What if there was a race of extraterrestrials that could duplicate the appearance and powers of some of the most prominent Marvel superheroes? How would the heroes fight an enemy that could be within their own ranks? In the upcoming TV show “Secret Invasion,” a breed of reptilian aliens called the Skrulls uses their shapeshifting abilities to infiltrate the ranks of the Marvel heroes.
Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” series is being produced by Marvel Studios. Kyle Bradstreet, the show’s creator, will also serve as its head writer. In this article, we’ll provide some exciting information and news about the upcoming TV show and tell you what it could mean for the greater Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Premise of the “Secret Invasion” TV Show
Marvel’s “Secret Invasion” TV show is based on a comic series of the same name. In the comic books, Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Professor Charles Xavier, Namor, Doctor Strange, and Black Bolt form the Illuminati in the aftermath of the Kree-Skrull war. The group’s purpose is to protect Earth from ever getting pulled into another intergalactic war.
The Illuminati visits the Kree and the Skrulls to warn them never to attack Earth again. However, they’re captured while visiting the Skrulls. The heroes escape but not before the Skrulls can study them. Later, an heir to the Skrull throne, Princess Veranke, is imprisoned because she predicts that the Skrull homeworld will be destroyed.
When Galactus eats the Skrull Throneworld, proving her prophecy correct, Princess Veranke becomes the Empress of the Skrull. As the ruler, she decides to launch an invasion against Earth using the data that has been collected from the Illuminati. Her plan is to kidnap heroes on Earth and replace them with Skrull warriors who have shapeshifted to look like them.
It’s currently unknown how closely the TV show will follow the plot of the Marvel comics. In the comic series, both the Skrulls and Kree are depicted as villainous, warlike races. However, in the 2019 film, “Captain Marvel,” it was established that the Kree are a belligerent race and destroyed the peaceful Skrulls’ home planet (not Galactus).
How Does “Secret Invasion” Fit Into the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
“Secret Invasion” takes place in the same universe (Earth-199999) as the MCU. There have been a few lead-ins to the series throughout the films. The Skrulls were heavily featured in “Captain Marvel,” but they also appeared in a cutscene at the end of “Spider-Man Far From Home.”
The scene reveals that the Skrull Talos has been working with and impersonating Nick Fury. Talos is accompanied by his wife Soren (also a Skrull) disguised as Maria Hill. Talos calls Fury and asks him to return. Fury is shown trying to relax on a simulated beach in the middle of a large space station inhabited by the Skrulls.
Showing the Skrull working alongside Nick Fury represents a big departure from the comics. The comic Skrulls are maniacal aliens bent on galactic domination. The MCU Skrulls are desperate refugees trying to escape the Kree.
“Spider-Man Far From Home” takes place around 2024, five years after the Blip (when Thanos snapped half the population of the universe into dust). It’s clear that in the nearly three decades since the events of “Captain Marvel,” many Skrulls have made their way to Earth and have earned the trust of humans. Especially those in the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement, and Logistics Division (S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Nick Fury. However, the last time Fury trusted someone, he lost an eye.
This could mean that there’s another evil sect of Skrulls we haven’t been introduced to yet. And they’re the ones who will attack Earth. Another possibility is that something causes a rift between the Skrulls and Earth. Either way, the Skrulls in “Secret Invasion” will likely be very different from the comic characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.
Who Is in the Cast of “Secret Invasion”?
The full cast of “Secret Invasion” hasn’t been announced yet, but a few huge names have confirmed their involvement in the show. Here’s a list of a few main characters in the show and the actors attached to the project.
Nick Fury:
Nick Fury was a colonel in the army and a former CIA agent before joining S.H.I.E.L.D. As the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, he founded the Avengers. Fury is very secretive and willing to do whatever it takes to protect humans from any sort of threat, including manipulating people and breaking the law. As a rule, he doesn’t completely trust anyone. Samuel L. Jackson, who’s played Fury in several of the Marvel films, will play him in the show.
Talos:
The film version of Talos is much different than the comic one. In the film, Talos is a kind and diplomatic Skrull who looks to solve problems with his mind rather than with violence. He and his wife Soren are working to protect the Skrull people from the Kree. However, in the comics, Talos is a brutal, ruthless Skrull general who was born without the ability to shapeshift. The role will be played by Ben Mendelsohn.
Unnamed Lead Villain:
Kingsley Ben-Adir from “The OA” and “High Fidelity” will play the series’ main villain. So far, it’s not clear whether Ben-Adir will play a character from the comics or a newly created villain.
A few other actors — like Emilia Clarke from “Game of Thrones,” Killian Scott from the Irish series “Love/Hate,” Olivia Colman from “The Favourite,” and Christopher McDonald from “Happy Gilmore” — will also be featured in the show. However, it hasn’t been announced who they’ll play.
How Might “Secret Invasion” Change the MCU?
The revelation that Fury and Hill have actually been Skrulls for the entire Spider-Man film, if not longer, raises all sorts of questions that could have a massive effect on the MCU storyline.
- How long has Talos been impersonating Fury?
- Are there huge moments from other Marvel films that were actually Talos and not Fury?
- Why is Talos impersonating Fury?
- What projects could Fury be working on during his absence?
- Have other big characters actually been Skrulls at any point in the films?
The station Fury is on could be the Sentient World Observation and Response Department (S.W.O.R.D.). “Secret Invasion” could give Marvel a perfect chance to introduce the organization. In the comics, S.W.O.R.D. is an offshoot from S.H.I.E.L.D. However, S.W.O.R.D. deals mainly with extraterrestrial threats to Earth.
The secret invasion is also a huge comic book crossover event. We might see several new characters added to the MCU. The Fantastic Four play a huge role in the “Secret Invasion” graphic novels. As one of the smartest people in the Marvel universe, Reed Richards is one of the main targets of the Skrulls. Now that the Avengers have been disbanded, we might even see Nick Fury putting together a new Avengers team.
We could see the superhero Illuminati, although it would have to be without Iron Man, who gave his life to defeat Thanos in “Avengers: Endgame.”
When Will “Secret Invasion” Premiere on Disney Plus?
Filming of “Secret Invasion” began in September of 2021. As of now, the TV show doesn’t have a specific release date, but all six episodes of the miniseries are expected to premiere on Disney Plus sometime in 2022.
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Contributing Writer, BuddyTV
