Samuel L. Jackson is the most wanted person on the planet. Well, in the new Secret Invasion trailer, he is. The series was announced more than two years ago, in December of 2020, and is set to be released on June 21. Marvel has kept much of the story under wraps. Little information has been released, as is always the case. What we do know, however, is that Secret Invasion will revolve around a war being fought in the shadows with an alien race. Jackson's Nick Fury will be at the center of the action, having returned to earth after being "off planet" and allowing one of the Skrulls to act as a stand-in for him. Fans of the comics have noted a large shift in the story in that the Skrulls have been made peaceful. In the comics, however, they are quite the opposite.
In the Marvel comics, the Secret Invasion plot was a large crossover event that began in 2008. The story revealed that the Skrulls, a species of shape-shifting aliens, had been infiltrating Earth for years and had replaced important people with their own operatives. The Skrulls were able to duplicate the memories and personalities of the individuals they were replacing in addition to their external features. The plot line had major implications for the entire superhero community. It showed that many cherished characters in the Marvel universe had been supplanted by Skrulls.
A Return To Fighting Form For Marvel?
The Secret Invasion trailer features a noticeably darker tone than much of the recent material we've seen from the MCU. The gritty cinematography and color grading gives the air of an espionage thriller, much in the same vein as Captain America: Winter Soldier. While the trailer is promising, is Secret Invasion a return to fighting form for Marvel? In recent years, fans and critics alike have noted a sharp drop in quality in the MCU, both in storytelling and filmmaking. The newest phase seems to lack direction and focus. As such, it's unclear what the future holds for Marvel, particularly with the poor box office performance of Ant-Man: Quantamania. The film was supposed to be the big introduction of the newest Avengers villain, Kang. However, it appears that very few actually cared. Still, with Jackson's Fury as the protagonist, we can at least expect great character work.
In addition to Jackson's Nick Fury, the show will feature other recognizable characters like Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill and Don Cheadle's James Rhodes. The show adds some new faces into the mix, as well. In typical Marvel fashion, they have cast some of the top talents in the industry in the roles. Two notable additions are Olivia Coleman and Emilia Clarke. Coleman, an Oscar winner and all-around celebrated actress, portrays an old ally of Fury's named Sonya Falsworth. Clarke, who played Danaerys on HBO's Game of Thrones, is G'iah, a member of the Skrull species. With top-tier talent rounding out the roster, Secret Invasion is shaping up to be one of Marvel's best outings yet.