The Invisible Man is the latest attempt from Universal Pictures to produce a monster movie based on some of the classic horror franchises we've seen from Hollywood. Of course, this isn't the first time Universal has tried to get a franchise going.
The Dark Universe, as it had come to be known, attempted to bring together some of the worlds most famous monsters. However, could this latest film be the key to getting this universe together? Here are some reasons why that could be the case and some why it definitely shouldn't.
SHOULDN'T: IT'S FAILED TOO MANY TIMES
There's been so many attempts to launch this universe now that it seems like it should just be left alone. Focusing on a good film should be the prime effort right now, rather than worrying about developing other crossovers.
The last time Universal tried to link up their films it felt extremely forced. It's clear that this won't work for some time, so this latest film really shouldn't be another attempt to try to create a Dark Universe.
COULD: IT COULD BRING IN JOHNNY DEPP
Johnny Depp was originally cast in the role of the Invisible Man. Perhaps the end of this film could kick off the universe again by having Johnny Depp develop the powers or be revealed to be the killer in a shock conclusion.
Of course this may be a little on the nose and some fans may be confused once again by what is happening. However, having this big twist and cast member added could increase interest in some of these properties once more.
SHOULDN'T: THERE'S A LACK OF INTEREST
The mainstream audiences don't seem to have much interest in these properties. Indeed it didn't matter if it was the Mummy or Dracula, these characters aren't drawing the number of audience members the studio might expect.
Perhaps they are an outdated movie genre and the horror world has moved on since then. Furthermore, the films always seem to be marketed poorly and are trying too hard to make it seem like an MCU or DCEU equivalent.
COULD: IT MAY SET THE RIGHT TONE
The tone of this upcoming film seems to be closer to what this universe should be trying to achieve. There's a definite horror and thriller vibe to the trailers that suggests this isn't being pitched as anything close to what the other films were.
The others were action films at heart with some horror and monster elements. However, to set this Dark Universe apart from anything else, it needs a distinct horror tone so that even the most hardcore fans of the genre will be intrigued.
SHOULDN'T: IT COULD DAMAGE THE STORY
There's a fear that if the Dark Universe is brought into this latest film that it could damage the story. There should be a singular story that sets up the character of the Invisible Man. If people resonate with that, then he can be added later.
The success of the MCU came because each character received a proper individual story before any of the other characters were brought in. The same thing needs to happen with this movie; perhaps the story is compelling enough by itself that it doesn't need sequels and crossovers.
COULD: THERE COULD BE CAMEO APPEARANCES
If this is looking to be part of a larger universe then perhaps there could be a few cameo appearances that don't detract from the story but allow the world to continue to expand. There's a couple of obvious ones to include.
The most likely would be Russell Crowe, although characters such as Dracula, played by Luke Evans, may also be a good fit. However, it really has to be done in a subtle way and not as we've seen in the past.
SHOULDN'T: THE QUALITY OF THE FILM MATTERS
If the film is bad then this once again stops the universe from taking off. Unfortunately, at the scriptwriting stage there was no way to tell whether the movie would be well received or not. Hopefully this movie doesn't wreck any Dark Universe chances once more.
For the universe to get a great launch it has to come off the back of an undeniably great film. Thus far we are yet to receive this movie, with each attempt getting critically panned. Perhaps a sequel would be a better place to do this.
COULD: IT'S A FRESH CONCEPT
The way this film is being presented it feels like a fresh concept, as if the studio has learned its lessons from previous movies. Since it feels so new and different, perhaps that's what is needed to move everything forward.
Sometimes innovation and the buzz around something different is enough to launch a whole franchise. This is the best way that Universal can hope to continue on with their Dark Universe and make it feel like it's not a recycled concept.
SHOULDN'T: IT COULD BRING CONFUSING CONTINUITY
As this is yet another attempt, perhaps the continuity will become extremely confusing, especially for those who haven't been following along properly. This could be treated as a full reboot or simply a continuation.
If it's a continuation then it's very difficult to know where all the other films fit into this puzzle. Perhaps it's best to leave this film out of it entirely until a better plan has been put forward to link everything together.
COULD: THERE MAY BE A SURPRISE ENDING
There's every chance that the whole film feels like it's a solo outing for the character before a twist at the end which shows us that there's more people in the mix in this universe.
This would be a unique way to do it and elevate the film in some ways so that it feels like a distinct ending. Of course, a post-credits scene is always an option as well but this feels a little bit overplayed by now.