Invisible Man Reboot Earns R Rating

After the franchise non-start of The Mummy in 2017, Universal Studios is bringing back their classic monsters in unexpected and more subtle ways. The studio is taking an approach similar to Warner Bros. and DC’s strategy with the Joker movie, focusing on filmmaker driven projects that tell their own story and aren’t wrapped up in a cinematic universe. The Invisible Man will be the first of these, and if the latest news on this film is any indicator, these movies will be grislier than their counterparts in every way. Universal has updated their page on The Invisible Man on their official website, revealing that the film has landed an “R” rating from the MPA.

When the film debuts in just a few weeks it will be rated R for “Some strong bloody violence, and language.” This bloody territory is nothing new for the filmmaker behind The Invisible Man, director Leigh Whannell, whose previous credits include the Saw franchise, Dead Silence, and 2018’s Upgrade.

Several different trips to the big screen haven’t necessarily been the most flattering for the Universal Monsters. Some of the efforts range from iconic to the less-than-great. Blumhouse’s upcoming re-imagining of the franchise looks like it will try to infuse some of the scares that people think of when they remember these iconic monster movies. Horror fans have been waiting to see how this new direction pans out and now the anticipation has been dialed up a little more. The first trailer for the upcoming film gave fans their first taste. The Handmaid’s Tale and Us star Elizabeth Moss is front and center in the trailer as well.

The official synopsis for this new take on The Invisible Man reads:

“What you can’t see can hurt you. Emmy winner Elisabeth Moss (Us, Hulu’s The Handmaid’s Tale) stars in a terrifying modern tale of obsession inspired by Universal’s classic monster character. Trapped in a violent, controlling relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia Kass (Moss) escapes in the dead of night and disappears into hiding, aided by her sister (Harriet Dyer), their childhood friend (Aldis Hodge) and his teenage daughter (Storm Reid). But when Cecilia’s abusive ex (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) commits suicide and leaves her a generous portion of his vast fortune, Cecilia suspects his death was a hoax. As a series of eerie coincidences turns lethal, threatening the lives of those she loves, Cecilia’s sanity begins to unravel as she desperately tries to prove that she is being hunted by someone nobody can see.”

The Invisible Man hits theaters on February 28, 2020.