The Marvel Cinematic Universe has expanded beyond movies to include TV shows and animated media after the success of Avengers Endgame, which broke global box office records. Secret Invasion, one of the most anticipated live-action TV shows, deals with the infiltration of Skrulls, a shape-shifting alien race that can take on any form, into Earth.
This storyline raises the possibility that some of our beloved characters may actually be Skrulls in disguise, including past characters whose on-screen deaths may be nullified due to Skrulls posing as them. Because of this, Secret Invasion is highly anticipated by Marvel fans. Here’s everything we know about the Secret Invasion TV series so far.
What is Secret Invasion based on? A rundown of the event in Marvel Comics
Secret Invasion was an eight-issue limited series event in Marvel Comics that featured tie-in comics to expand the story. The plot centered around the shapeshifting alien race known as the Skrulls, who are a significant presence in Marvel Comics and have appeared in several MCU movies. The Skrulls’ infiltration of Earth and the replacement of many prominent superheroes in the Marvel Universe were the primary focus of the storyline.
The Secret Invasion event was triggered after the Kree-Skrull War ended, when the Illuminati, consisting of Iron Man, Mister Fantastic, Namor, Black Bolt, Professor Charles Xavier, and Doctor Strange, attacked the Skrull Empire. All of these characters have appeared in the MCU, but since the show takes place on Earth-199999, where Iron Man is dead, and some of these characters have never been seen, it’s uncertain if any of them will appear in the show.
Princess Veranke, a Skrull, was the main antagonist of Earth’s superheroes. She became the Skrull Empress and invaded Earth with her forces, using knowledge from studying the Illuminati. The Skrulls captured several superhumans and invaded Earth, taking the forms of various prominent superheroes. Veranke herself took the guise of Spider-Woman/Jessica Drew, who was then an Avenger.
While Spider-Woman has not yet been seen in the MCU and is unlikely to appear, the introduction of the multiverse provides endless possibilities. The Secret Invasion event unified heroes and villains to protect their homeworld, something we may see in the upcoming show.
A Timeline of Secret Invasion Updates
Variety confirmed that Emilia Clarke would join the MCU for Secret Invasion. Samuel L. Jackson was announced to be reprising his role as Nick Fury, and Ben Mendelsohn would reprise his role as Talos. Ben Adir was announced as the main villain, and Kyle Bradstreet was announced as the writer and executive producer.
During her appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Emilia Clarke revealed that she had to tape her audition for Marvel projects, just like everyone else. She also shared that she had spoken to Marvel’s security team and was anxious about accidentally revealing confidential information.
New photos were released showing Emilia Clarke’s character for the first time. Along with her, Samuel L. Jackson and Cobie Smulders were also seen reprising their roles as Nick Fury and Maria Hill.
Emilia Clarke spoke to IndieWire about her excitement to be working in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actress expressed her enthusiasm for the upcoming Secret Invasion series in which she would star alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn. Clarke also praised the MCU’s ability to create complex and interesting characters and shared her excitement to be a part of such a successful franchise.
Vanity Fair released photos revealing Emilia Clarke as G’iah, the daughter of Talos. G’iah is a specialized agent in the Marvel comics. G’iah was last seen in Captain Marvel. Additionally, the photos showcased Samuel L Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Olivia Coleman, Ben Mendelsohn, Martin Freeman, and Kingsley Ben-Adir in their respective roles.
Marvel Studios released the second trailer for Secret Invasion, which features Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as Nick Fury. The trailer provides a larger glimpse into Fury’s role in the upcoming series.
Who does Emilia Clarke play in Secret Invasion?
Vanity Fair has recently shared exclusive first-look pictures of Emilia Clarke as G’iah, daughter of the Skrull Talos, who we met in the film Captain Marvel. Previously in the MCU, G’iah appeared as a young child in the movie Captain Marvel. The plot revolved around Talos attempting to reach the secret space station outside Earth’s orbit where his wife, daughter, and other Skrull war criminals were hiding from the Kree.
Captain Marvel, played by Brie Larson, initially believed Talos to be the villain but later discovered that the Kree were the true antagonists. At the end of the movie, we saw G’iah as a small child. Emilia Clarke has described G’iah as an individual dedicated to helping her fellow Skrulls, even if it means fighting against those who oppose them.
G’iah’s upbringing as a refugee in a somber environment has made her a strong and determined individual with a fierce personality. Despite Nick Fury’s promise to help the Skrulls, he seemingly never followed through, causing resentment among the Skrulls towards him.
In Marvel Comics, G’iah is a special agent with a family of three daughters. She raises with them along with her partner and fellow agent Klrr on Earth. Tragedy strikes when a secret organization called Project Blossom kills one of their daughters. This organization’s primary task is going after undercover Skrulls. Determined to uncover the truth, Giah and her family embark on an intense mission to uncover the truth.
Unfortunately, this results in the death of Klrr. Undeterred, G’iah continues her mission, avenging her partner before moving forward to track down the remaining members of Project Blossom.
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Secret Invasion Cast
In addition to Emilia Clarke playing G’iah, here are the other cast members of MCU’s Secret Invasion.
- Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury
- Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill
- Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik
- Ben Mendelsohn as Talos
- Olivia Colman as Sonya Falsworth
- Martin Freeman as Everett Ross
- Don Cheadle as James Rhodes
When is Secret Invasion coming out? Release Date and more
Secret Invasion will be released on June 21st, 2023, on Disney+ as part of the MCU’s ongoing Phase 5. The story will follow Nick Fury and the Skrull Talos, leaving off from when we saw them last in Spider-Man: Far From Home. Secret Invasion producer Jonathan Schwartz cited the Cold War espionage thrillers of John le Carré and modern TV shows such as Homeland and The Americans as sources of inspiration and influence.
He mentioned that the political aspects of Secret Invasion would be relevant to today’s real-world society. Samuel L Jackson is set to reprise his role as Nick Fury in the Marvel Universe after a long absence. Ben Mendelson will also return as Skrull Talos, last seen in Spider-Man: Far From Home.
Emilia Clarke will debut in the MCU as Talos’ daughter Ji’ah, who appeared as a young Skrull child in Captain Marvel. Cobie Smulders will also make an appearance as Maria Hill, likely in a supporting role. Martin Freeman will return as Everett Ross, last seen in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Olivia Colman, an Academy Award winner, will be joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Sonya Falsworth, a British M16 agent.
Falsworth is possibly a descendant of James Montgomery Falsworth, who fought alongside Steve Rogers in Captain America: The First Avenger as a member of the Howling Commandos. Kingsley Ben-Adir has been cast as the main antagonist, Gravik, a Skrull resistance leader. Don Cheadle will also reprise his role as James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes, which will set up his first solo film as War Machine in the upcoming Armor Wars.
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