superhero show are almost always meaningless, Medusa’s defining trait is her wild and prehensile hair. Sadly, every shot we’ve seen of her locks has been unremarkable. Hopefully, some explanation will be given for why she doesn’t simply throttle the guards and her brother-in-law when he dares to grab the Inhuman queen.
Enter Lockjaw
One of the earliest things we saw in the set photos was a big blue statue standing in for the CGI Lockjaw. When it came time to adapt the Royal Family, the giant teleporting dog seemed like it would be the biggest challenge. And while the CGI definitely shows, it’s a credit to Marvel that they aren’t shying away from the crucial character.
Just as Black Bolt seems to be in trouble—or perhaps Maximus is the one who should be worrying in the scene—Lockjaw arrives with a stylish bit of teleportation and whisks the king away. We also get a glimpse of the updated tuning fork on his forehead. In the comics, he organically seems to have the odd symbol that Black Bolt wears on his mask. Here, it’s been updated to the V-like logo seen in the throne room and on posters and Black Bolt’s costume. Though he appears a few times in the trailer, Lockjaw will likely be used sparingly throughout the series so that the effects budget can be focused elsewhere.
Welcome to Earth
Those first set photos featuring Lockjaw’s stand-in also pointed towards the scene of Black Bolt arriving in the human world. As most of the show was filmed in Hawaii, the state will be where the Inhumans spend most of their Earth-based time. It’s here that the ‘it’s all connected’ waters of the MCU will be tested. On SHIELD, Inhumans have been popping up for years, with even the president discussing them on national TV. While this has been ignored in the films, it’s not clear how the show will address it.
It’s possible the series is set a few years in the past. If that’s the case, the arrival of Black Bolt and Lockjaw could be Earth’s first encounter. Then again, that seems like something that would have come up on SHIELD. If the two shows coincide, the Royal Family could be entering into a world already full of hate groups and government task forces who fear the Inhumans. Of course, the third option is the show will just ignore SHIELD altogether, something the rest of the MCU is well-practiced at.
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At long last we finally get a brief glimpse of Triton as he’ll appear on the show. Though he’s lacking the breathing apparatus he uses while on land in the comics, he looks a bit like the source material. Though clearly younger and less fish-like, he still has Triton’s signature green hue and head fin.
In the shot, we see Triton running with Crystal, both in civilian clothes. Hopefully, the show will put the character in his element and we’ll see him battling underwater. In the comics, Inhumans are naturally agile, strong, and durable even without their core abilities, but that doesn’t appear to be the case on the show. As such, it’s hard to imagine how much use Triton will be out of water.
Gorgon’s Powers
Gorgon, luckily, looks to have his abilities and appearance intact. Along with Triton and Crystal, he too is being hunted in the woods. Given the more standard weaponry and look of those chasing them, it appears as if an Earth-based group is after the Inhumans rather than Maximus’ minions. Too bad for them, Gorgon has the power to create seismic waves with the stomp of his hoof. That’s right, Gorgon is essentially a satyr, possessing two goat-like legs complete with hooves. While we've yet to see Crystal or Medusa use their powers, it’s good to know at least Karnak and Gorgon can put up a fight.
The King’s Speech
While his family is being chased through the woods, we see Black Bolt once again on the streets. This time, however, he’s in civilian clothes and being chased by the police. Likely following a bad attempt at blending in, Black Bolt must have done something egregious given how the cops are treating him. Then again, they could just resent that he’s an alien. Providing more evidence that the Inhumans lack their comic book strength, we see a couple of generic looking cops seem to completely take down Black Bolt before his grunt blasts a cop car down the street.
In the comics, Black Bolt’s powers have varied a good bit. Sometimes, a whisper can cause an avalanche, other times it’s merely a concussive blast. The moment in the trailer is meant to play out dramatically, but as his abilities and silence aren’t fully explained to viewers not familiar with the source material, it likely didn’t hit as intended for many.
Missing in Action
Though we get our first look at Lockjaw and Triton in the trailer, there’s still a number of characters who have yet to make an appearance. First off is Auran, a NuHuman from the comics who’s supposed to be in all eight episodes of the show. There’s also Dr. Evan Declan, a new scientist character played by Henry Ian Cusick (The 100). We also have yet to see Ellen Woglom’s mystery character, who just may be Abigail Brand from S.W.O.R.D. Finally, there’s the former king and queen, Black Bolt and Maximus’ parents. They’ll most likely appear in the flashbacks, however, so we may not see them in the marketing much.
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The trailer may have just debuted, but it’s already proven to be divisive among fans. Only time will tell how general audiences take it and whether either group is willing to shell out to see the two-part pilot in IMAX theaters a few weeks before it debuts on TV. If the show proves to be a hit, Marvel will have once again crafted a compelling adaptation of one of their properties. If, however, the show is viewed as a failure, many will likely be disappointed the characters didn’t get a big budget film like fans were originally promised.
Inhumans premieres in IMAX on September 1, and on ABC on September 29.