Invasion (2020 film)

Invasion, also known as Attraction 2 (Вторжение), is a 2020 Russian science fiction action film directed and produced by Fyodor Bondarchuk's company, Art Pictures Studio and Vodorod. The film is a sequel to Attraction (2017), and its plot unfolds directly after the events described in the previous film. The film stars Irina Starshenbaum, Rinal Mukhametov, Alexander Petrov, Yuri Borisov, Oleg Menshikov, and Sergei Garmash.

Invasion is Bondarchuk’s third film and the eighth Russian film shot in IMAX format, the film premiered in preview at the end of December 26, 2019. A wide distribution of the film was released in Russia on January 1, 2020, by WDSSPR. It was the final film distributed by WDSSPR before its dissolution between Walt Disney Studios and Sony Pictures Releasing. Sony will continue to produce and distribute their films in Russia.

Cast

 * Irina Starshenbaum as Yulia 'Yulya' Lebedeva (English: Julia)
 * Rinal Mukhametov as Hekon / Khariton (English: Hakon)
 * Alexander Petrov as Artyom Tkachyov, Yulya's former boyfriend
 * Yuri Borisov as Captain Ivan 'Vanya' Korobanov
 * Oleg Menshikov as General-major Valentin Lebedev
 * Sergei Garmash as vice-premier
 * Yevgeny Mikheev as Gleb Karakhanov "Google", a classmate and friend of Yulya, an employee of the company "Rostelecom"
 * Daniil Kolzenov as a technician
 * Sergey Troyev as TV channel technician
 * Igor Kosterin as VSK Adjutant (major)
 * Andrey Nazimov as IT Department Manager

Development
In March 2017, the project director Fyodor Bondarchuk officially confirmed the continuation of the Attraction series, announcing the proposed sequel. The budget for the second installation of the series (as yet un-named) was planned for 645 million rubles. The preparatory process continued for a year and a half.

Unlike the first film, Invasion 's events do not take place in the Moscow district of Chertanovo, but in central Moscow, including the territory of Moscow State University and beyond. As in the first part, the shooting used modern equipment from the Russian Armed Forces, including the sedan-version of the Aurus Senat car, which was created as part of the Cortege project.

Filming
Principal photography began on July 24, 2018, covered almost 10,000 kilometers and was held in the strictest confidence. 2 film crews were shot in Moscow,  and were held in strict secrecy, Kaliningrad, Kamchatka Peninsula and Hungary.

Music
The composer Igor Vdovin wrote the soundtrack for this film.

The film's IMAX trailer features the song "Universe Has No End" from Imagine Music's Supreme II album. Another trailer contains a remix, also from Imagine Music, of Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky.

Release
Invasion was released in the Russian Federation on January 1, 2020 by Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing (WDSSPR).

Marketing
Comic-Con Russia 2019 was held in Moscow for the sixth time from October 3 to 6 at the Crocus Expo Pavilion No.1. Simultaneously with the festival, the fourteenth annual exhibition of interactive entertainment "IgroMir" will be held.

Trailer 48 aired on May 23, 2019. Meanwhile, the IMAX trailer was released on December 12, 2019. The trailers were presented in the original Russian version with English subtitles.

Home media
Invasion is the third film of Fyodor Bondarchuk, released in IMAX format after Stalingrad (2013 film) and Attraction (2017 film).

The film was released in Russia onDVD, Blu-ray and iTunes on March 3, 2020.