Avengers in ‘Secret Invasion?’ Not Likely, Says Director

in Marvel, Movies & TV

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury in 'Secret Invasion'

Credit: Marvel Studios

Marvel’s Secret Invasion is already halfway through its six-episode run on Disney+. And even though fans might have high expectations for the remainder of the season, they shouldn’t get their hopes up about any star-studded cameos or its rumored Avengers crossover.

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury looking to the sky in 'Secret Invasion'
Credit: Marvel Studios

Samuel L. Jackson’s long-awaited return to the MCU has officially kicked off in Secret Invasion, which tells a distinctly personal tale for ex-S.H.I.E.L.D. Director and longtime franchise favorite Nick Fury. The story follows Fury returning from space to stomp out a dangerous new threat: a global conspiracy set forth by a group of radicalized Skrull refugees hoping to claim Earth as their new home.

However, this version of Fury isn’t exactly the wise-cracking, “No BS” agent we saw form the “Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.” Instead, Jackson’s character is visibly rattled by Thanos’ (Josh Brolin) Snap in the wake of Avengers: Endgame (2019) and must set aside his emotions to find the root of the Skrull invasion by partnering with former general Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) and his ambiguous daughter, G’iah (Emilia Clarke).

Secret Invasion Emilia Clarke
Credit: Marvel Studios

Marvel alums like Don Cheadle, who plays Colonel James “Rhodey” Rhodes (AKA War Machine), and Martin Freeman’s CIA Agent Everett Ross also pop up in Secret Invasion, alongside all-star newcomers like Olivia Colman, who plays MI6 Agent Sonya Falsworth, and Kingsley Ben-Adir’s sinister Skrull General Gravik.

With so many faces, both new and old, joining the Disney+ series, on top of some not-so-subtle nods to the Avengers, many viewers speculated that Secret Invasion could bring more established MCU characters into the fold, creating a sort of crossover event that could lead nicely into upcoming team-ups like Thunderbolts (2024) or Avengers: The Kang Dynasty (2026).

Olivia Colman in Secret Invasion
Credit: Marvel Studios

But according to Secret Invasion director Ali Selim, that likely won’t be the case—at least, for now.

Recently, Selim got honest about the potential of Secret Invasion crossing over into other parts of the MCU while speaking with TVLine, where he dashed hopes for the epic crossover some fans may have had in mind. The director categorized Marvel’s latest TV series as being “separate unto itself,” hinting that this is indeed a contained story that might not have any major ramifications for, say, the Avengers: 

I feel like [this series] is less about MCU people and more about the truth of this story. In a way, it’s part of the MCU, and in a way, it is separate unto itself.

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) in Marvel's 'Secret Invasion'
Credit: Marvel Studios

It may seem as though Selim has shut down whispers of future Avengers cameos in Secret Invasion for good. However, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that the director could be lying for the sake of avoiding any spoilers.

Although Selim’s latest remarks were brief and fairy vague, at that, audiences have seen Marvel cast and crew obscure the truth about their newest projects time and time again to preserve any surprises that could be in store. For one, Secret Invasion was officially described as the first “crossover event series” for the MCU on Disney+, distinguishing it from one-off stories like Hawkeye.

Emilia Clarke's G'iah talking to Ben Mendelsohn's Talos
Credit: Marvel Studios

 Martin Freeman, who briefly appeared in the Secret Invasion premiere as a Skrull posing as Everett Ross, also discussed “the amount of people crossing over with each other” in previous interviews, describing the show as “quite labyrinthian.”

So even though Selim’s comments imply that any major heroes have probably been left out of Secret Invasion’s six-episode run, there’s still time for a big reveal in the coming weeks. And the show has already set up the perfect Avengers-level threat: Gravik’s Super-Skrull project.

the Skrull villain Gravik in Secret Invasion
Credit: Marvel

In the Marvel comics, Super-Skrull is a powerful villain who’s generally featured as an enemy of the Fantastic Four. Although he has yet to make his official debut in Secret Invasion, it seems inevitable that he’ll pop up soon and stir up trouble for Fury and the Avengers. So, even if there really aren’t any MCU heroes in Secret Invasion, this is likely set up for a future storyline as the franchise continues its Phase Five.

For now, only time will tell if Secret Invasion‘s director was bluffing about surprise Avengers cameos or if the series will take a different approach. Zeroing in on Nick Fury’s character development and personal adversities in an isolated series otherwise disconnected from the greater universe undoubtedly makes for intriguing storytelling. Still, it seems like the show will have to address the Avengers-sized elephant in the room sooner or later, especially with the addition of this new Skrull threat.

Do you think other established MCU heroes will appear in Secret Invasion in the coming weeks, or is Ali Selim telling the truth? Share your opinions in the comments below.

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