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Tag: Secret Invasion

  • REVIEW: Jackson’s Star Aside, A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action Would Have Benefitted the Debut of ‘Secret Invasion’

    REVIEW: Jackson’s Star Aside, A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action Would Have Benefitted the Debut of ‘Secret Invasion’

    Billed as a paranoia-laced spy thriller, Marvel Studios latest Disney Plus streaming series, Secret Invasion, has been pretty hotly anticipated by MCU fans who while not at 2020 levels yet, are starting to starve for content following Disney’s decision to slow their roll. It’s been made more than clear that the series was not intended to be a superhero spectacle, like the Marvel Comics event from which it took its name but rather a dive into the world of espionage where Nick Fury has always reigned supreme. That means that Samuel L. Jackson gets to take the lead in an MCU project after 15 years of being part of the supporting cast and for an actor of Jackson’s prodigious talent, that means room to explore all the nooks and crannies that make Fury tick, promising an entertaining character study. On that promise, the first episode of Secret Invasion, “Resurrection”, delivers as Jackson’s endless well of charisma floods every scene. However, bogged down at times by exposition and filled with too few thrilling moments, “Resurrection” feels like a disappointing return to Disney Plus following a nearly year-long wait.

    It’s clear Jackson is having the time of his MCU life in the space he’s given to explore Nick Fury in Secret Invasion. It’s also made clear–nearly excruciatingly painfully clear at times–that this isn’t the Fury fans remember from before because, in case you missed it, he’s just never been the same since Thanos. If you missed it the first time, no sweat, the writer’s room had you covered making sure that Ben Mendelsohn, Olivia Colman and Cobie Smulders all let the audience know that this Nick isn’t that Nick. And in case them telling him didn’t catch your ear, Killian Scott‘s Pagon–possibly the most useless character in MCU history (everything he did could have been done offscreen to no detriment to the story)–tell’s the series’ big bad Gravik all about Fury’s downfall. Obviously, this is an incredibly heavy-handed setup for the reveal, somewhere down the road, that Nick Fury is back, mother fuckers, but a little more show and a lot less tell would have been appreciated. That aside, whether he’s sharing a remorseful scene with Mendelsohn‘s Talos, trading barbs with Colman’s absolutely delightful Sonya Falsworth or reconnecting with his closest ally in Smulders‘ Maria Hill, Jackson‘s star is on its full, brilliant display throughout the episode…and he’s only just getting started.

    (L-R): Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ SECRET INVASION, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    As for the “paranoia”, it seems to be unfortunately kept at bay for most of the first episode of the series. The opening five minutes or so ahead of the credits tries its level best to get those juices flowing with Agent Prescod’s parody of Charlie Day‘s Pepe Silvia rant but it falls short of hitting those conspiratorial heights because it lacks any true intrigue. Nearly from the moment Martin Freeman‘s Everett Ross enters the room, it seems all too clear he’s been simmed by a Skrull. Lack of intrigue aside, those opening moments do nicely lay out the plan in place by Kingsley Ben-Adir‘s Gravik and make it clear that Fury isn’t just returning to Earth, he’s returning to Earth at the beginning of a war…and war means casualties.

    Casualties there were in the episode’s closing moments as hundreds of innocent Russian men, women and children were killed by the bombs detonated by Gravik before he dealt Fury one more blow by killing Maria Hill…and no death has felt flatter than hers. While it’s obviously supposed to help Fury recapture his lost mojo and return him to his pre-Blip form, it has little to no impact with the audience. While Hill is a major player in the comics, she’s hardly been tertiary in the MCU with her last big action coming in Captain America: The Winter Solider and you can bet that a significant chunk of the audience tuning in to watch Secret Invasion has either never seen that 2014 film or hasn’t seen it in quite some time. That’s the increasingly unbearable weight of the massive volume of projects in Marvel’s shared cinematic universe; anyone other than the hardest of hardcore fans just doesn’t really know why Hill is supposed to matter. It’s clear that the audience is supposed to feel bad; it’s just not really clear why because there’s no deep connection to the character.

    (L-R): Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn as Talos in Marvel Studios’ SECRET INVASION, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    As fans will discover in Episode 2, much of Episode 1 could have ended up on the cutting room floor. The pace picks up nicely in the next episode, specifically surrounding the Skrulls’ plans to take over Earth. However, “Resurrection” does make the Skrulls threatening enough and does so in a very modern way. To be sure, there’s plenty of hatred in the real world and the alien Skrulls take full advantage of this in Secret Invasion, posing as members of any number of terrorist cells and setting off enough chaos to bring the world to the brink of World War III. The episode doesn’t reveal the entirety of their plan, which they hatch from the safety of an abandoned nuclear reactor outside of Moscow, but it provides enough of a heads-up that things are headed in a bad direction. As bad guy lairs go, an abandoned nuclear power plant is a new twist that even a Bond villain could be envious of; however, despite their explained immunity to radioactivity, couldn’t the Skrulls just be easily tracked with some sort of modified Geiger counter?

    A little light on the paranoia and a lot light on the action, “Resurrection” is a less-than-thrilling Lazarus act for the MCU on Disney Plus. Fortunately, however, its cast, led by Jackson, makes it entertaining enough for one sitting despite the heavy-handedness of the writers’ room. While that feels almost inescapable at this point, especially as they continue to try to rake in new fans, it’s going to continue to be a topic of discussion and debate and a point of frustration for those who have been along for the entire ride.

  • Skrulls Spotted in Major Cities Ahead of ‘Secret Invasion’ Debut

    Skrulls Spotted in Major Cities Ahead of ‘Secret Invasion’ Debut

    Marvel Studios has been having a bit of fun in promoting their upcoming Disney Plus streaming series, Secret Invasion. From releasing hidden messages online that lead to uncovering the first 5 minutes of the series to the subterfuge that has been their entire press tour, the studio certainly can’t be accused of “same old Marvel.” Now, they’ve taken it to a whole new level.

    A series of videos have made their way to Reddit that show Skrulls part of different newscasts in major cities across the country. The videos show actors fully decked out as Skrulls either walking through news stories or, in this case, working behind the camera!

    They can be anywhere. They can be anyone. Who do you trust? Secret Invasion begins streaming on Disney Plus June 21st at 3 AM ET/12 PT.

    Source: Reddit

  • Samuel L. Jackson Reveals Where ‘Secret Invasion’ Lands on His List of MCU Projects

    Samuel L. Jackson Reveals Where ‘Secret Invasion’ Lands on His List of MCU Projects

    Nearly ten years after it first hit theaters, Captain America: The Winter Solider remains one of Marvel Studios’ most highly regarded projects. Tonally different from anything that came before it, the second installment in the Captain America franchise is the gold-standard spy thriller of the MCU and according to Secret Invasion star Samuel L. Jackson, connects to his upcoming Disney Plus streaming series.

    “It ranks as number one in terms of things that I’ve done in the, you know, Marvel Cinematic Universe,” said Jackson during the global press event for the new series. “I really loved Winter Soldier, so that tone, you know, flows into this in a very real kind of way. And it’s a story about people doing people stuff, you know, without, you know, all those supers coming in to save you and help you and doing all that other stuff.“

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ SECRET INVASION, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Those “supers”, as Jackson calls them, aren’t expected to make an appearance in Secret Invasion, as co-star Don Cheadle explained, leaving Fury to assemble a different kind of team and showing a new side of the “invulnerable” character fans have grown accustomed to. Where that leaves Fury remains unclear as critics have only seen the first two episodes of the streaming series’; however as fans of the comics are sure to understand, nobody should underestimate Nick Fury!

  • Don Cheadle Speaks Out on Rhodey Stepping Out of the Shadow of Iron Man and The Avengers in ‘Secret Invasion’

    Don Cheadle Speaks Out on Rhodey Stepping Out of the Shadow of Iron Man and The Avengers in ‘Secret Invasion’

    Following a brief cameo in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, Don Cheadle‘s James Rhodes steps into a bit of a new role as a “political animal” in his second post-Blip appearance in Secret Invasion. Now the “right hand” of Dermot Mulroney‘s President Ritson, Rhodey has traded in the War Machine suit for a three-piece (at least through the first two episodes). While Rhodes’ full role in the series has yet to be revealed, Cheadle’s character seems as though he’ll survive and advance given he’s set to star in Armor Wars.

    For Cheadle, Secret Invasion provided not only his first time to share an extended scene with star Samuel L. Jackson but also for the character to step out of the shadow of Tony Stark and The Avengers. During the global press event for the Disney Plus streaming series, Cheadle was asked what it was like to step into the role again without the comfort of so many familiar characters. “It was liberating not to have to carry that dead weight,” joked Cheadle before shooting straight.

    It was great. Look, I’ve known Sam for a long time, and, you know, we’ve spent a lot of time, you know, talking about what it would be like to work together, looking for projects to do together. So, you know, the central relationship between myself and Sam, and this is, you know, it was very important to me and I was very glad to be brought on.

    Don Cheadle on Rhodey’s role in Secret Invasion

    Cheadle went on to reveal that his character didn’t originally have a role in Secret Invasion…until his longtime friend changed that. “I don’t think it was originally conceived that Rhodey was gonna be in this,” said the actor. “But when it came to me and Sam called me, I was really excited about leaning into it.” And lean into it he did, especially given the room he had to work in the new environment.

    And also being in a show like this, that’s really a departure from what I have been in, as far as the genre goes, it’s really an opportunity to act and really, you know, lean into some human stuff, which was also a lot of fun. And, you know, as Emilia [Clarke] said and as Olivia [Colman] said, as Kingsley [Ben-Adir] said, as Ben [Mendelsohn] said, this is a great cast and [director] Ali [Selim]was a great director, a great leader. So it was just all upside, and, you know, very happy to, you know, look into who Rhodey is and to probe that more and kind of find out what really makes him tick.

    Don Cheadle

    Fans don’t have long to wait to find out exactly what it is that makes Rhodey tick as Secret Invasion premieres on Disney Plus on June 21st .

  • Don Cheadle on Rhodey’s “Different Role” in ‘Secret Invasion’

    Don Cheadle on Rhodey’s “Different Role” in ‘Secret Invasion’

    Along with Nick Fury, James Rhodes is the longest-surviving member of the MCU (technically Pepper Potts and Happy Hogan are in that boat as well, though it’s highly unlikely that Gwyneth Paltrow knows that after having made their first appearances in 2008’s Iron Man. While Secret Invasion puts Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury front and center, Don Cheadle‘s Rhodey has a part to play as well, albeit a little different one than what fans have become accustomed to. During the global press event for the upcoming Disney Plus streaming series, Cheadle gave some insight into his character’s “different role” in Secret Invasion.

    “I think we’re just kind of finding out what’s happening with Rhodey as this series goes on,” said Cheadle about his character’s evolution in the post-Blip world. “He’s in a different role. We see him as more a political animal than we have in the past. He’s been more of a military man, but now he’s sort of, you know, in some ways, a right hand of the president and this special envoy, in that regard.” And, as has been teased in the trailers for the series, that role puts him a bit at odds with Nick Fury despite their shared past.

    Don Cheadle as James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes in Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    For Cheadle, having the opportunity to explore that changing relationship with Fury–and the rest of the cast–is what he most enjoyed about working on Secret Invasion. “I think what I’m looking forward to is just seeing more, you know, getting under the hood of who he is,” explained Cheadle. “And seeing how this relationship, not only with Nick Fury, but the other cast members evolves.”

    With Cheadle’s Armor Wars project set to spin out of the events of Secret Invasion, it seems like there might be another evolution ahead for War Machine.

  • REVIEW: Samuel L. Jackson is Ready for His Close-Up in the Character Driven ‘Secret Invasion’

    REVIEW: Samuel L. Jackson is Ready for His Close-Up in the Character Driven ‘Secret Invasion’

    In the Fall of 2020, trade reports broke the news that Marvel Studios had hired Kyle Bradstreet to develop a Disney Plus streaming series around Nick Fury. Long having been one of the MCU’s most important supporting characters, the man who put together the Avengers finally gets the spotlight in Secret Invasion and despite some issues, there can be no doubt that giving Samuel L. Jackson this much room to work as Fury was a solid decision. And despite 15 years of appearances, Secret Invasion makes it very clear that we simply do not know Nick Fury.

    Though the series boasts an impressive supporting cast bolstered by the always-brilliant Ben Mendelsohn, who returns to the MCU as Talos, and Kingsley Ben-Adir as the brooding Gravik, Secret Invasion is–as advertised–a vehicle for Jackson’s Fury. And to the surprise of nobody, given more to do as Fury, Jackson simply does more with the graceful ease of a supremely talented actor who knows how to inhabit a role. Whether it’s the playful conversation with Olivia Colman‘s absolutely fantastic Sonya Falsworth, recollecting on train rides to Detroit with his mom or sharing a powerful scene with Don Cheadle‘s James Rhodes, Jackson’s performance alone makes the series a worthy entry in the MCU. Short of headliners Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans work as Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, respectively, it’s hard to recall a performance like the one on display here by Jackson. Secret Invasion shows, for the first time, a vulnerable Nick Fury who becomes, for the first time, a relatable character as each of the first two episodes peels away layers of what previously appeared to be a bulletproof persona putting THE spy on the outside looking in without his usual support. Where that ultimately leaves Fury is hard to say having only screened two episodes but as he tells Rhodey, he is Nick Fury and even when he’s out, he’s in.

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    By the end of the second episode, the stage is set and the grand plan of Gravik–whose previously unknown connection to Fury makes him an interesting and motivated foe–and his Skrull extremists made clear. Unfortunately, it takes two episodes to get to that point and as enjoyable as the performance by Jackson is, the first episode certainly slows down considerably after an exciting cold open and, at times, spins its wheels. Part of the pacing struggle comes from the increasingly unbearable weight of the shared universe that is the MCU and the prerequisite knowledge necessary to navigate each new entry. Good, bad or otherwise, an interconnected franchise of this magnitude can’t always blaze new trails and has to retread old ground. Though they aren’t present nor expected to be present in the series, Carol Danvers and the Avengers still take up chunk of the exposition and while that might be necessary, the heavy-handedness of the writer’s room only works as an exacerbating factor. If you know anything by the end of the first episode, it’s that Nick Fury hasn’t been the same since Thanos’ snap…because everyone he knows tells him all about it…again…and again…and again. That said, navigating the first episode is manageable and though it’s attempt to shock the audience falls unfortunately flat, it provides all the necessary table setting for the second episode to be one of the better episodes of television Marvel Studios has put together on Disney Plus. There’s some fun retconning and at least one surprise that you almost certainly don’t see coming.

    Despite the slow start, through two episodes, it looks like Bradstreet and company have hit the mark for which they were aiming. Cleverly, most of what the audience thinks they know about the show through promotional footage and interviews seems to have been subterfuge by the studio. Essentially, Secret Invasion is not the show fans thought they were getting. “Who Do You Trust?” is more than just a tagline related to sorting out who is or isn’t a Skrull, it’s a reflection of the fact that the studio has created as much of a false flag as the Skrull operatives in the show. For a studio that gets criticized for its formula and generic press events, Marvel Studios went pretty non-formulaic here in leading the audience astray. One place they did stay true to their word, however, was in putting Jackson in the spotlight and if he, Cheadle, Mendelsohn and Ben-Adir continue to shine through the next four episodes, Secret Invasion will become one of Marvel Studios’ finest character-driven projects to date.

  • ‘Secret Invasion’: Who Do You Trust?

    ‘Secret Invasion’: Who Do You Trust?

    In Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, the Skrulls are here and they could be anybody. After waiting decades to find a planet to call their own, a faction of the shapeshifters have decided that they’ll just settle for taking Earth and Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury is the last person standing between them and what they really want. In order to stop them, Fury will turn to a network of friends and spies that he’s built over the years but when going up against an army of radicalized shapeshifters, who do you trust?

    Ahead of the streaming spy thriller, we take a look at Fury’s potential allies and determine which ones have the best chance of being potential enemies as Skrulls in disguise. Since we assume they’ll all be simmed at one point in time or another, our odds here are based on the revelation of them being a Skrull being a major surprise and a huge plot point that moves the series forward rather than just a cute surprise within one episode.

    Nick Fury

    Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ SECRET INVASION, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.

    At least part of Nick Fury’s MCU persona has been built on his ability to keep a lot of secrets from pretty much everyone. He hid Clint Barton’s entire family and helped Mockingbird create an entire new identity; he hung out in space while Talos simmed him and took his place on Earth; he’s also kept the presence of the shapeshifting Skrulls–a race he’s known about for almost 30 years–a secret from most everyone. That last one is going to come back to play a major role in Secret Invasion and it’s likely that even Fury will have a hard time keeping straight who he can and cannot trust. However, the biggest twist would be to find out that Fury is a Skrull…and not Talos just pretending to be him which almost certainly will happen at some point.

    In the comics, one of the great twists built into multiple Skrull stories is that many of the shapeshifters were not aware that they were not the humans they were simming. This gave them a sincere sense of purpose and allowed to them to fulfill their duties without question. It would a lost opportunity not to include this added layer of deception in the streaming series and given Fury’s long history with the Skrulls, it could have happened so many times over the years that the writers might have to fight about when it could have happened.

    Odds Fury will be revealed as a Skrull: 4-1

    Maria Hill

    (L-R): Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in Marvel Studios’ SECRET INVASION, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Des Willie. © 2023 MARVEL.

    For all we know, outside of Talos and Soren, Maria Hill may be the only character with a large role in Secret Invasion who knows that the Skrull power couple simmed Fury and Hill. That’s because there’s not been a character introduced in the MCU to date who Fury trusts more than Hill and according to Cobie Smulders, it sounds like she’ll have quite a major role to play in the streaming series.

    Given the relationship the two have forged over the years, what would be more impactful than Hill actually being a Skrull is leaning heavily into the paranoia of Fury believing she is. Not only would this echo her arc from the 2008 comic book event but also at least partially take away one of Fury’s strongest allies…but the comics the MCU ain’t. The promotional material for the series seems to indicate that the two haven’t seen each other for some time, providing ample opportunity for a Skrull to have captured and simmed Hill which is exactly what Fury will be thinking which is what the audience will be thinking which is what they want the audience to think they are thinking!

    Odds Hill will be revealed as a Skrull: 1-5

    Everett Ross

    Martin Freeman as Agent Everett Ross in Marvel Studios’ SECRET INVASION, exclusively on Disney+. Photo by Gareth Gatrell. © 2023 MARVEL.

    Despite being played by the wonderful Martin Freeman, Everett Ross might be one of the most boring characters in the Marvel Cinematic Universe but Secret Invasion might be just the right time to spice up the character. Though it seems like he initially had more to do in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever than what he did in the final cut, the revelation that he had once been married to Julia Louis-Dreyfus‘ equally boring Valentia Allegre de Fontaine provides a great opportunity to add some seasoning to Ross’ well-done steak.

    The last time we saw Ross, he was being freed from U.S. Government custody by Okoye. Is it possible she freed an important Skrull operative? Absolutely! And, Ross is a perfect example of the type of figure that could have been an embedded Skrull for quite some time. His time in the Air Force and the CIA would have allowed him access to some fairly important intel; moreover, his relationship with Val could be even more fruitful given the secrets locked away in her mind. Given Ross’s “aw shucks” demeanor and the way Val treated him in Wakanda Forever, it would be a really ballsy move by showrunner Kyle Bradstreet to reveal that the Ross we thought we knew was a Skrull all along.

    Odds Ross will be revealed as a Skrull: 2-5

    Sonya Falsworth

    Olivia Colman as Special Agent Sonya Falsworth in Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    A brand new character–presumably with some deep family ties–who is both old frenemies with Fury, Olivia Colman‘s Sonya Falsworth provides an absolutely fascinating blank slate for Secret Invasion. The idea behind the character was to create another mysterious, behind-the-scenes mover and shaker like Fury. Falsworth will be interesting in that regard because if any non-known entity were to behave the way Fury does, they would not be trusted. The audience trusts Nick because they know Nick even though they really shouldn’t trust Nick…so how can you trust Falsworth? Nick almost certainly won’t inherently trust Falsworth and the series will almost certainly create an uneasiness around her.

    On one hand, as one of MI6’s spymasters, the character is the perfect mark for a Skrull; on the other hand, it’s possible that she’s sharp enough to know about the Skrulls even before Fury approaches her about it. With no real basis for the character in the comics, one interesting twist they could throw Falsworth’s way would be to adapt the odd story of John the Skrull, one of the shapeshifters who, though he had infiltrated the ranks of the British government, became loyal to humanity and outed his fellow Skrulls. Should they choose for the character to be an outright villain, however, they could go the Mortimer Grimsdale route. Whatever the case, Colman’s Falsworth is expected to return so if she is a Skrull, her human counterpart is safe and sound somewhere…or she’ll remain in DEEP cover even after the big twists are revealed.

    Odds Falsworth will be revealed as a Skrull: 3-2

    James Rhodes

    Don Cheadle as James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes in Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, exclusively on Disney+. Photo courtesy of Marvel Studios. © 2022 MARVEL.

    Marvel Studios One-Above-All, Kevin Feige, has stated that James Rhodes’ solo feature film, Armor Wars, will spin out of the events of Secret Invasion…but why? According to Don Cheadle, Rhodey is the “righthand to the President” in the streaming series and will be “not directly at odds but somewhat on the other side of where Fury is.” Cheadle also indicated that Secret Invasion is all about the double-crosses and the tension between his Rhodey and Fury in the promotional footage that’s been rolled out indicates that neither man really seems to trust the other.

    So why would Rhodes’ MCU future be tied to Secret Invasion? Maybe because his past hasn’t been his past at all. Though this isn’t a big, superhero-laden event like the 2008 comic book crossover, Rhodey is the only member of the cast to have been an Avenger and you can bet that the Skrulls wanted an inside man among Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Off all the characters in the show outside of Fury himself, the revelation that Rhodes has been a Skrull for any period of time would cause the biggest shockwaves and generate the most questions. Tony Stark’s technology was a big concern for the Skrulls in the comics. Without him around, Rhodey is the next best character to take up that story which would lead nicely into Armor Wars. The real question here might not be “is Rhodey a Skrull?” but rather “how long has he been a Skrull?”…and how pissed off is he going to be when he wakes up.

    Odds Rhodes will be revealed as a Skrull: 3-1

    Who do you trust? Which of these characters do you think is most likely to be a Skrull? Head to our Twitter account and let us know!

    Source: EW,

  • The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Secret Invasion’

    The Ultimate List of What to Watch Before ‘Secret Invasion’

    Secret Invasion looks to stand apart from the usual MCU fare by shifting the focus away from its powered heroes and toward the shadowy world of spies. While that means that Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury is at the center, he’s not alone which means that this Ultimate List is quite a bit busier than most. If you want to get your homework done before Secret Invasion‘s June 21st premiere, you better get started.

    Tier One

    Tier One projects are non-negotiable essentials to be watched/re-watched before streaming Secret Invasion. If you want to understand what’s happening, these six projects–listed in chronological order– lay the foundation.

    Captain Marvel

    While the next chapter in Carol Danvers’ story will be told in The Marvels, which hits theaters in November, Secret Invasion is every bit of a sequel to 2019’s Captain Marvel as well. The film introduced Talos and his refugee Skrulls–including his daughter, G’iah– to the MCU and set the stage for Fury’s relationship with them. As explained by Emilia Clarke, the faction of Skrulls looking to take over the Earth are sick and tired of waiting for Fury and Talos to make good on the promise of finding them a home world which is essentially what’s going on in Captain Marvel making that one a must on the rewatch.

    Captain America: The Winter Soldier

    Who do you trust? If you’re Nick Fury, you don’t trust too many folks at all. The Winter Soldier tore Fury’s life to shreds but he escaped and rose from the ashes like the fiery phoenix with an eye on taking down Hydra. Though she’s not featured in it, The Winter Soldier goes a long way in revealing just how much Fury trusts Maria Hill, who is set to play a big role in Secret Invasion. It also provides all sorts of opportunities for Fury to have been simmed and replaced by a Skrull, so if you’re rewatching it, try it through that lense and see how it might change the film for you.

    Avengers: Age of Ultron

    Though Fury doesn’t play a pivotal role in the Avengers’ defeat of Ultron, the second Avengers film goes a long way in revealing just how little anyone really knows about Fury and just how capable he is of pulling off major surprises. If he helped hide the Bartons from the world and can happen to full a Hellicarrier out of thin air, what other surprises does Fury have up his sleeve? Or is that even Fury’s sleeve?

    Captain America: Civil War

    James Rhodes’ MCU story has truly been fascinating but the events of Civil War altered the trajectory of the character’s arc more than any project to date. After joining the New Avengers following the events of Age of Ultron, Rhodey found himself on the wrong end of a tragic accident that certainly made him rethink which type of suit he’d like to spend the rest of his life in. Obviously, he went on to help save the world because that’s what heroes do, but by the time Secret Invasion rolls around it seems as though he’s looking to step out of the armor for good. Or is he? Or is it even him?

    Spider-Man: Far From Home

    The post-credit scene to Far From Home is quite possibly more important to the ongoing narrative of the MCU than the entire body of the film. The revelation that Talos and his wife, Soren, had been simming Fury and Hill while Nick was on space vacation–meaning an entire movie’s worth of Fury events didn’t include Fury–should make us all question whatever we think it is we know about the MCU. This certainly wasn’t the first time Talos posed as Nick…and it certainly won’t be the last.

    Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

    All we know so far about Everett Ross’ role in Secret Invasion is that he’s sneaking around in the shadows as one of Fury’s allies. And while you might think all you’d need to know is how he escaped government custody at the end of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, the additional backstory that film provides for him is worth the watch.

    Tier Two

    Once you’ve seen the Tier One projects, you’d be just fine settling in for Secret Invasion without feeling lost. That said, if you’ve got the time to dig deeper and get a little more context on the not-quite-necessary-but-still-important events in the main characters’ lives, the Ultimate List will point you in the right direction.

    Avengers: Infinity War

    The beginning of a two-film arc in which audiences really got to see Cheadle elevate the role of Rhodey, Infinity War comes close to a Tier One project but falls a tad short. Rhodes’ dismissal of General Ross’ order should have cost him his USAF career but it didn’t seem to derail it at all given where he is as Secret Invasion begins.

    Avengers: Endgame

    The Russos carved out a pretty meaty role for War Machine here and it’s by far one of Cheadle’s most enjoyable performances in the role. From tossing around the idea of killing baby Thanos to helping retrieve the Power Stone during the Time Heist, Endgame gives Rhodey a ton to do even if none of it seems to really be impactful in setting the stage for Secret Invasion.

    Tier Three

    If the completist in you is telling you to watch them all, then we encourage you to do so.

    Iron Man

    The beginning of James Rhodes’ MCU journey, Iron Man introduces the character as one of Tony Stark’s best buddies. Played here by Terrence Howard, Rhodey is constantly frustrated with Tony but can’t seem to say no to the guy. The film also marks the MCU debut of Nicholas J. Fury as he begins the work of assembling his Avengers by sneaking into Tony Stark’s Malibu mansion.

    Iron Man 2

    Don Cheadle stepped in as Rhodey in the 2010 sequel which is only really worth watching to track the character’s work with the U.S. Government, which is a major plot point in Secret Invasion.

    Captain America: The First Avenger

    Part of Nick Fury’s MCU story, Captain America: The First Avenger gave a very fair impression of the lengths The Spy would go to in order to sell a lie.

    The Avengers

    One of the best MCU films to date, The Avengers is worth watching at any point in time; however, it paints a very murky picture of Fury and just how willing he is to keep secrets from anyone and everyone. The project also marks the MCU debut of Fury’s right hand, Maria Hill, who looks primed to play her biggest part yet in Secret Invasion.

    Iron Man 3

    While he gets relegated to a bit of a sidekick role in his adventures with Stark, Rhodey’s political career is advanced here when President Matthew Ellis upgrades him to the Iron Patriot and puts him front and center in the battle against The Mandarin.

    The Falcon and The Winter Soldier

    In his last appearance before we see him in Secret Invasion, Colonel Rhodes and Sam Wilson have a discussion about Sam’s decision to place the Captain America shield in the Smithsonian.

  • New Filing Identifies Christopher McDonald’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Character

    New Filing Identifies Christopher McDonald’s ‘Secret Invasion’ Character

    Marvel Studios first streaming series of 2023, Secret Invasion, will debut on Disney Plus in just over three weeks and the hype for the project has begun to build. The series will see Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury uncover an ongoing plot hatched years ago by a faction of Skrulls who seek to take over the Earth. The promotional footage and material from the show has leaned heavily into the paranoid aspects of the spy thriller though one character who is rumored to play a heavy role in that has been notably absent.

    Happy Gilmore star Christopher McDonald was cast in what has been described as a newly-created “Tucker Carlson-esque news anchor” who will almost certainly stoke the flames of paranoia throughout the series. Thanks to a filing at the US Copyright site, his character name has been revealed.

    It seems McDonald’s character will go by the name of Chris Stearn, a name not associated with any Marvel Comics character though it could be a reference to legendary shock jock Howard Stern. The idea of a talking head who fans the flames of paranoia–and who could himself be a Skrull for that matter–is a great touch that provides some interesting commentary on the state of modern media. As originally reported, McDonald’s Stearn could end up finding himself included in other projects down the road after appearing in a fairly regular supporting role in Secret Invasion.

    Who do you trust? Marvel Studios Secret Invasion begins streaming on June 21st.

  • Chloe Bennet Addresses ‘Secret Invasion’ Rumors

    Chloe Bennet Addresses ‘Secret Invasion’ Rumors

    Who do you trust? Unless it’s Patti LuPone, it’s probably not any actor or actress rumored to be part of a Marvel Studios project. Over the years, the lying and dissembling has grown farcical as the talent attached to projects roll out the same tired denials. Of course, every now and then, someone rumored to be boarding a project actually isn’t; however, given the growing number of denials, it’s often hard for fans to discern who they can trust…especially when it’s someone they’d like to see in their favorite franchise. Now it looks like fans are facing another decision as Secret Invasion’s debut approaches.

    In an interview with Screen Rant, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actress Chloe Bennet, who has been rumored to appear in Marvel Studios next big streaming series denied that she’ll be appearing in any Marvel Studios projects. In fact, Bennet said that while she would love to reprise her role as Quake, she’s never been contacted by the studio for a role in any of their projects.

    “Of course. Of course, I would be open to it,” said Bennet of the opportunity to return to the role she filled on the ABC series. “Listen, there’s a lot of stuff around that. I so deeply love S.H.I.E.L.D.’s fans because it’s this tenacity that got the show on air to begin with.”

    Despite her willingness to suit back up, however, it seems the studio just hasn’t found the right project for her return. “I have not once been approached or asked or involved in anything after I wrapped S.H.I.E.L.D.,” claimed Bennet. “And I am not involved in anything that is coming out. I’ve not been asked, but I would be more than excited to put on the suit again. And, of course, of course, Daisy is a big part of who I am. So I would love to, but I have not been communicated [with] about it.“

    For fans who have been around the denial block a time or two, most of what Bennet had to say sounds awfully familiar. Over the past few years, Charlie Cox, Andrew Garfield, Jonathan Majors and Tatiana Maslany joined the prestigious list of actors forced to lie to fans despite their involvement in projects being fairly well-known. Has Bennet joined them? Or are all the rumors, hints and teases of her role in Secret Invasion all false? Who do you trust?

    Source: Screen Rant