Marvel Studios is known for its ability to balance high-stakes action with humor and heart and for its focus on diverse and inclusive storytelling. Its success has also inspired other studios to attempt to build their own shared universes, such as Warner Bros., D.C. Extended Universe and Universal Pictures’ Dark Universe.
The MCU series franchise kicked off with “WandaVision” and has since produced spectacular series such as “Loki,” “Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” and “Moon Knight.” The Marvel Cinematic Universe maintains continuity with its movies and series, and if you’re a Marvel fan, you’re most likely aware of the phases of Marvel movies, including the current Phase, Phase Five. However, the last few projects have left audiences underwhelmed, with fans expressing dissatisfaction with the last two series, “Ms. Marvel” and “She-Hulk.”
Marvel recently released the trailer for “Secret Invasion,” which promises much excitement. It is imperative for the MCU to step up and deliver a satisfying product to avoid disappointing fans and audiences, as they did with the last MCU film, “Ant-Man and the Wasp Quantumania.”
Release Date: When Can We Expect The Release Of The New Marvel Series?
Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” commenced filming in September 2021 and wrapped up in April 2022. The highly anticipated series is scheduled to be released on June 21, 2023, and will be available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar. As a Marvel enthusiast myself, I am thrilled about the upcoming release of this series and can’t wait to watch it.
Cast
Marvel “Secret Invasion” has gathered a talented cast of experienced actors. Based on the trailer, it appears that the series will focus mainly on the characters of Nick Fury, played by Samuel L. Jackson, and Talos, played by Ben Mendelsohn. The show will introduce a new Skrull character named Gravik, played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, who leads a group of rebellious Skrulls that seek to infiltrate Earth to obtain its resources. Emilia Clarke will portray G’iah, the daughter of Talos, who we last saw as a young girl playing Uno with Monica Rambeau at the end of the “Captain Marvel” film. Olivia Coleman will also join the cast as Special Agent Sonya Fallsworth, a high-ranking MI6 agent and a longtime ally of Nick Fury. In addition to the new faces, some familiar characters will also make an appearance, such as Don Cheadle reprising his role as James Rhodes, Cobie Smulders playing her well-known character of Maria Hill, and Martin Freeman returning as Everett K. Ross, who we last saw in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” defying his ex-wife and the current CIA director, Val, by committing espionage for the Wakandans and eventually breaking free with the help of Okoye.
Marvel’s ‘Secret Invasion’ – Trailer Breakdown And Plot
“Secret Invasion” is a major Marvel Comics storyline that was published from 2008 to 2009. The story is written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Leinil Francis Yu, and it involves a secret infiltration of Earth by the shape-shifting alien race known as the Skrulls. However, in the MCU, the storyline will be a bit different from the comics. The recent trailer for “Secret Invasion” suggests that this show will highlight the depth of Nick Fury’s character, and we will see Nick Fury without his iconic eye patch, making him more vulnerable, but it also might be used to distinguish between the original Nick Fury and the shape-shifting Skrull. The Skrulls have appeared in various MCU projects, with Talos and his wife Soren impersonating Nick Fury and Maria Hill in “Spider-Man: Far From Home,” while the real Nick Fury was on the Skrull space station. In “WandaVision,” a Skrull appeared in the mid-credit scene, recruiting Monica Rambeau to meet the assumed real Nick Fury, while a Skrull in a tracksuit was discovered by the TVA in the first episode of “Loki,” causing viewers to scrutinize the members of the tracksuit mafia in “Hawkeye.” The MCU portrays a different approach to the Skrulls by highlighting a divide between friendly Skrulls like Talos and the most extremist Skrulls like Gravik instead of depicting all Skrulls as evil.
The trailer for Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” transports us to a radioactive site in Russia, where Nick Fury approaches a fence in the woods, with a radioactive warning sign visible in the background. We then see Moscow’s Red Square, featuring Saint Basil’s Cathedral and a festival of Russia, where Gravik detonates a bomb in a crowd, similar to a scene from the film “Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.” The series is not limited to one location, as we see scenes from London and Paris. A clash between Talos and Gravik occurs, with the Skrulls turning their backs on Talos to show their support for Gravik. The trailer also reveals a scene where armed soldiers protect two figures in the center of a car crash site, including someone who appears to be the U.S. President, Ritson, played by Dermot Mulroney. G’iah discovers a chamber filled with covered bodies with glowing parts, indicating they might be Skrulls or soldiers being prepared for a ground war.
In the final segment of the trailer, we see Gravik extending his arm in a stretch reminiscent of Mr. Fantastic. However, the texture of his arm resembles that of Groot’s branches, leading to speculation that he may actually be a Skrull. Super-Skrulls are advanced versions of Skrulls who, in addition to shape-shifting, can also replicate the superpowers of those they mimic. This possibility is supported by references to Skrulls in the “Secret Invasion” comics. Additionally, the conflict between Gravik and Talos suggests that Talos may meet his demise, as evidenced by a shot in the trailer of him taking a bullet to the chest and G’iah crying while holding a body. The trailer concludes with Nick Fury proclaiming that it’s time for one last fight and dramatically popping up his collar, which ramps up the anticipation for the series.
Overall, Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” has the potential to be an excellent addition to Phase Five, as it raises a crucial doubt about which characters are authentic and which characters have been replaced by Skrulls all along.