Apple TV+ has released a new trailer for its upcoming sci-fi offering, Invasion. Adopting a unique storytelling approach, Invasion is seen through the various perspectives of different people around the world. Described as a character-driven drama by Apple, everyone is trying to deal with the imminent collapse of civilization in their own way in the show. Invasion is created by Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Sherlock Holmes) and David Weil (Hunters, Solos) and stars Sam Neill in the lead role. Following an ambiguous first trailer, this second one is high on action and gives a better look at the Invasion‘s characters and plot. You can check out the trailer below.
The trailer opens with the American president addressing the world about the seemingly unrelated and inexplicable phenomena happening all over. She reveals that the power outages and the wanton destruction are connected to extraterrestrial beings. “What is being visited upon our Earth, is not of our Earth,” she says. Then we get to see the central characters grappling with the effects of the invasion. Sam Neill plays a small-town sheriff John Bell Tyson, nearing retirement, who is investigating the supernatural events happening in his county. Invasion also stars Golshifteh Farahani (Extraction, The Patience Stone) as Aneesha Malik, a Syrian immigrant and mother of two living with her husband Ahmed in New York City. Other cast members include Shamier Anderson (Wynonna Earp) as Trevante Ward, a soldier stationed in Afghanistan, and Shiori Kutsuna (Deadpool 2) as Mitsuki, a member of Japan’s space program.
Invasion was conceived by acclaimed writers Simon Kinberg and David Weill. Based on an original idea, Kinberg has stated that Invasion has more to it than just eye-popping visuals and alien destruction. In a recent interview with IGN, Kinberg revealed his unlikely inspiration for the show, calling it a mix between H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds and Alejandro G. I&ñ&árritu’s 2006 film Babel. He also discussed the themes of alienation in society and countries getting invaded by other countries, saying, “What was, from the beginning, the biggest draw to me and the thing that got me the most excited, was playing the reality of what it would feel like to be invaded. I think there are a lot of nations, unfortunately, around the world that know what that feels like, but there’s a whole lot of nations that don’t, and America is one of them.”
He further added, “One is the fact that we’re all aliens, that there is a sense of alienation that I think all people carry with them in some form, whether they’re alienated from their families, alienated from their communities, alienated from their jobs, there is a sense of disconnect. And I think I was really trying to find storylines in our show that would explore that feeling of alienation and really sort of explode it under the intensity of the magnifying glass of an actual alien invasion.”
Invasion is said to have a budget exceeding $200 million, making it the streamer’s most ambitious show to date. But that’s a paltry sum considering Apple’s net worth, and it’s a necessary move too. Apple boasts some superb dramas like Ted Lasso and The Morning Show, but they don’t have one to rival the high profile shows on Netflix or Disney+. Hopefully, Invasion changes that and puts Apple TV+ on the map. Plus, it’s been a while since we got some watchworthy alien invasion stories that broke new ground. The first three episodes of Invasion will debut on Apple TV+ on 22 October 2021, followed by 7 episodes premiering weekly. Be sure to check it out.