J.K. Simmons Talks Invincible Season 2 Part 2, Omni-Man’s Inner Turmoil, Season 3 & Live-Action Movie

Warning: Some SPOILERS lie ahead for Invincible Season 2 Parts 1 & 2!

Omni-Man has a challenging road ahead of him in Invincible season 2 part 2. Voiced by J.K. Simmons, the Viltrumite father of the titular superhero has been undergoing an emotional journey after nearly beating his son to death on Earth in an effort to prepare the planet for his race’s invasion. Nolan ultimately found a new home on Thraxa, becoming their ruler after saving their people from a black hole and building a new life on the planet, later summoning Mark to the planet to help him fend off three Viltrumites from conquering.

After a brutal battle between the group, Mark and Nolan were left grievously wounded, with the latter taken into Viltrumite custody to be executed while the former was warned to prepare Earth for their invasion. Invincible season 2 part 2 picks up with Mark helping Thraxa with repairs after the fight before returning home and resuming his hero duties while also informing his mother that Nolan fathered a new son while on the planet. Nolan, meanwhile, remains in Viltrumite custody, though audiences have yet to see him after the premiere.

In honor of the show’s return, Screen Rant interviewed J.K. Simmons to discuss Invincible season 2 part 2, the long wait for the premiere, Omni-Man’s inner turmoil, a progress update on season 3’s production and his thoughts on returning for the live-action movie.

Simmons Happily Kept Invincible Season 2’s Secrets As The “Captain Of The Anti-Spoiler Brigade”

Screen Rant: As a big fan of yours, it’s an honor to chat with you, and Invincible, I’ve loved every second of season 2. I’m glad it’s finally here after the long wait. What has it been like for you to have to hold back on the show’s secrets over these past couple of years of waiting?

J.K. Simmons: Well, I’m the captain of the anti-spoiler brigade, so I actually enjoy it. [Laughs] I kind of relish that, knowing that an audience is building anticipation. I enjoy that as an audience [member myself], you know, with the shows that my wife, and sometimes kids, and I watch together, or a feature film is coming out. I’m big on avoiding trailers and watching stories unfold. Because that, to me, that’s the joy of being an audience for anything, whether it’s adult animation like this, or live feature, wacky comedy, whatever it is.

I couldn’t agree with you more, I avoided all the trailers I could for season 2 before finally sitting down and watching it. Now, season 2 is back, but we’re not fully done yet, so I can’t dive too far into spoilers. But what was it like when you saw where the halfway point was leaving Nolan and Mark, especially given where season 2 left you guys to begin with?

J.K. Simmons: It’s honestly just a constant case of riding a runaway train, with the complete lack of restraints that the creators have in this world of animation that they’ve established. We can literally do whatever we want [chuckles] — well, I shouldn’t even say we, they, and then we, the cast, are the vessels that just are kind of hanging on for the ride. I haven’t read ahead in the source much. I’ve learned some things, and I obviously did research at the beginning, because I wasn’t familiar with the world, but I try to avoid, even myself, knowing what the future brings, beyond what, obviously, we’ve already recorded, and beyond knowing that we will indeed have a third season.

One Iconic Actor Served As Simmons’ “Prototype” For Nolan’s Inner Turmoil

I think that’s a very smart plan, especially since Simon and Robert have made changes here and there to the Invincible comics. Now, this season, in particular, has seen Nolan sort of battling this inner turmoil of whether to be remorseful over his actions with Mark or sort of hate himself for turning against the Viltrumites. What is that like, from a performance standpoint, trying to find that balance between these two very similar, but different emotions?

J.K. Simmons: Yeah, it’s an interesting challenge, because the sort of prototype that we go back to would be Leonard Nimoy, of course, Spock. A character who, in his case, he was half-and-half. But, I’ve got a little bit of Stockholm Syndrome going on with Nolan becoming so accustomed to life on Earth and is completely unfamiliar with the concept of anything like regret or sympathy or empathy, any of that. And to find himself beginning to wrestle with it, I think there, at first, it is that sort of classic self-loathing of, “I’m weak, I’m weak, I’m weak, I can’t allow this to happen.” And I love how the show has dealt with that sort of internal wrestling match and will continue to.

I really look forward to seeing how it continues, and I hope that it leads to more positive growth for him! Much like you, I haven’t gone too far ahead in the comics, so I don’t know where it goes, but I do hope it’s for the better for Nolan, as well as just for his family.

J.K. Simmons: Robert and Simon are, as you said, sort of making adjustments along the way, and little changes, and I think — because I’m not coming to this from having been a devotee of the whole thing from the beginning — they’re doing what I like to think Sam Raimi did, and they continue to do, with the Spider-Man world. I think they’re doing a good job of walking that line between being true to the original, but still allowing themselves to be original, and be creative.

It’s an incredible balance what they’ve done so far with that. You’ve mentioned Invincible season 3, and Steven’s indicated recently that recording’s most of the way done. This season has been a little lighter on Nolan’s end, as far as how much involvement he’s been in, can we look forward to seeing bigger involvement from Nolan next season? And how far along are you in your recording process?

J.K. Simmons: Yeah, I’m pretty far along. And, again, one of the things that I find really interesting about the way Robert, Simon, and the whole team are continuing to conceive this is that it is like sort of riding the waves. Sometimes, their gentle waves, and sometimes, they come crashing against the rocks, because sometimes it feels like we almost lose track of Nolan, or lose focus on that character. And then, we come back and get a big dose of it, but to me, it never feels like we’re getting too much.

And the stretches where we’re not seeing much, I think it’s a really interesting creative choice to not only focus on other things, but to build that sort of anticipation and that sort of mystery of what the hell is going on with Nolan while we’re not focused on him. So, yeah, to me, it’s all a part of keeping it fresh. And yes, there will be more Nolan in the future, but it’ll continue to sort of wax and wane.

Simmons Doesn’t Want To See A “70-Year-Old Omni-Man” In Live-Action (But Knows Just Who Should Play Him)

I love to hear that. Now, there’s been talks about a live-action Invincible movie, and I’m curious, your voice is so engrained in many audiences’ minds with Nolan at this point. What are your thoughts on a potential return for the live-action movie? Do you see yourself open to it as Nolan or as somebody else? We’ve seen how jacked you can get for DC, so I think you could do it!

J.K. Simmons: Well, we’ve seen how jacked I can get eight or nine years ago, and since I have not dipped into the marvel of modern medical science in efforts to get jacked, I just eat protein and lift weights. I don’t think a 70-year-old Omni-Man is what I would want to see in the movie. I’m not gonna lie, you’re not the first person to ask this question, and the first time I kind of fumbled around for a minute, and then I thought, “Oh, Hugh Jackman.”

I have no idea if he would be remotely open to the idea, but I think there’s a kind of maturity and gravitas to Hugh, and he’s enough of a genetically blessed brick poophouse of a dude, and enough younger than I am [chuckles], and a really wonderful and versatile actor that if I was casting it, that would be my first call. And this is completely me off the top of my head, and I hope I’m not annoying any of the people who are actually going to be doing that job.

About Invincible Season 2 Part 2

Invincible Season 2 returns March 14! Mark goes back to college, reads his dad’s books, and nothing bad happens to him or his family. This is a very official synopsis.

Invincible is an adult-animated superhero series that revolves around 17-year-old Mark Grayson, who’s just like every other guy his age — except his father is the most powerful superhero on the planet, Omni-Man. But as Mark develops powers of his own, he discovers his father’s legacy may not be as heroic as it seems.

Check out our previous Invincible season 2 part 2 interview with Jay Pharoah!

Source: Screen Rant Plus

Invincible

Based on the comic book character by Robert Kirkman, Invincible follows Mark Grayson,  a seventeen-year-old who leads a seemingly average life save for the fact that he lives behind the shadow of his superhero father, Omni-Man. Mark goes on to develop superhuman abilities, but he must also learn that his father’s legacy isn’t as glitzy and glamorous as he’s been led to believe.

Cast

Mark Hamill , Gillian Jacobs , Jon Hamm , Mae Whitman , Steven Yeun , Walton Goggins , Ezra Miller , Jonathan Groff , Sandra Oh , Djimon Hounsou , Khary Payton , Seth Rogen , Jeffrey Donovan , Sonequa Martin-Green , Mahershala Ali , Malese Jow , J. K. Simmons , Clancy Brown , Zazie Beetz , Zachary Quinto , Jason Mantzoukas , Nicole Byer

Release Date

March 26, 2021

Seasons

2

Network

amazon prime video

Showrunner

Simon Racioppa