Secret Invasion: 5 Marvel Characters Emilia Clarke Could Play
As the Marvel Cinematic Universe expands its reach with Disney Plus series, quite a few characters are getting the spotlight that have acted in supporting roles on the big screen. Wanda Maximoff deals with grief in WandaVision. Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes grapple with their futures in The Falcon And The Winter Soldier. Loki travels through time in his self-titled series. Nick Fury, the man who originally brought the Avengers together for the MCU, will also get the spotlight. His series, however, is based on a comic book event of the same name: Secret Invasion.
Secret Invasion sees the world invaded by an alien threat in a very unique way. The Skrulls, who have been a peaceful people so far in the MCU, were the invading force in the comics. With a bit of a grudge against humanity, scouts sent ahead to Earth shapeshifted and infiltrated the population. Some even took on the guise of Marvel superheroes, kidnapping or killing the originals. It's not yet clear how close to the original comics the adaptation will be since the Skrulls the audience has seen so far have been allies of Nick Fury and Carol Danvers in Captain Marvel.
The team behind the new series has been busy casting for several roles. Emilia Clarke of Game Of Thrones fame is the latest actor to be linked to the Marvel show. As a rising star, her name is definitely seeing a lot of fans speculate as to just who she might be playing. While her role could be a completely new one for the MCU, it's also possible she brings someone to life who has a role in the comic book story that inspires the series.
The most predominant theory amongst comic book fans right now is that Clarke is playing Jessica Drew. She's one of the most well-known characters to use the Spider-Woman title. Jessica also happens to be the rumored subject of Olivia Wilde's Spider-related movie for Sony. Spider-Woman might be a tough one to include in the series since relations between Sony and Marvel don't always appear to be on even footing. A few years ago, Sony considered pulling Spider-Man out of the MCU and focusing on their own projects. Sony holds the screen rights of characters related to Spider-Man, like Jessica.
If Sony and Marvel have reached an agreement, however, then Jessica is a top-notch choice. By the time of the events of Secret Invasion in the comics, Jessica is a full-fledged member of the Avengers. She turns on Hydra and joins forces with Nick Fury. In fact, she spends a long time working as Fury's personal informant. That would give her close ties to the man at the center of the story. Of course, one of the biggest twists in the comic book story also involves Jessica Drew. If Clarke were to play her, she might also be playing a very different character at the same time.
Veranke becomes queen of the Skrulls in the comics after she appears to be correct about her interpretations of ancient prophecies. Initially exiled to a prison planet, Veranke's warnings about their world's destruction come true. The people support her and crown her their queen. Queen Veranke believes that Earth is prophesied to be the Skrulls' new home. She takes it upon herself to make that happen, instigating the secret invasion of the planet.
Veranke spends months posing as Jessica Drew, a triple agent working for Fury under SHIELD, the New Avengers, and infiltrating Hydra. She is the true center of the story. If the series adapts Veranke's part of the Skrull story for the screen, Clarke would be a great choice to play her. She demonstrated a lot of Veranke's qualities - radical belief, regal authority, and a need to survive - in Game Of Thrones already.
The Fantastic Four have their own movie on the way, and casting speculation has already begun. It would be easy enough for some of the characters to get an introduction before the team actually graces the big screen.
One of the big targets, when the Skrulls begin their assault on Earth, is the Baxter building. The Baxter building is the home of the Fantastic Four and their massive research lab. A Skrull even impersonates Alicia Masters, long-time love of Ben Grimm (The Thing) during the storyline. Making the Fantastic Four, whether Sue Storm is Invisible Woman or not yet, defend the Baxter building as it's attacked could be a great introduction to the characters. It would be a nice surprise - and a tease - for the audience. If the scientists also help Nick Fury actually stop the invasion, the series provides slightly expanded roles as well.
This is one Marvel character who likely wouldn't have a huge storyline in the series. She would have a lasting impact on the MCU going forward. Princess Anelle is at the center of the conflict between the Skrulls and the Kree. That conflict already made up the bulk of the Captain Marvel storyline, but could be revisited with her.
The comics see Anelle fall in love with a Kree named Mar-vell. She has a son who is part Kree, part Skrull as a result of the affair. That name might sound familiar to fans. It's the same name of the Kree that Carol Danvers gets her powers from initially. In the MCU, that character is played by a woman, and Mar-vell escapes to Earth as a rebel amongst her people.
The Secret Invasion storyline could play out with a different Kree character, but the outcome could be the same. Anelle gives birth to the boy who becomes Hulkling, a member of the Young Avengers and sends him to Earth for protection from her family. The MCU is clearly building to the Young Avengers with so many of its characters already part of the universe. Hulkling is one of the few still missing. Secret Invasion would be the prime time to bring his and his mother's story into the MCU.
Thanks to the introduction of SWORD in WandaVision, plenty of comic book fans are just waiting for Abigail Brand to make her on screen appearance. Originally appearing in an X-Men comic book, there were doubts that she could be used for the screen when FOX owned the rights to X-Men and its related characters. Agents Of SHIELD was blocked from using SWORD and its associated characters in the early seasons. A reference to the organization was also dropped from the series finale. With Abigail Brand as the leader in the group, that meant she couldn't appear in the MCU until now.
The WandaVision finale expels SWORD's previous director, leaving room for a new character to take up the position. That character could very well be Monica Rambeau, but that doesn't mean Abigail Brand won't enter the MCU. In the comics, she's half human, half alien, though just which alien isn't specified. She also has a genetic mutation that allows her to master numerous languages. Spending most of her time in space orbiting the Earth, she would be a great addition to a series set to see Earth invaded.
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