by Secret Invasion will make Disney Plus history for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) when it launches in 2023.
The limited series is the first Marvel TV show to be billed as a “crossover event” — a phrase that suggests Secret Invasion will be the first-ever MCU Disney Plus show coming to Marvels Film schedule ties in. For the fascinating and historical description, visit the show’s Disney Plus Originals page (opens in new tab) (Thanks Reddit (opens in new tab) for the catch), although there’s no indication as to what other productions it will be linked to.
To date, Marvel Studios’ Disney Plus productions have followed self-contained stories, occasionally building on events in some MCU films. A classic example is WandaVision, the first MCU TV series to launch Marvel’s Phase 4 slate, which simultaneously told a full story and teased Wanda’s extensive involvement in Doctor Strange 2.
However, Secret Invasion is the first MCU TV show to be officially called a “crossover event.” Other TV entries in the MCU, including Hawkeye and Ms Marvel, have not been tagged as such, despite setting forth forthcoming Marvel projects such as Echo and The Marvels. So it seems that Secret Invasion could be a much more important Marvel TV show than we realise.
This isn’t the first crossover-style event on Disney Plus. The streamer’s Star Wars TV line-up has similarly been positioned as a crossover event, with The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka linked by an overarching narrative. Maybe Marvel is taking a page from Lucasfilm’s book…
In Secret Invasion, Samuel L Jackson takes on his role as Nick Fury, former director of SHIELD, leading an investigation into a cult of shapeshifting Skrulls that have infiltrated (and live amongst) the human population of Earth. The series also stars Ben Mendolsohn as Talos and Cobie Smulders as ex-SHIELD agent Maria Hill. Meanwhile, Game of Thrones alumnus Emilia Clarke, Oscar winner Olivia Colman and One Night in Miami’s Kingsley Ben-Adir also join the cast.
Originally planned for this year, Secret Invasion will now be released in spring 2023 as part of Marvel’s Phase 5 plan. The show is currently being re-shot in London, with Jackson previously confirming he would be returning to the UK to film new scenes for the show and The Marvels. Jackson also teased Fury’s future in the MCU, so we can expect to see him in other Phase 5 projects.
Analysis: How could Secret Invasion impact the MCU?
Given the “crossover event” description, it’s possible that Secret Invasion will be an Avengers-style mini-project, with multiple MCU superheroes and characters appearing at various points throughout the episodic run. Don Cheadle’s War Machine and Martin Freeman’s Everett K Ross are already set for cameo appearances, so other prominent MCU characters aren’t out of the question.
The series could also be the first-ever Marvel Disney Plus perpetual series. When it comes to triggering events in MCU Phase 5 projects like The Marvels and/or Captain America: New World Order, Secret Invasion doesn’t necessarily need a finite ending, especially if its narrative carries over into future Marvel productions.
Secret Invasion will pick up where The Marvels’ predecessor – aka 2019’s Captain Marvel – left off, particularly with Captain Marvel leading Talos and the other Skrull fugitives into the cosmos to find a new permanent home. With Talos set to feature prominently in Secret Invasion, the series’ ties to The Marvels seem pretty secure at this point.
There were even rumors that Secret Invasion could be released in two parts – similar to how Netflix released Stranger Things season four – either side of The Marvels’ July 2023 release. That would make its place as the first TV crossover event of the year Keep MCU solidifying as long as the rumors are true.
Meanwhile, the “New World Order” part of Captain America 4’s title may allude to the Skrulls holding important governmental, military, and even superhero roles around the world. This is a major storyline that plays out in the Secret Invasion comic book storyline, so it could be explored in more detail if Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Captain America makes a surprise cameo in Secret Invasion.
Maybe Thunderbolts will also tie in with Secret Invasion. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Contessa Fontaine has taken on a Fury-style anti-hero role in recent Marvel films. If she is the person assembling the Thunderbolts, they could be tasked with removing the Skrulls from their senior Earth positions. A covert, unofficial mission like this would be perfect for this anti-hero/villain supergroup, especially when one or two MCU heroes are surprisingly revealed to be Skrulls. How subversive and cool would it be to see a Marvel superhero actually be a Skrull – like some in the comics – and be the villain of the play?
We’ll have to wait a while before we see how Secret Invasion impacts the MCU. In the meantime, check out our Marvel Movies Ordering Guide. Alternatively, you can read the last two big Phase 4 entries – She-Hulk: Attorney at Law and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever – coming out later this year.
