Captain America: The Winter Soldier Convinced Secret Invasion's Writers That The Series Could Work

Fans of Anthony and Joe Russo's 2014 film "Captain America: The Winter Soldier," the ninth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, might immediately use the word "grounded" to describe its tone. This is, one will see, quite literal. Previous films in the MCU involved heroes like Iron Man who could rocket through the sky in a high-tech suit of armor, or Thor, who could soar through the heavens, hammer first. Captain America (Chris Evans) did not have the ability to fly, and the bulk of the action in "Winter Soldier" took place on the ground, in elevators, and in traffic. The action was relegated to more relatable locales than the faraway fantasy kingdom of Asgard.

Some found the gravity to be a welcome change of pace, and several critics went so far as to compare the film's conspiracy-forward plot to "Three Days of the Condor" and other paranoid political thrillers from the 1970s. "The Winter Soldier" was essentially a film that moved its inspiration from the spinning comic book rack at the drug store to the nearby rack of pulp spy novels. The film, perhaps unfortunately, posited that any U.S. governmental malfeasance was actually the doing of a secret cabal of super-Nazis who had been hiding in the government for years. That, sadly, deflects blame from the real-life culprit: everyday, run-of-the-mill corruption.

Regardless, "The Winter Solider" was well-received and many consider it to be one of the better films from the MCU. 

When it came time to make the upcoming Disney+ miniseries "Secret Invasion," due for broadcast on June 21, director Ali Selim and producer Jonathan Schwartz were anxious about how well it might work. When they saw the feet-on-the-ground, spy-adjacent approach of "The Winter Soldier," however, tensions broke. They said as much in a May 2023 interview with Total Film. 

Looking back over the 31 films in the extant MCU canon, something like "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" seems almost quaint. Without the broad, crazy, cosmic monsters and magical, civilization-destroying widgets, it feels like a walk in the park. The same might be said of the upcoming "Secret Invasion," which promises to be more of an investigation show than an out-and-out action/adventure. The main character is an elderly Nick Fury, played by the 74-year-old Samuel L. Jackson, and he will have to delve into, well, a secret invasion of shape-shifting space-aliens hiding out among humans. The aliens are the Skrulls, last seen in the 2019 film "Captain Marvel." 

When Ali Selim first brought his pitch for "Secret Invasion" to the bigwigs at Marvel, he was concerned that its lack of intergalactic, cosmic wackiness would be a turn-off. Luckily, "Winter Soldier" set a precedent he could cite. He said:

"The first conversations I had [with Marvel] were, 'Nobody flies in the air in the show.' [...] I realized, 'Yeah, they're doing something very different, and that's exciting.'"

Producer Jonathan Schwartz added: 

"'The Winter Soldier' certainly gave us a lot of confidence that we could tell a story in that space that felt more like a paranoid thriller. [...] 'Secret Invasion' takes that a step further, and you really get to dig into Nick. It becomes much more character-focused in a way that I really love."

Jackson will also appear in the upcoming "Captain Marvel" sequel, "The Marvels," but it's sounding like "Secret Invasion" may be his character's final major adventure in the MCU. 

Nick Fury, unlike most of the characters in the MCU, is an ordinary human being. He start out as a member of a super well-funded CIA-like organization called S.H.I.E.L.D., which initially brought several superheroes together in the same room, forcing the Avengers into being. The Avengers eventually, as individuals, became something akin to free agents — sometimes becoming evil deities along the way — following their hearts and dealing with supervillains as they appear. It was Nick Fury who was thought to serve as a leader and as their (admittedly weak) oversight. 

The real world was long ago left behind in the MCU, and "Secret Invasion" is indeed about space aliens and their magical technologies, but Nick Fury has never been one to fire laser blasts from his hands, put on Iron Man suits, or give general displays of supernatural abilities. Nick Fury survived by his wits, some high-tech communication widgets, and the idea to put superheroes in his employ. Because he's played by Samuel L. Jackson, we do not question his confidence or authority. 

Indeed, Nick Fury, as the parent of the impetuous Avengers, should have been present for some of the heroes' more idiotic excursions. It's likely "Captain America: Civil War" wouldn't have happened had Nick been allowed to give input. 

"Secret Invasion" will take the MCU back down to the ground on several fronts. Audiences should be happy to see the MCU back on Earth because, well, that's where we live.