Hey kids, remember the Dark Universe?
Hollywood is currently obsessed with / making gargantuan profits from extended cinematic universe adventures, so what’s another one, eh?
Seemingly dead and buried, Universal’s Dark Universe is up and at it again.
If you’re unfamiliar, the Dark Universe is an attempt to link together the classic ‘Universal Monsters’ of yore – Dracula, The Mummy, Frankenstein’s Monster and his Bride, and the Invisible Man.
It kinda-sorta kicked off properly in 2014 with Dracula Untold, though Luke Evans’ take on the infamous vampire isn’t expected to be seen again.
Jump forward to 2017 and Tom Cruise headlines The Mummy; a not-as-bad-as-you’ve-heard-but-still-not-very-good shot at actually making this thing work.
There was even a big announcement complete with definitely not Photoshopped assembly of the stars that would be front and centre, boasting Cruise, his Mummy co-stars Russell Crowe and Sofia Boutella, along with Javier Bardem – cast as Frankenstein’s Monster – and Johnny Depp, unveiled as the Invisible Man.
And then The Mummy flopped critically and commercially, Johnny Depp was effectively cancelled due to domestic abuse allegations and it seemed like this thing was done.
Only it may not be. Monday (15 July) brings the news that the Invisible Man project is indeed going ahead, only with a brand new star.
He might have less obvious box office clout that Depp does – or at least did – but Haunting of Hill House actor Oliver Jackson-Cohen has answered the call.
Deadline reports that Jackson-Cohen – who brilliantly portrayed the adult version of the troubled Luke Crain on the Netflix smash – has officially signed on the dotted line.
The production, which is between both Universal and wildly successful horror studio Blumhouse, begins shooting in Sydney this month.
Jackson-Cohen will share the screen alongside Elisabeth Moss and Aldis Hodge with Saw man Leigh Whannell, who helmed Insidious: Chapter 3, last year’s criminally under-seen upgrade, attached to write and direct.
The Invisible Man is set for release next year.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ with Aideen McQueen – Faith healers, Coolock craic and Gigging as Gaeilge
