Secret Invasion (TV Miniseries): 13 Interesting Facts

Secret Invasion is an upcoming American television miniseries created by Kyle Bradstreet for the streaming service Disney+, based on the Marvel Comics storyline of the same name.

In Secret Invasion, (which is set in the present-day MCU), Nick Fury learns of a clandestine invasion of Earth by a faction of shapeshifting Skrulls. Fury joins his allies, including Everett Ross, Maria Hill, and the Skrull Talos, who has made a life for himself on Earth. Together they race against time to thwart an imminent Skrull invasion and save humanity.

The series is intended to be the ninth television series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) produced by Marvel Studios, sharing continuity with the films of the franchise.

There’s probably a lot that you don’t know about this TV miniseries, but today my aim is to change that…

Here are 13 Interesting Facts You Might Not Know About Secret Invasion

1. The series title was announced by Kevin Feige during The Walt Disney Company’s Investor Day on December 10th, 2020.

2. Emilia Clarke is the eleventh Game of Thrones (2011) actor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after David Bradley and Natalie Dormer in Captain America: The First Avenger (2011), Clive Russell in Thor: The Dark World (2013), Finn Jones and Jessica Henwick in Iron Fist (2017), Iwan Rheon in Inhumans (2017), Peter Dinklage in Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Hannah John-Kamen in Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018), and Richard Madden and Kit Harington in Eternals (2021).

3. The series marks Cobie Smulders’s 9th MCU project following, The Avengers (2012), Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2015), Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), Avengers: Endgame (2019), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) and What If…? (2021).

4. The series features one Oscar winner: Olivia Colman along with two Oscar nominees: Don Cheadle and Samuel L. Jackson.

5. The miniseries has a total of six episodes. The first one dropped on Disney+ on the 21st of June 2023.

6. Fans can expect to see a variation from the source material in the MCU adaptation. The trailer release has already confused Marvel fans about the basic plotline for the title.

It is well known that Marvel Studios change up the stories for their cinematic adaptations to suit their vision of the MCU. While they do adhere to overarching plotlines, certain characters and story elements get modified. Secret Invasion might as well see a similar case, with certain major characters missing and changes to the story.

The comic book cross-over miniseries played a pivotal role in 2008 in setting the future of the Marvel Comics Universe. It introduced major characters and also paved the way for the Dark Reign era in the comics. However, that does not seem to be the case for the upcoming TV miniseries, which apparently focuses more on a spy thriller-style arc focusing on Fury.

7. With the primary focus falling on Nick Fury as he tries to defend Earth from one of its most dangerous predicaments, Secret Invasion will interestingly keep appearances from superheroes to a minimum. One of the highlights of the series is that Nick Fury fighting this invasion in his personal capacity.

In an interview with Vanity Fair, Samuel L. Jackson talked about how the viewers would get to see a more vulnerable side of Nick Fury, along with a deeper backstory for the character.

8. Being the first television show in Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), it takes take place after the events of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. It is a time when the Global Repatriation Council has seemingly wound down, world governments are desperate to find vibranium, and three years have past since the death of Tony Stark and the Battle of Earth.

9. On May 31, 2021, it was reported that the working title of Secret Invasion was “Jambalaya”.

10. The Russo Brothers had previously expressed interest in directing a Secret Invasion film adaptation, as the big-event stakes and the prospect of heroes working with villains was something caught their attention. Ultimately, Thomas Bezucha and Ali Selim was hired to direct it in the form of a Disney+ series instead.

11. Throughout the series US secret service agents operating in the UK are shown using firearms. This is inaccurate armed security for foreign dignitaries and diplomats including the US president is provided by the Metropolitan Police’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection branch. The UK’s strict gun laws prevent anyone except UK police officers using handguns or assault weapons in Great Britain.

12. Several of the cars in the Moscow location scenes have the steering wheel on the right side. Indicating that it the scenes was actually filmed in the UK.

13. Scenes are set back-to-back in London, Chernobyl, America, with no apparent time taken for international travel, nor difficulties in getting through security every single time.

Well, there you have it, 13 Interesting Facts You Might Not Have Known about Secret Invasion. If I’ve left out something important, feel free to comment below.

Watch this space for updates in the Facts category on Running Wolf’s Rant.