Secret Invasion will make Disney Plus history for Marvel in 2023
A not-so-secret revelation
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Secret Invasion will make Disney Plus history for theMarvelCinematic 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 suggestsSecret Invasionwill be the first-ever MCUDisney Plus showthat ties into Marvel’s upcoming movie slate. The intriguing and historic description can be found on the show’sDisney Plus Originals page(thanks toRedditfor the catch), though there’s no indication about what other productions it’ll be linked to.
So far, Marvel Studios’Disney Plusproductions have followed self-contained stories that occasionally set up events in some MCU movies. A classic example isWandaVision, the first MCU TV series that kicked offMarvel’s Phase 4slate, which simultaneously told a complete story and teased Wanda’s extensive involvement inDoctor Strange 2.
However, Secret Invasion is the first MCU TV show officially described as a “crossover event”. Other TV entries in the MCU, includingHawkeyeandMs Marvel, haven’t been labeled as such, despite the fact they set up forthcoming Marvel projects including Echo and The Marvels. It seems, then, that Secret Invasion could be a far more important Marvel TV show than we realize.
This isn’t the first crossover-style event on Disney Plus. The streamer’sStar WarsTV line-up has been similarly positioned as a crossover event, withThe Mandalorian,The Book of Boba Fett, andAhsokatied together by an overarching narrative. Maybe Marvel is taking a page out of Lucasfilm’s book…
Secret Invasion sees Samuel L Jackson reprise his role as Nick Fury, the former director of SHIELD, as he leads an investigation into a sect of shape-shifting Skrulls who have infiltrated (and live among) Earth’s human population. The series will also star Ben Mendolsohn as Talos and Cobie Smulders as ex-SHIELD agent Maria Hill. Meanwhile,Game of Thronesalumnus Emilia Clarke, Oscar-winning actor Olivia Colman, andOne Night in Miami’s Kingsley Ben-Adir are also part of the cast.
Originally set to release this year, Secret Invasionwill now arrive in spring 2023as part of Marvel’s Phase 5 slate. The show is currently undergoing reshoots in London, with Jacksonpreviously confirming he was heading back to the UKto film new scenes for the show and The Marvels. Jackson hasalso teased Fury’s future in the MCU, so we can expect to see him appear in other Phase 5 projects.
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Analysis: how could Secret Invasion impact the MCU?
Given its “crossover event” description, it’s possible that Secret Invasion will be a mini Avengers-style project, with multiple MCU superheroes and characters appearing at various points throughout its episodic run. Don Cheadle’s War Machine and Martin Freeman’s Everett K Ross are already set to cameo, so it’s not out of the realms of possibility that other prominent MCU characters may show up.
The series could also be the first-ever open-ended Marvel Disney Plus series. If it’s going to instigate events in MCU Phase 5 projects, such as The Marvels and/or Captain America: New World Order, Secret Invasion won’t necessarily need a finite ending, especially if its narrative bleeds 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 refugees off into the cosmos to find a new permanent home. With Talos set to feature prominently in Secret Invasion, the show’s ties to The Marvels seem pretty certain at this point.
There have even been rumors that Secret Invasion could release in two parts – akin to howNetflixreleasedStranger Things season 4– either side of The Marvels' July 2023 release. That would further cement its place as the MCU’s first TV crossover event, 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 key government, military, and even superhero roles worldwide. This is a major plot thread that plays out in the Secret Invasion comic storyline, so it’s one that could be explored in greater detail if Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Captain America makes a surprise cameo in Secret Invasion.
Maybe Thunderbolts will tie into Secret Invasion, too. Julia Louis-Dreyfus' Contessa Fontaine has taken up an anti-hero Fury-esque role in recent Marvel movies. If she’s the individual who puts the Thunderbolts together, they could be tasked with removing the Skrulls from their high-ranking Earthly positions. A covert, off-the-record mission like this would be perfect for this anti-hero/villain supergroup, especially if one or two MCU heroes are surprisingly unmasked as Skrulls. How subversive and cool would it be to see a Marvel superhero actually be a Skrull – as some are in the comics – and be the villain of the piece?
We’ve got a while to wait before we see how Secret Invasion impacts the MCU. In the meantime, check out ourMarvel movies in orderguide. Alternatively, read up the last two major Phase 4 entries –She-Hulk: Attorney at LawandBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever– which arrive later this year.
As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as thisMoon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.
Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.
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