Marvel’s Secret Invasion Includes Key Captain America: Civil War Detail

Don’t trust anyone. Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury uttered that warning to Chris Evans’s Steve Rogers ahead of an imminent Hydra attack during Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and they ring truer than ever a canonical decade later. Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion is set to adapt the iconic Marvel Comics crossover event for Disney+, telling the story of the Skrulls’ parasitical takeover of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While they were introduced in the massively cosmic Captain Marvel, this Skrull story seems poised to be much more grounded, bringing the MCU back to its gritty, Earth-based roots.

As evident by a new “encrypted file,” Secret Invasion is artistically linking itself to one of Marvel’s most grounded stories. This clip opens with the Marvel Studios logo sequence before “MOSCOW: PRESENT DAY” flashes on screen.

Fans will recognize this supersized font as the same title card style that Captain America: Civil War used in 2016.

This same font was resurrected for Black Widow (2021), a direct sequel to the events of Civil War. Black Widow was championed by fans for capturing a similar espionage vibe to the widely-praised Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

What Else Will Secret Invasion Borrow From Civil War?

While this is a small detail, Secret Invasion‘s use of Captain America: Civil War‘s title cards represents something much larger. Considering this is a franchise that meticulously plans what license plates are used in blink-and-miss-it shots, the use of this particular font has audiences subconsciously linking Secret Invasion to Civil War and Black Widow before anything happens on screen.

As the MCU continues to expand, it is becoming more clear that not every individual project will build upon the last. The franchise now has different pockets within it, as some stories are hyper-focused on the multiverse while others lock in on Earth-based conflicts. Secret Invasion certainly seems to fall into the latter, and having it stylistically mirror past projects that did the same only helps define those separate sagas a bit further.

Regarding what this small detail could mean for more similar homages in the series, look for Secret Invasion to borrow Civil War‘s brand of tension-filled conversations. While the big battles left theaters applauding in 2016, they only meant anything because fans knew where the characters were coming from. Expect Secret Invasion to be riddled with those types of chats so when the fight sequences go down, each punch has audiences on the edge of their seats.

Secret Invasion premieres on Disney+ on June 21st.