Marvel's Inhumans Showrunner Praises Black Bolt Actor's Silent Performance

Marvel's Inhumans is an ambitious new project that's coming to both television and IMAX movie [...]

By Kofi Outlaw - November 9, 2017 05:54 pm EST

Marvel's Inhumans is an ambitious new project that's coming to both television and IMAX movie screens starting this summer, and today we got a first look at the series, with an official photo of the Royal Family, and a lengthy interview with showrunner Scott Buck.

One of the most unique things about the Inhumans Royal Family is that their king (and the main protagonist of the show) Black Bolt almost never speaks. That's because Black Bolt's voice unleashes a "quasi-sonic scream," capable of massive destruction, meaning the Inhuman king must constantly hold his tongue, and make his will known through other means.

It's a cool concept for a comic book superhero, no doubt - but according to Scott Buck, it's not the easiest thing for an actor to convey on the screen.

The Silent King

According to Buck (via EW), actor Anson Mount (Hell On Wheels) is doing a great job of tackling the monumental task of creating character without the use of dialogue, while also delivering a version of Black Bolt that Marvel Comics fans will approve of:

"Black Bolt is a very difficult character I would think for Anson, but for any actor to play. But Anson is tackling it in a hugely fantastic way. It's a little bit difficult to write him, because Black Bolt does not speak, but yet he is our hero and he is the center of the show, so it does certainly present challenges in how you tell his story, but fortunately we came up with a really good story.

Anson is terrific. I think everyone's going to be very pleased and excited by his Black Bolt. We're not doing voice over. If you read the comics, you see Black Bolt does find a way to communicate to people, but he's also a very enigmatic character as well, and he keeps a lot inside. That's part of what's so fascinating about him is that a lot of times, we don't know what he's thinking."

It will indeed take a pitch-perfect sense of subtext and scene to make the intricacies of Black Bolt's character work on facial expressions and mannerisms alone - and then, have those same indicators reveal even more layer and depth later, upon rewatch, when the mysteries of Black Bolt's thoughts have been revealed to the audience.

Marvel's The Inhumans stars Anson Mount, Serinda Swan, Iwan Rheon, Ken Leung, Eme Ikwuakor, Isabelle Cornish, Mike Moh, Sonya Balmores and Ellen Woglom.

Roel Reine will direct the first two episodes, which will debut in IMAX theaters on Labor Day weekend before airing on ABC in the fall.

MORE:

Marvel's The InhumansSunday at on ABC

ComicBook Composite NAAll-Time Comic TV Shows

0comments

Start the Conversation