"Secret Invasion" is a six-part espionage spy thriller that is about shape-shifting aliens, known as Skrulls, who have covertly taken over many of Earth's leaders1. While the series is filled with action, it also touches on themes of refugees and displacement, exploring what happens when a group of people are seeking a home amidst a clandestine intergalactic conflict. Director Ali Selim, who helmed all six episodes, emphasizes that the show portrays a very grey world where things aren't necessarily good or evil. Selim worked on the show for more than 28 months and believes that the show's themes of mistrust and paranoia set it apart from other films and shows in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The series is set in the present-day Marvel Cinematic Universe. Along with the looming threat to Earth and the action sequences, it also explores fractured friendships, family ties, divided loyalties, and betrayals that cut deep. The show was created by Kyle Bradstreet ("Mr. Robot") and Ali Selim, who have crafted a cinematic experience with a top-notch cast that includes not only Jackson and Cheadle but also Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, Martin Freeman as Everett K. Ross, and Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull leader Talo.
Additional characters include Olivia Colman as a veteran MI6 operative, Emilia Clarke as Talo’s daughter, G’iah, who has conflicted loyalties, Kingsley Ben-Adir as Gravik, the revenge-minded leader of the Skrull resistance, and Charlayne Woodard as someone with a very close connection to Fury.
"Secret Invasion" incorporates flashback sequences set in 1995, where a younger Nick Fury promises the Skrulls that while they work to keep his home safe, Carol Danvers and he will find them a new home. Fast forward to the present day, Fury returns to Earth after a long, self-imposed off-world stay on the S.A.B.E.R. space station. His friends Maria Hill and Talos need him, but things have changed. Fury has changed.
Over three decades have passed since Fury made that pledge to the Skrulls, but they're still here, blending in with the human race due to their shapeshifting abilities. Some of them, led by the clever and ruthless Gravik, have decided they've found their home right here on Earth, and the humans will have to be disposed of or at the very least put in their place. While this might sound like a job for the Avengers, their absence is justified in a line that makes it clear this series is going to be a grounded, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" type sci-fi slice of the Marvel Universe.
"Secret Invasion" premiered on Disney+ from Marvel's new six-part series, Secret Invasion, premiered on June 21, 2023, on DisDisne. The series is a story about shape-shifting aliens, known as the Skrulls, who have covertly taken over many Earth's leaders. However, it's also a narrative about refugees and displacement, revolving around a group of people who are embroiled in a clandestine intergalactic conflict in their quest to find a home.
Directed by Ali Selim, who also helmed all six episodes, Secret Invasion is an espionage spy thriller that sets a different tone from other films and shows in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with themes of mistrust and paranoia. Selim used his experiences and the theme of displacement to frame the narrative in a way that encourages audiences to think critically about the world they live in.
The series stars a variety of well-known actors, including Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Ben Mendelsohn as the Skrull leader Talos, Olivia Colman, Cobbie Smulders, and Emilia Clarke. Kingsley Ben-Adir portrays the series' main antagonist, Gravik, a completely new character created for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
The show draws inspiration from classic American westerns and film noir, both thematically and visually, with a particular focus on the character of Nick Fury, who evolves across the six episodes into something more of a classic American, lone wolf gunslinger.
In terms of storyline, the series centers around an existential threat to Earth but also explores fractured friendships, family ties, divided loyalties, and deep betrayals. It includes flashbacks to 1995 and fast-forwards to the present day, revealing a changed Nick Fury who returns to Earth after a long, self-imposed off-world stay. Some Skrulls, led by Gravik, are done waiting and believe they have found a home on Earth, which leads to conflicts.
The series has been praised for its cinematic vibe and its exploration of deeper themes beyond the usual superhero action. The absence of the Avengers is noted in the storyline, making it clear that this series is a more grounded, "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" type of sci-fi slice of the Marvel Universe.
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