Invasion Showrunner Simon Kinberg on Writing, Spectacle, and Star Wars Trilogy – INTERVIEW

Simon Kinberg’s bold vision behind Apple TV+’s international sci-fi series, Invasion.

“Invasion” has stood out among Apple TV+’s slate of genre series since its debut. It offers a bold, human-centered take on the alien invasion story. As the series enters its third season, co-creator, executive producer, and showrunner Simon Kinberg says the ambition has only grown—both visually and emotionally.

When asked about the show’s striking cinematic quality, Kinberg credited much of the achievement to the directors and locations. “We’ve had some really extraordinary directors,” he explained. “A lot of our directors actually started as cinematographers and then became directors, like Alik Sakharov, who was our main director last season. He was the DP for The Sopranos and a million other things before directing.”

Kinberg also emphasized the impact of filming in real locations around the globe. “Just the reality of being in another country—being in Morocco or Japan or even London—gives you so much production value automatically,” he said. “There’s a cinematic quality to that, too, because a lot of television is shot on stage. Just being out in the world helps us a lot.”

Backed by Apple TV+, Kinberg noted the streaming service has given the team the resources to fully realize their vision. “Apple has been really supportive and really generous, giving us healthy budgets to make this show,” he said. “They understand that while it’s a very character-first show, we also have to deliver on the alien invasion side.”

The Heart of a Writer

Despite being a producer, director, and showrunner across multiple projects, Kinberg said his passion has always been rooted in writing. “Writer—I mean, I’m a writer. Everything else I’ve done in my career, I’ve learned how to do, but if I was not being paid to be a writer, I would still be writing,” he said. “Whether I’m showrunning, producing, or anything else, I’m always coming at it from a writer’s perspective. That’s truly my destiny.”

Looking Toward a Galaxy Far, Far Away

While Kinberg is currently focused on Earth’s alien invasion, he also reflected on the galaxy that first inspired him: Star Wars. He recalled his lifelong connection to the saga, sharing, “When I was a kid, at one point I was in the hospital for pneumonia and I woke up to find a little LEGO Millennium Falcon on my chest. That was my parents’ way of telling me everything was going to be OK. Star Wars has always been the thing for me.”

Having been part of the franchise for years—from Star Wars Rebels to work around the films—Kinberg said his enthusiasm hasn’t dimmed. “It’s not even a dream come true, because I couldn’t have dreamed it. Just being allowed on a set would have been enough,” he said. “My enthusiasm only grows working around so many talented people—Dave Filoni, Kathy Kennedy, and what Tony Gilroy did with Andor was about as good as science fiction storytelling gets.”

A Planned Star Wars Trilogy

Kinberg’s passion extends beyond past projects—he has plans for his own Star Wars trilogy. Though still under wraps, he expressed excitement about what lies ahead. “My enthusiasm only grows with working on and around it,” he said. “There are so many great people at Lucasfilm who want to do great work, and I’m inspired every time I step into that world.” His comments suggest that his trilogy, much like Invasion, will aim to balance humanity with spectacle while honoring the legacy that shaped his own storytelling.

Invasion Season 3 and Beyond

Season three of Invasion brings its characters together for the first time in a high-stakes mission to infiltrate the alien mothership. With new apex aliens spreading across the planet, humanity’s survival depends on the series’ international cast of characters forming an unbreakable team. Returning stars include Golshifteh Farahani, Shioli Kutsuna, Shamier Anderson, India Brown, Shane Zaza, and Enver Gjokaj, with Erika Alexander joining as a new series regular.

Created by Kinberg and David Weil, Invasion continues to expand its ambitious scale while keeping character-driven storytelling at its core. As Kinberg put it, “It’s a very character-first show, but in order to let that breathe, we do have to deliver on the spectacle. That balance has always been the heartbeat of Invasion.”

Invasion Season 3 will stream globally on Apple TV+ on August 22nd.

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