‘Inhumans’ Stars Discuss Mixed Fan Reaction

Marvel’s The Inhumans is set to debut on the big screen this Friday with a special presentation of the first two episodes in IMAX theaters, but the road to that premiere has been a bumpy one.

After poor fan response from trailers and a rather testy Q&A from the media at a Television Critics Association event, the stars of the show are finally opening up about the early reactions. Check out the clip above.

“We are kind of just loosely based on the comics,” said Ken Leung, who plays Karnak in the series. “The source of some of the mixed reactions to the little that people have seen so far [is] that a lot of people love the comics, they have been around for decades and it remains to be seen how people will accept something that is its own iteration of something that’s already beloved.”

Leung is not wrong there; the Inhumans first appeared over 50 years ago in the pages of Fantastic Four, created by the King of Comics himself, Jack Kirby (with some assistance from Stan Lee). Some consider the Inhumans to have the potential to become a prominent Marvel property, and the company has gone through lengths to increase their status in the comics and on television in recent years.

But the series might be off to a false start, as evidenced by the kerfuffle at the TCA presentation.

Star Anson Mount, who portrays the silent king of the Inhumans known as Black Bolt, addressed that event with a laugh.

“I think that the quote-on-quote awkwardness at the [TCAs] was blown out of proportions. There was all this news that we ended the Q&A early, which we did not. It was actually scheduled to end at that time,” Mount said. “I think people should just see the thing.”

Early impressions of the show compare it to Game of Thrones. Sonya Balmores, playing Auran on the show, addressed those comparisons directly.

“There’s some similarities, for sure,” Balmores said. “And we have a very famous Game of Thrones alumni [Iwan Rheon] on our show, so that kind of makes people think about Game of Thrones. But it’s unique. The Inhumans each have a superpower.”

Marvel’s The Inhumans debuts in IMAX Theaters Friday, September 1st, followed by its premiere on ABC on Friday, September 29th.