Emilia Clarke Criticizes Marvel For Doing Way Too Much
Emilia Clarke is happy Secret Invasion can be enjoyed without having to have seen every single other movie and television series in the MCU.
Game of Thrones actor Emilia Clarke, one of the stars of the new Marvel series Secret Invasion, says her new series doesn’t fall into the trap of being so connected to other properties that it’s inaccessible for new fans. That’s a good thing, because Marvel’s ranks have been swelling for quite some time, causing its cinematic universe to be less and less appealing to people who have not been following along since Iron Man kicked things off back in 2008. Now encompassing eight TV and streaming series and 32 feature films, the franchise’s initial appeal—the interconnected nature of its narratives—might be starting to shift from feature to bug.
ComicBook.com reports that Emilia Clarke told Empire Magazine recently that her new series is for fans but will also be something people like her grandmother, who doesn’t watch Marvel, will be able to enjoy, a sentiment echoed by her costar Don Cheadle. ComicBook.com also shared that the actor told EW that viewers can expect a different tone from Secret Invasion, which he says will be more like a 1970s espionage thriller than a typical superhero show. Superhero fatigue is definitely a concern, which has been acknowledged by the new DC head and Guardians of the Galaxy 3 director James Gunn.
It’s clear from her interview that Emilia Clarke is aware of these difficulties, noting that this genre has a risk of creating so many interconnected elements that viewers can’t follow what’s going on without having seen “all 17 other films or shows.” Secret Invasion is certainly rooted in other source material, following a story arc that took place first in Marvel comics where the Skrull invade Earth and try to seize power by posing as humans. Familiarity with that material will not be necessary for engagement with the series, nor will vast knowledge of the MCU, though the Skrull do feature in Captain Marvel.
Emilia Clarke’s character, G’iah, was a child in that film and will feature in Secret Invasion alongside Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury, who first learns of the invasion and organizes the mission to stop it. While Fury and G’iah have ties to previous Marvel films, this miniseries will still stand fairly well on its own and might, in that way, serve as an access point for viewers who are less familiar with the MCU. As the franchise grows, it will need such properties now and again to make sure it stays fresh and doesn’t become so bloated that it is inaccessible.
While played in Captain Marvel by twin sisters Auden L. Ophuls and Harriet L. Ophuls, Emilia Clarke will play an older version of G’iah, who is the child of a Skrull commander, Talos, portrayed by Ben Mendelsohn. Along with Cheadle returning as James Rhodes, the series will also feature other fan favorites, such as Cobie Smulders’ character, former agent, and deputy director of S.H.I.E.L.D. Maria Hill. While the series links to Captain Marvel, Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, its ties to those films won’t tie it down.
