Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are Adapting Robert Kirkman's 'Invincible'

The current, continuing successes of both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Walking Dead have proved that superheroes and zombies are just about the most popular things in all of pop-culture right now.

So what would happen if we put them together? Sadly, not a Marvel Zombies movie, but this latest surprising news is surely the next best thing. Robert Kirkman, the writer behind that little-known series The Walking Dead, also wrote another sell-out series entitled Invincible, and the dynamic duo of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg have decided to bring this superhero to the silver screen.

Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg are Adapting Robert Kirkman’s Invincible

Yup, The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that minds behind This Is The End and #SausageParty are on board to adapt Kirkman’s second longest-running comic book series into a feature film for Universal Studios. Rogen and Goldberg will not only direct, but are locked in to write and produce it as well. Kirkman is reportedly thrilled with the news, telling THR:

“For nearly a decade I've had to endure the ‘what about Invincible?’ question…The answer was always that we were waiting for the right team to partner with. That team has arrived!”

With Rogen and Goldberg steering the movie's development, fans may worry that Invincible’s unique voice will be lost in the move from comics to film, but fear not. Kirkman and Invincible’s other co-creators Ryan Ottley & Cory Walker are on board as producers as well.

But some readers may be wondering why so many of us are excited by this news. What is Invincible even about?

Investigating Robert Kirkman’s Invincible – What is it About?

Factoring into the Image Comics Universe, Invincible debuted back in 2003. It’s a unique and compelling take on the familiar superhero story, which THR succinctly summarizes thus:

“…Mark Grayson [is] a normal high school student with just one difference between him and his peers — his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, and he, too, will inherit his own set of superpowers.”

So, think the basic premise and powers of #Superman (but with Viltrumites rather than Kryptonians) mixed in with the teenage relatability of #SpiderMan with a more grounded emphasis. Certainly, Invincible follows Grayson through his various adolescent agonies, but where other comics generally shy away from aging their characters, Invincible moves right on and shows him tackling aspects of adulting such as the perils of parenthood and more.

Invincible sounds fairly straightforward from what we’ve discussed so far, right? Well, not so fast true believer. Like Kirkman's #TheWalkingDead, the series is not for the faint of heart. It’s often a very dark read due to the fact that it’s peppered with plenty of violent panels, and its plots are no stranger to controversy either. In one memorable issue, Grayson was overpowered and even raped by another anti-hero in graphic detail.

In this respect, Rogen and Goldberg seem well suited for this kind of superhero. After all, they’ve tackled the much-talked about #Preacher for AMC, which featured wonderfully wacky and violent scenes such as the one below. Therefore, their talents could definitely be put to good use here.

In his praise for Invincible’s overseers, Robert Kirkman delightedly stated that:

“Invincible's surprising, edgy, shocking, and oftentimes blood-soaked story couldn't be in more capable hands.”

Hmm, the terms “edgy and shocking” are certainly putting it mildly where Invincible is concerned.

There’s no word on who’s starring in #Invincible, or when the release date will be, so we’ll have to wait at least a couple of years for Mark Grayson’s cinematic debut. But what should we make of this new in the meantime?

Well, if you like grittier superheroes then chances are you'll like Invincible, especially given the talent that’s attached. It’s worth noting that, like #Logan, Invincible seems to have been green-lit in the wake of Deadpool’s R-rated runaway success, and it paves the way for even more experimentation in the realm of caped crusaders and cinematic universes. Kirkman seems to think so, saying:

“…I'm very confident [that] this will be another superhero movie, in a long line of superhero movies that continues to prove that it's a viable, thrilling genre that will keep people coming to the cinema for years to come.”

Here’s hoping it all goes smoothly!

[Source: THR]