After 14 years in the role, Samuel L. Jackson discusses why he still enjoys playing Nick Fury. Since initially alerting Tony Stark about the Avengers Initiative in 2008’s Iron Man, the beloved actor has featured as the former S.H.I.E.L.D. director in 11 MCU films, including cameo roles. He will appear in the Disney+ series Secret Invasion later this year, and he has confirmed roles in both The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, both of which are planned for release in 2023.
Bringing in Jackson as Nick Fury was an inspired bit of casting that helped the MCU become the box-office juggernaut it is today. As a performer who is both well-respected and has a history of prominent roles in genre projects, bringing in Jackson as Nick Fury was an inspired bit of casting that helped the MCU become the box-office juggernaut it is today. His screen time varies greatly, from a brief cameo in a credits scene to a large supporting role in films like Captain Marvel, but for fans, he is as important a character in the franchise as any of the main characters. Despite the fact that little is known about the plot of Secret Invasion, fans are enthusiastic about the prospect of seeing Fury in a prominent role for six episodes.
Winter Soldier’s Future Could Be Set Up By Nick Fury’s Secret Phase 4 Story
In a new interview with Collider, Jackson reflects on his long tenure as the fan-favorite role and reveals that he still loves it as much as he did when he first started. Fury’s status as the undisputed leader of superpowered humans, despite his lack of specific talents, gives him a unique character to portray, according to him. And being a part of the Marvel universe still means something to Jackson, who expresses his love for comic books. Here’s the rest of his response:
Yeah. Nick Fury is one of my favorite characters. Yes, of course. Please, don’t make me laugh. He’s a guy with no superpowers in charge of people with superpowers, and he gets away with it. He has a unique quality about him. In another way, he’s a leader of men who are extremely different. It feels great to be a part of a world that I’ve adored since I was a child. I continue to purchase comic books. I still frequent comic book shops. I continue to read them. But it’s the same as when I was doing Afro Samurai or any of those comic book characters to be able to play that role. In another aspect, being a part of a cultural canon that people revere and respect implies something.
As Jackson points out, part of Nick Fury’s appeal is that he never feels out of place with a team of superheroes, and while the character’s intellect deserves some credit, the actor’s screen presence is the main reason for that. His perspective on being a part of the MCU also demonstrates why he is so popular among genre fans, who love seeing someone with his talent treat the material with respect. Given that Jackson’s Fury hasn’t been seen (in live-action) since Spider-Man: Far From Home, when he was shown to be vacationing in space the entire time, it’s unknown what the MCU’s multiverse-loving Phase 4 has in store for him.
Following the exits of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers, Marvel’s roster of heroes is undergoing a reshuffle, and with so many new faces to meet, it’s possible that history may repeat itself. Fury was able to use Agent Coulson’s death in 2012’s The Avengers to inspire the team to work together, and with Kang the Conqueror, the next big villain, slated for Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the murder of Fury at his hands might serve the same reason for this new group. If that is the idea, MCU fans may be assured that there will be plenty of Fury in 2022 and 2023.
