Secret Invasion — Second Trailer Proves This Is The Series That Will Revive The MCU's Disney+ Shows

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's near future has a ray of much-needed hope, not from any set of CGI characters, but from a grizzled-up Samuel L. Jackson doing what he does best. On April 3, 2023, Marvel Studios released the second trailer for their upcoming Disney + miniseries, "Secret Invasion." The Kyle Bradstreet-created series based on the 2008 Marvel comic crossover storyline sees the return of Nick Fury (Jackson) as he goes on a globe-trotting escapade to halt the invasion of the shapeshifting Skrulls who are taking over positions of power.

With its high stakes, gritty tone, and a gnarly Samuel L. Jackson performance to boot, the newest "Secret Invasion" trailer proves that the show itself is worth watching. But perhaps even more significant is that "Secret Invasion" seems like a project from the MCU that just about everyone can actually get excited about. Which, more recently, has become a diamond dozen in the once untouchable franchise.

After "Avengers: Endgame" capped off the Infinity Saga in 2019, the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Four and the beginning of Phase Five have struggled to reach such heights. Sure, such releases as "Spider-Man: No Way Home" and "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" are notable expectations, but more often than not, fans have been left underwhelmed by such entries as "Black Widow," "Thor: Love and Thunder" and "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." But the studio's lacking content hasn't only been limited to the big screen. 

Beginning in 2021 with "WandaVision," the MCU has churned out eight Disney+ TV shows of varying quality. While some of their shows, such as "What If...?" and "Ms. Marvel" have been received more positively, others, such as "She-Hulk: Attorney At Law," have received even more polarizing reactions from the fanbase. 

Regardless of their reception, it's clear that none of these shows are being overwhelmingly loved by fans, and the MCU has yet to crack the code on crafting compelling television. But if the newest "Secret Invasion" trailer has anything to say about it, the MCU may finally have found its stride on the small screen. 

Let's face it. It's hard to frankly even care about much happening in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as of late. Not only have the MCU's storytelling tropes become tired and repetitive, but much of their current cast of characters, both old and new, have been underwhelming, to say the least.

Focusing on Nick Fury, in this regard, is a stroke of genius. Of course, Samuel L. Jackson has been rocking the eye patch in several past MCU entries, but there nevertheless remains an aura of mystery around Nick Fury that is part of the character's appeal. His long overdue solo venture benefits from taking place post-Phase Three, as it gives more breathing room to explore the character and his morals without going too deep into things. Additionally, keeping the show on a relatively small yet still-thrilling scale is a mature step forward and a breath of fresh air compared to the more outlandish journeys that the MCU has been focusing on in its movies and shows.

As it turns out, the MCU doesn't always need lots of green screen and cringe-worthy wisecracks to get audiences hyped. Sometimes, all it takes is trying something new.