Everything to Know About 'Secret Invasion'

"It's the beginning."

Things are about to get mysterious for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel's Secret Invasion is the franchise's latest streaming series and is set to debut in early 2023. The show is based on a comic book event that featured shapeshifting aliens known as the Skrulls using their powers to secretly infiltrate every aspect of the Marvel Universe. Samuel L. Jackson returns as Nick Fury, who has seemingly uncovered a similar plot for the MCU. Here's everything we know about the upcoming show.

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What is Marvel's Secret Invasion series?

Marvel's Secret Invasion is a Disney+ show set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It will focus on Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) as he uncovers a secret plot involving a group of shape-shifting aliens.

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Is Secret Invasion coming out?

Secret Invasion is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ on June 21.

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Is Secret Invasion coming to MCU?

Secret Invasion will be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It will include characters previously introduced in the MCU, such as Nick Fury, Maria Hill, James Rhodes, and the Skrulls.

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What is Marvel's Secret Invasion going to be about?

Marvel's Secret Invasion series is based on the 2008 comic series of the same name. It follows a conspiracy to instill double agents in positions of power on Earth—and those double agents happen to be shape-shifting Skrulls that we first met in Captain Marvel.

In Captain Marvel, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) told Talos and the Skrulls that he'd help them find a planet where they could live peacefully. That was in the 1990s. We're now fully in the 2020s, Jackson noted to Vanity Fair, "And that’s not going so well.”

As a result, a group of Skrull extremists, led by Gravik (Kingsley Ben-Adir), attempt to steal resources and will take them by force if driven to do so.

“We don’t know who’s a friend, who’s the enemy,” Jackson explained. “There’s a political aspect that kind of fits into where we are right now: Who’s okay? Who’s not? What happens when people get afraid and don’t understand other people? You can’t tell who’s innocent and who’s guilty in this particular instance.”

Executive producer Jonathan Schwartz told Vanity Fair, “We were really inspired by shows like Homeland and The Americans. What you find is there are people that you trust or you think you can trust—or you can only trust to a certain point.”

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When is Marvel's Secret Invasion release date?

Marvel's Secret Invasion will debut on Disney+ on June 21, 2023.

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How many episodes is Marvel's Secret Invasion?

Marvel's Secret Invasion will consist of six episodes. Based on the previous Disney+ Marvel series, the episodes will likely be released on a weekly schedule.

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Who is in the Marvel Secret Invasion cast?

The Secret Invasion cast includes:

Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

Samuel L. Jackson returns as Nick Fury. The last time his character was seen was during an end-credit scene in Spider-Man: Far From Home, which revealed that he was in space and had the Skrull Talos filling in for him on Earth.

Did you notice his his eye patch is gone? It's not a coincidence. Jackson told Vanity Fair, “He just doesn’t wear the patch. The patch is part of who the strong Nick Fury was. It’s part of his vulnerability now. You can look at it and see he’s not this perfectly indestructible person. He doesn’t feel like that guy.”

Jackson says that Nick Fury is "shaken" while in space by the actions on Earth, notably the deaths of Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) in Avengers: Endgame, and as a result has checked out and doubts his own capabilities to save anyone anymore.

"We often see Nick Fury doing the right thing. We don’t always see him doing it in a perfectly morally correct way. All of those things have ramifications," Jackson hints. "Without getting too specific, the things that Nick Fury’s had to do to protect the Earth have costs.”

Jackson says that Nick Fury had an entire spy network of Skrulls working for him, but now they're frustrated and impatient that he isn't delivering on his promises to them. Jackson also says, “What he’s not doing is calling in his super friends. So that’s part of the whole dilemma. I mean, people want them and he’s not bringing them ... There's a very good reason he's holding back.”

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Ben Mendelsohn as Talos

Ben Mendelsohn also returns as Talos. The character was first introduced in Captain Marvel, where it was revealed that he was a refugee simply trying to protect his family. Up until this point, he was been portrayed as a heroic character and an ally to Nick Fury.

“I think any time that you get cultures that have significant tensions between groups of people, then you can find a corollary,” Mendelsohn told Vanity Fair of the Skrulls' struggle in Secret Invasion. “The Cold War stuff is the big one that jumps out, but there is plenty of strife between groups of people that this addresses.”

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Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill

Cobie Smulders portrays Maria Hill. Smulders last appeared as Hill in Spider-Man: Far From Home, although it was revealed during an end-credit scene that her character was actually a Skrull in disguise. It is unclear what the real Maria Hill was doing during the events of that film, but the real Maria Hill is pretty annoyed at Nick Fury for disappearing on her.

“I think Maria Hill has really run out of patience,” Smulders told Vanity Fair. “She’s always had this really close relationship with Nick Fury, [but] he’s been gone for so long, and she’s just been running around putting out fires.” She also suspects that the Skrulls may not have the purest of intentions.

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Emilia Clarke as G'iah

Emilia Clarke makes her MCU debut as G’iah. Vanity Fair reports that G'iah is Talos' daughter who he met for the first time at the end of Captain Marvel, except now she's all grown up—and she's angry that the Skrulls are still displaced.

"It’s hardened her, for sure. There’s a kind of punk feeling that you get from this girl,” Clarke told Vanity Fair. “She’s a refugee kid who’s had Talos for a dad, you know what I mean? Maybe the fact that we didn’t know he had a kid up until this point tells you everything you need to know about their relationship.”

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik

Kingsley Ben-Adir also makes his debut as Gravik, the leader of a new group of Skrulls. Not much has been revealed about his role, although the show's trailer suggest he will play a villainous role in the story.

Olivia Colman as Sonya Falsworth

Oscar winner Olivia Colman plays Sonya Falsworth in Secret Invasion. She is an antagonistic MI6 agent and ally to Nick Fury. Her last name implies some connection to James Falsworth, an ally of Captain America. Jackson says her character is "cold-blooded" and told Vanity Fair that Colman had a great time playing her.

Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes

Oscar winner Don Cheadle returns as James "Rhodey" Rhodes, who rocks War Machine armor.

“This is a different kind of Rhodey—a political animal and not, you know, a guy who has a special suit,” Jackson told Vanity Fair. “He’s the president’s right-hand man in this. So he’s the guy that makes a lot of decisions—some good, some bad.”

Martin Freeman as Agent Everett K. Ross

Martin Freeman returns as CIA Agent Everett K. Ross, who most recently was featured in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.

Dermot Mulroney as President Ritson

Photos from the set of Secret Invasion revealed that Dermot Mulroney will play US President Ritson in the series.

Other stars in as-yet-undisclosed roles include Carmen Ejogo, Christopher McDonald, Killian Scott and Charlayne Woodard.

Who is the villain in Secret Invasion?

The Secret Invasion trailer strongly hints that Gravik will be the main villain in Secret Invasion, but if there's one thing we know about Marvel, it's that they don't typically give the biggest plot points away—so don't be surprised if there is a twist we don't see coming.

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Who is Emilia Clarke playing in Secret Invasion?

Game of Thrones alum Emilia Clarke will play G'iah in Secret Invasion, Talos' daughter. She holds a lot of resentment towards Nick Fury for not delivering on his promises to Skrulls.

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Is there a Marvel Secret Invasion trailer?

Marvel Studios released a trailer for Secret Invasion in September 2022. It shows Nick Fury returning to Earth and shows various MCU characters like Maria Hill, James Rhodes, and the Skrull Talos potentially encountering alien agents of some kind.

A second trailer was released on April 2, 2023. In it, Talos tells Nick Fury, "Since you've been gone, things have gotten much worse." When Fury returns to Earth, he confers with Colman's character, who asks him if he feels responsible for the mess. We also see Fury say that he has to fight the Skrull war alone without the Avengers.

How to watch Marvel Secret Invasion

Marvel's Secret Invasion will be available to stream on Disney+. It is one of several series released on the platform that is part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

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Why Secret Invasion is a series?

Ever since the launch of Disney+, Marvel Studios has developed a variety of streaming series for the platform. These shows are meant to supplement the films of the MCU, introduce new characters and plot lines, and expand the world of Marvel.

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Will Secret Invasion be a show?

Marvel's Secret Invasion is a streaming show set to debut on Disney+. It will consist of six episodes.

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Is Secret Invasion connected to Secret Wars?

It is unclear if the events of Secret Invasion will play a role in the upcoming MCU film Avengers: Secret Wars. While the shows and movies are all set in the same universe, not every story is directly connected. That said, at least some elements will probably be tied in together.

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Which Avenger is a Skrull?

Marvel's Secret Invasion suggests that a faction of Skrulls has infiltrated humanity. It is unclear if any Avengers are secretly Skrulls—but we know that Talos was posing as Nick Fury, at least.

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Is Thor in Secret Invasion?

So far, Chris Hemsworth has not been connected with Marvel's Secret Invasion. The character Thor played a minor role in the comics series.

What is the difference between Secret Wars and Secret Invasion?

Marvel's Secret Invasion is a streaming show centered on Nick Fury as he investigates a potential alien invasion. Avengers: Secret Wars is an upcoming MCU film that hasn't had any major plot details confirmed yet.

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