Marvel Star Teases That Secret Invasion Is a "Departure" for the MCU

Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is almost upon us, and it is set to bring about some monumental new components to the superhero franchise. Kicking off this latest chapter in the saga will be Secret Invasion, a Disney+ exclusive television series inspired by the comic event of the same name. Ever since the first trailer for Secret Invasion debuted during Marvel's presentation at the D23 Expo earlier this fall, it has been clear that the series will be distinctly different from the MCU installments that preceded it — something that one of its stars, Everett Ross actor Martin Freeman, recently echoed.

"It feels pretty different to stuff I've seen," Freeman explained to Digital Spy. "It does feel like a little departure. Yeah, it does -- in ways that I wouldn't be that able to describe. Again, I've not seen it. I've not even read all of it."

What is Secret Invasion about?

Secret Invasion will center around MCU veterans Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Talos (Mendelsohn) as they deal with an invasion of shape-shifting Skrulls who have infiltrated all aspects of life on Earth. Other MCU veterans will include Smulders as Maria Hill, Don Cheadle as James "Rhodey" Rhodes / War Machine, and Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross. New cast members will include Emilia Clarke, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Olivia Colman, Carmen Ejogo, Christopher McDonald, Dermot Mulroney, and Killian Scott. The series will be written and executive produced by Kyle Bradstreet, and directed by Thomas Bezucha and Ali Selim.

"It looks so good," Smulders raved in an interview earlier this fall, "and it's a very different tone than I've seen [in the MCU]. I mean, having Sam [Jackson] in anything is just a thrill to watch, but I think it really sets his character up in a really interesting way that I've always wanted to see."

"It's the most depth I've been able to show of Maria Hill," Smulders continued. "That's the beauty of these series that Marvel is doing, you're able to really get backstory of these characters. What are the conversations that happen when they're just sitting around drinking coffee? It's not like, 'We've gotta get the bad guys! We've gotta get the thing! We've gotta save the world again!' It's like, 'Let's just have a chat, let's go for a walk.' We get to see those kinds of moments and be a bit more intimate with the characters."

Are you excited for Disney+'s Secret Invasion series? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!

Secret Invasion is expected to debut on Disney+ in early 2023. If you haven't signed up for Disney+ yet, you can do that right here. 

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