Marvel’s Inhumans Becomes Imax-Sponsored TV Show

Marvel's Inhumans logo

Rumors have been flying for months that Marvel wanted to replace the concept of mutants with the Inhumans in their universe because Fox has the movie rights to the X-Men. Two years ago, an Inhumans movie was announced for November 2018, then moved to summer 2019, before being taken off the release schedule earlier this year.

The characters have been visible on TV, appearing on seasons 2 and 3 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which also made it more unlikely they’d anchor a big-budget movie spectacular.

Now comes the news that the Inhumans are getting their own Marvel TV series in 2017. But there’s an interesting twist.

Marvel's Inhumans logo

In today’s world of TV overload, more and more projects are looking for alternate means of funding, whether it’s from car companies — which is what kept Hawaii Five-O going and why they talk about how cool their vehicles are — or other unusual business partners. Marvel’s The Inhumans is being paid for, in part, by Imax, which will air the first two episodes exclusively in their theaters next September.

Those two episodes will then be reedited and kick off the series on ABC (sister company to Marvel under Disney’s ownership). The new show will focus on the best-known Inhumans, the royal family headed by Black Bolt and Medusa. I just hope Lockjaw, the teleporting dog, is included!

This NY Times article quotes Ben Sherwood, president of Disney-ABC Television Group, as saying, “In the incredibly crowded marketplace of television, we are very excited about this because it’s a unique and innovative and bold way to debut our best new content.”

That article also points out that Marvel’s Netflix shows are seen as more successful — more interesting, more talked-about — than Marvel’s shows on ABC, with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. a ratings disappointment and the much-missed Agent Carter cancelled after two half-seasons. The Imax money will allow Inhumans to presumably have better special effects, while the theaters get new, exclusive content to help fill screens and seats.



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