"Inhumans" trailer: will the show be a success or another "Iron Fist"?

Marvel has released the trailer for its upcoming TV series, "Inhumans"

By Matthew Rozsa

Staff Writer

Published June 29, 2017 11:28AM (EDT)

“Marvel’s Inhumans” (ABC)
“Marvel’s Inhumans” (ABC)

Will "Inhumans" recapture the magic of Marvel's other stream of successful TV series, from "Agents of SHIELD" and "Agent Carter" to "Daredevil," "Luke Cage" and "Jessica Jones"?

Or will it follow in the footsteps of that series no one wants to see emulated: "Iron Fist"?

"Inhumans" was initially planned as a feature film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but eventually was adapted into a television series instead. It tells the tales of a race of superhumans who, if the trailer is to be believed, need to flee to Hawaii after a military revolt upends the balance of their civilization.

The series will star Anson Mount as Black Bolt, the King of the Inhumans and a superhuman whose powerful voice can quite literally move objects, according to a report by Entertainment Weekly. Other stars include Iwan Rheon (of "Game of Thrones" and "Misfits"), Serinda Swan, Eme Ikwuakor and Isabelle Cornish as Crystal.

Near the end, the trailer pays particular attention to Lockjaw, the massive teleporting dog whom the producers no doubt hope will be a breakout star from the new series.

Will the series itself work, though? Charles Pulliam-Moore of io9 doesn't seem to think so, writing that "now that the first Inhumans trailer has dropped, I can confidently say that the show looks like it’s going to be a mess." My verdict is more ambivalent: Certainly the trailer lacks any of the wit or special effects wizardry that are characteristic of the best Marvel TV series, and one would think that Marvel would want to put their best foot forward when introducing this new adaptation to the public.

That said, there isn't anything in the trailer that is cringe-inducing either. It's just . . . there. Marvel may not have released a deal-killer of a trailer, but if it wants to draw in audiences, it better hope that it has a compelling final product.


By Matthew Rozsa

Matthew Rozsa is a staff writer at Salon. He received a Master's Degree in History from Rutgers-Newark in 2012 and was awarded a science journalism fellowship from the Metcalf Institute in 2022.

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