Credit: Secret Invasion
The MCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe, has been a constantly expanding universe since its first movie, Iron Man. It has only had slight hiccups with actors in roles, such as Mark Ruffalo as the replacement for Edward Norton post-The Incredible Hulk. As those films were among the first to help create the MCU, the count for the films, and shows, released has now surpassed the twenties, which exceeded the expectations most have had about Marvel live-action since the early days. Recently, and as they do nearly bi-annually, Marvel announced the next set of movies that will occupy parts of the upcoming phases of the MCU, Phases 4 to 6. Among those shows has been the Samuel L. Jackson-led Secret Invasion, which will be the most personal look into the character of Nick Fury, as we’ve already seen his entire face will be revealed for the first time in MCU history since the eye-destroying incident of Captain Marvel. Below, we’ve detailed Secret Invasion, both the comics and the upcoming series, and what to expect in the six-episode event on Disney+.
Credit: Secret Invasion/Marvel
Secret Invasion and Others to Expand MCU
Along with Secret Invasion as a series headed to the MCU, Marvel also announced a slew of projects, both television series and movies headed into the future MCU Phases, that have been set to make up, or round out, the Multiverse Saga. Initially announced in 2020 by Marvel, Secret Invasion has been set to not only reunite Nick Fury with Talos but also detail the entire history of the MCU and dissect the pivotal points that shifted events against the fate of Earth. As the series would expand upon the already existing Marvel Cinematic Universe with facts about events we’ve already seen but loaded with events we were completely unaware of at the same time. Similarly, with the Loki series that backtracked the events that Loki had been present for, Secret Invasion could show us the actual perspective, of every party involved, with each significant event in the MCU, from Civil War to Thanos, and even the newer Disney+ shows, such as She-Hulk and Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Credit: Secret Invasion/Marvel
Original Comic Series
The Secret Invasion comic by Marvel has already been slightly depicted, from events in Captain Marvel, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and more, but the comic book iteration has been entirely different than the MCU version, beginning with Talos. Talos, one of the two main characters in the upcoming Disney+ series, has a much different life than the comic variation, as the comic variation constantly tries to impress his fellow Skrull with his skills to make up for his lack of shape-shifting. However, the MCU version of the character has been referred to on Marvel’s website as “Talos, perhaps the most cunning spy in all of the Skrull Empire, is a master of shapeshifting and intergalactic espionage.” That description of the MCU version of Talos directly contradicts the character from the comics, as he was more of a warlord with his war tactics. However, Marvel has been no stranger to twisting the original comic book lore into something much more epic and unexpected, even for their most veteran, hardcore fans. In the Secret invasion comics, the Skrull war against Earth was fast-tracked when not only the Illuminati went to the Skrull planet first in an attempt to stop a potential war, but when Galactus, a character not yet tied to the MCU, destroyed the Skrull Throneworld a new empress took out her knowledge and anguish against Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, and anyone else. Fans have been hopeful, although this writer isn’t, that the Super-Skrull would make an appearance in the series, but considering how awful they could be in the comics at times, maybe they shouldn’t.
Credit: Secret Invasion/Marvel
Secret Invasion MCU Series
One of the earlier critical features of what helped make the Skrulls so successful in invading Earth was studying Earth’s Illuminati members, which was mirrored almost exactly in the second most recent MCU movie release, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The Illuminati featured in the MCU differed from the Secret Invasion comic series by only a few members, including Professor X, Doctor Strange, Black B0lt, and Mister Fantastic. In contrast, the missing members were Iron Man, almost portrayed by Tom Cruise, and Namor, replaced by Captain Carter and an alternate Captain Marvel. With the inclusion of The Illuminati, a group pivotal to the original Earth invasion of the Skrulls, it’s likely that the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness could connect to the Skrull war that will be detailed in the MCU Secret Invasion series. Overall, Secret Invasion has been labeled as a series of espionage and a spy thriller, likely because anyone, literally anyone, could be a Skrull in hiding in an attempt to take Earth.