She-Hulk may be Disney Plus’ next big superhero series, yet Secret Invasion’s comic book storyline makes it seems like the bigger event in the larger scope of the MCU, a notion that finds backing in the company’s own labeling of the show as a “crossover event”, much like the first Avengers films were.
First announced in late 2020, Secret Invasion has been shrouded in mystery with very little information besides Samuel L Jackson’s and Ben Mendelsohn’s lead roles surfacing during its initial stages, as the casting of Kingsley Ben-Adir, Emilia Clarke, Olivia Colman, Cobie Smulders, Martin Freeman, and Don Cheadle was not confirmed until much later on. In Marvel Comics, Secret Invasion is one of the biggest runs with meaningful implications as the Skrulls’ queen goes on a mission to replace some notable individuals with Skrull stand-ins, such as Hank Pym.
Now, while the direction taken with every other Marvel show on Disney Plus suggests a less ambitious approach for the MCU’s Secret Invasion, the streaming platform’s own site is now referring to it “crossover event series” meant to show the Skrulls’ infiltration of planet Earth. Just like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Secret Invasion’s trailer was showcased at Comic-Con, although is yet to be related to the public.
In real life, Secret Invasion’s exact release date is yet to be confirmed, with only a Spring 2023 window being announced at Marvel’s latest panel; yet, in the MCU, the precise moment this cover operation from the Skrulls takes place is also a mystery that could explain why this crossover is missing pieces from others Avengers level threats. Regardless of that, the show’s description contains a drastic departure from Marvel Studios’ series formula which has focused mostly on new characters.
From WandaVision to Ms. Marvel, all MCU series’ have stuck to exploring either characters that played second fiddle to the more popular Avengers, entirely new superheroes, or beloved one that never quite got their solo origin stories, like Hawkeye, Loki, and now Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. In Nick Fury’s case, he did get a lead role in Captain Marvel, meaning most of the setup for the story that should pick up after Spider-Man Far From Home is already in place.
According to leaked footage from the trailer, Secret Invasion appears to be a darker show for Marvel with themes of espionage grabbing the spotlight, but the promise of a crossover is more realistic now that Avengers: Secret Wars is the MCU’s endgoal.
Secret Invasion is expected to be released on Disney Plus in Spring 2023.
Source: disneyplusoriginal.com