The Inhumans TV Series Confirmed for 2017
It’s official. The Inhumans will no longer be getting a movie. Marvel Entertainment and ABC Television Group announced today that The Inhumans, which was previously in development as a Marvel Studios theatrical feature, will instead be getting an ongoing TV series for ABC. However, there is a bit of a catch here. The first two episodes are also set to receive a special exclusive premiere in IMAX theaters for a two-week period.
Per Marvel, this will be an ABC TV series, and it’s set to debut later next year. The IMAX premiere for the show will be a two-week window in late Summer 2017 prior to its ABC Network debut. This will mark the first time a live-action television series has debuted in this manner. Well that might be a bit of a misnomer. The Star Wars: The Clone Wars TV series did have a similar format, with a theatrical release prior to its debut on Cartoon Network. However, The Clone Wars did not debut in commercial IMAX theaters.
The Inhumans made their Marvel Comics’ debut in 1965, created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. Marvel’s The Inhumans TV show will explore the never-before-told epic adventure of Black Bolt and the Inhuman Royal Family. Since the creation of The Inhumans in comic form, the group has grown to prominence and become popular and iconic characters in the Marvel Universe.
Additionally, ABC, IMAX and Marvel TV intent to work together to create a joint marketing and promotional plan for the series across all main media platforms. This marks the first type of cross-platform marketing launch for such a TV show. This is also the first time IMAX has been a financing participant for a TV pilot and series, which is pretty radical.
Speaking on the news, ABC TV Group President Ben Sherwood stated: “This unprecedented alliance represents a bold, innovative approach to launching great TV content for a worldwide audience. It highlights Disney|ABC’s unrelenting commitment to finding new and creative ways to showcasing our very best programming and increasing global engagement and reach.”
IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond added: “This first-of-its-kind multi-platform production, distribution and marketing agreement brings together Marvel Television’s unique brand of entertainment, ABC’s unparalleled audience and IMAX’s brand and global fanboy demographic. It also takes our decades-long relationship with The Walt Disney Company to a whole new level, jointly breaking new ground in the industry. We are confident our exhibition partners will be excited to work with us on this innovative launch of a series across the IMAX network.”
Interestingly enough, the Inhumans already made their debut on Marvel TV shows with the Agents of SHIELD. However, Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD has constantly had to avoid any mentions or references really of Black Bolt and the Royal Family because of the eventual movie plans. Hopefully, now that a TV show has confirmed, there could may be less barriers in such references for the TV shows at least. While they are all connected and taking place in the same universe, Agents of SHIELD still couldn’t exactly lay the groundwork for a movie that was going to be released years from now. Additionally, this could also increase the potential for a TV crossover between Agents of SHIELD and The Inhumans, considering a large chunk of Agents of SHIELD focuses on Inhuman characters and also Terrigenesis, especially since both shows are on ABC. Hayley Atwell did make appearances on Agents of SHIELD as Peggy Carter in flashbacks more than once. Some of what took place in season two of Agent Carter also tied back into the events for the current fourth season of Agents of SHIELD.
There are some pros and cons to this announcement. However, The Inhumans are more likely better served in a television format. The Royal Family just seem like a better fit for TV and are not as movie-friendly type characters as say The Avengers. This could play out like a family friendlier version of Game of Thrones, but with more Marvel aspects thrown in. Once again, hopefully it also means that Agents of SHIELD, if the show continues for another season, will not have to ignore the Royal Family or even Attilan, the home city of the Inhumans, any longer.
The 2017 launch date for Marvel’s The Inhumans will be revealed later on.