Leigh Whannell‘s The Invisible Man cost a mere $9 million to make. In its opening weekend alone, it grossed $29 million. That’s just the beginning of a massive success story for the movie, and now Whannell himself. It’s no surprise that on the back of good box office totals and positive reviews, the director has signed a first-look deal with Blumhouse.
The two-year deal will reportedly cover projects Whannell will write, direct, and/or produce. Whannell has worked with the studio multiple times before, including the Insidious franchise and his previous film, Upgrade, but this deal represents a deeper commitment from the studio to make his own projects a priority. Whannell said this in a statement:
“Ten years ago, I walked into Jason Blum‘s office thinking that I was having a general meeting with a producer who liked horror movies. Little did I know that a decade long partnership and friendship was about to begin. I have since watched his then-infant company, Blumhouse, grow into a powerhouse of genre films; a nurturing place that is willing to take risks on people.
Indeed, they have taken plenty of risks on me and I look forward to taking many more with them as they continue to grow in the world of film and television”.
This news comes just as Blumhouse is gearing up to make more Universal monster movies. No, this isn’t Dark Universe 2. There aren’t plans for an MCU-esque extended universe where all the monsters eventually team up. But the studio is interested in creating more contemporary takes on Universal classic monster library.
There’s already an unrelated Invisible Woman film with Elizabeth Banks set to direct and star, while Rocketman director Dexter Fletcher is helming a film about Dracula character R.M. Renfield. Blumhouse will obviously be hoping that Whannell, as a part of his new deal, can help contribute to other monster movies. And I’m sure an Invisible Man sequel has already been discussed.
#Peace.Love.LeighWhannell
