Leigh Whannell Discusses ‘The Invisible Woman’

Rising from Shadows: Blumhouse’s Monster Revival

When Universal Pictures’ grand plan for a "Dark Universe" fizzled out, Blumhouse hatched its own take on classic monsters. Notably, their version of The Invisible Man became an unexpected blockbuster, earning a cool $144.5 million globally against a modest $7 million budget.

Director Leigh Whannell, fresh off the success of The Invisible Man, turned his gaze toward Wolf Man. Yet, fans have long clamored for more from Elisabeth Moss’s "Invisible Woman." While Jason Blum and James Wan are open to expanding the universe, Whannell, however, recently told The Hollywood Reporter that a sequel isn’t in his plans.

Crafting the Invisible’s Legacy

According to Whannell, the true magic lies in an impactful ending. He spoke with admiration about films like Se7en, which he recently experienced in IMAX. Crafting a perfect ending, he mused, is the screenwriter’s "holy grail."

Whannell takes pride in The Invisible Man’s finale and resists extending the narrative. Hollywood often gravitates towards sequels to maximize profits, but Whannell finds peace in the original’s conclusion. "An ending is the hardest thing to do in screenwriting," he lamented, praising Se7en’s masterpiece final moments. "I revere movies with great endings."

Riding that wave, Whannell sees no need to embellish further. Sequels often rise from Hollywood’s economic ambitions: "We scored, we did well, let’s do it again." Whannell, having crafted ongoing franchises like Saw and Insidious, knows this cycle all too well. Yet, with The Invisible Man, he’s content to let the story rest as is.

Navigating the Wolf Man’s Wilderness

As Whannell ventures with Wolf Man, the journey was anything but linear. Initially teaming up with Ryan Gosling, unforeseen schedules derailed their progress. Whannell stepped away for other projects, only to return later to his original script.

While Gosling’s commitments prevented continued involvement, Whannell braved the twisting journey to complete Wolf Man. "It was definitely a twistier road," Whannell shared, contrasting it against his previously straightforward experiences like Upgrade.

Starring Sam Jaeger, Ben Prendergast, and Benedict Hardie, with fresh faces like Zac Chandler, Beatriz Romilly, and Milo Cawthorne, Wolf Man carries Leigh Whannell’s directorial and co-writing stamp with Corbett Tuck. It’s a testament to his resilience amidst the industry’s orchestration.

As Wolf Man roars into theaters now, Whannell embarks on yet another chapter, satisfied having danced with the complexities of film creation. If you’ve got thoughts on this latest monster hit, drop them in the comments!