Samuel L. Jackson arrives for a special screening of Marvel Studios’ 'Secret Invasion' at on June 13, 2023. — Photo: AFP
How is it that Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury has been in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) since the very beginning, and never been the lead character in a single MCU movie or TV show?
The only exception might be 2018's Captain Marvel, but even then, he had to play second fiddle to Brie Larson’s titular superhero, AND suffer the ignominy of being digitally de-aged while playing a Fury who is not yet at the peak of his powers.
Nevertheless, in the 15 years since he first made his debut in that famous post-credit scene for Iron Man, Jackson has also been able to make the most of his limited screen time each and every time. As he says in his latest show, 'Secret Invasion': “I’m Nick Fury. Even when I’m out, I’m in.”
Secret Invasion is Jackson's 14th appearance in an MCU movie or show since Iron Man, and one that finally puts Nick Fury front and centre of the story. That it took this long is surely one of Marvel Studios’ greatest follies, one that they have finally rectified with this six-episode espionage series, currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
Set in ‘present day MCU’, which is after the Blip caused by Thanos’s snap, Secret Invasion sees a world-weary Fury being thrust into the middle of a global conspiracy by the shapeshifting alien Skrull species to take over Earth and turn it into their new homeworld. The Skrulls had already made an appearance in Captain Marvel, but this time, they have grown into a much bigger threat, one which Fury has a personal stake in.
This espionage drama boasts a gritty cinematic feel and is built around a longtime MCU player, Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. — Photos: Disney+ Hotstar
During a recent global press conference to promote the show, Jackson reflected on his 15 years in the MCU, and brought us up to speed on where we find Fury with Secret Invasion.
“This is my second appearance post-snap, and he's been kinda gone for a while,” Jackson said. “He's a little tired, a little vulnerable, but coming back to Earth because he's been summoned. And we'll see what happens. Got a bad knee now. Not so happy.”
According to Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Fiege, through this series we get to learn much more about Nick Fury himself than we ever have in 15 years of MCU movies. Jackson himself is pleased with how this is turning out.
“This ranks as number one in terms of things that I've done in the Marvel Cinematic Universe,” he proclaims. “I really loved Winter Soldier, so that tone flows into this in a very real kind of way. And it's a story about people doing stuff without all those supers coming in to save you and help you.”
Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in 'Secret Invasion'. — Photo: Disney+ Hotstar
The fact that this is a Nick Fury story rather than a straightforward superhero story is one of the things that makes Secret Invasion so unique. But Jackson doesn’t see it that way, preferring to call it an ‘ensemble’ series.
”I don't think it's just a Nick Fury story, because we got all these other interesting people flowing around and through it too,” he said, name checking his co-stars Cobie Smulders, Don Cheadle, Ben Mendelsohn, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Olivia Colman, and Emilia Clarke.
“It's a great ensemble of people, but Nick Fury just happens to be the generator who leads you to all these other people that are really, really interesting.
“I know my responsibilities most days when I show up. I know my lines, I hit my marks. And I try and give the other actors something that they can work with. And I come to work to have a good time.
“Making movies is like my playground. When I get up in the morning, I eat breakfast, I go out and look for my friends and say, ‘What are we playing today?’, and we have a good time doing it,” he said. “That's what I expect to happen – I want everybody to have as much fun as I'm having telling a story or getting into the story.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Rebel Skrull leader Gravik in Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion. — Photo: Disney+ Hotstar
War with the machine
One thing Jackson was really excited about was an in-depth scene with Don Cheadle, who plays James Rhodes, a.k.a War Machine, whom he has never appeared on screen with throughout their time in the MCU.
That scene played out in the second episode, where Fury and Rhodes face-off in a tension-filled conversation that surely ranks as one of the MCU’s best dialogue-heavy scenes.
”Man, we have been waiting to do this for years and years and years! So it was wonderful to have that little abrasive thing happen there,” Jackson said.
“I've known Sam for a long time, and we've spent a lot of time talking about what it would be like to work together," added Cheadle. "I don't think it was originally conceived that Rhodey was gonna be in this. But when it came to me and Sam called me, I was really excited about leaning into it."
Don Cheadle at the premiere of 'Secret Invasion', on June 13, 2023. — Photo: AP
Cheadle, who makes his eighth appearance in an MCU property here, said that this series is the beginning of a road Rhodes finds himself on in an MCU without Tony Stark, who died in Avengers Endgame.
”We're just kind of finding out what's happening with Rhodey as this series goes on. He's in a different role. We see him as more of a political animal than we have in the past,” Cheadle said. “He's been more of a military man, but now he's sort of, in some ways, a right hand of the president and a special envoy in that regard.
“But I think what I'm looking forward to is just seeing more, you know, getting under the hood of who he is and seeing how this relationship, not only with Nick Fury, but the other cast members evolves.”
Secret Invasion is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, with new episodes weekly.
