Samuel L. Jackson’s role as Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been a huge success, but apparently, a lot hinged on a conversation with Bruce Willis. While the role may seem like a no-brainer to you and me, nine movies are a long time to sign off on when the MCU was nowhere near the powerhouse it is today. 6z2s6e

Recently, Vanity Fair reported that this success was influenced by advice from Willis. The two actors worked together on films like Die Hard With A Vengeance, where Willis gave Jackson some important career tips.

You can thank Bruce Willis for Jackson considering the Nick Fury role 3u4p30

Willis suggested that Jackson should aim for a recurring role, which would provide career stability, even when other projects weren’t as successful. He pointed out how action stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger with The Terminator and Sylvester Stallone with Rocky and Rambo benefited from such roles. At that time, Willis saw his own character, John McClane, as his steady role. Though Jackson appreciated the advice, its full impact wasn’t clear at first.

When Jackson was cast as Nick Fury, g on for an initial nine films, he followed Willis’s advice. This role became central to his career and to the MCU. Fury has appeared in more films and even a mini-series on Disney+, though audience reactions to the mini-series have varied. Nonetheless, the character’s importance is clear.

Jackson’s first appearance as Nick Fury came in a post-credits scene of Iron Man, marking him as a key part of the MCU story. This character has arguably become Jackson’s most defining role, even more than his work in the Shaft films. Jackson has mentioned that he prefers working on high-grossing movies like those in the MCU rather than films aimed just at awards.

The character of Nick Fury changed a lot from his original comic book version. Originally a brown-haired white man similar to David Hasselhoff’s version, the MCU made Fury a bald Black man, directly inspired by and played by Jackson himself. This was a significant move for representation in the MCU.

The original advice was given before 1995, when Die Hard With A Vengeance was released. Since Iron Man was released in 2008, it took over a decade for the advice to really click. This is honestly really good advice for anyone and likely shows why the MCU became so popular with big actors.

If an actor could guarantee work by just appearing as a superhero a few times, then it would entice them to take the role. This is boosted by the fact that kids love superheroes, and it would keep the actor well known for a generation. Roles don’t always come fast and when needed, so having something to fall back on must be nice.

Jackson continues to be a part of the MCU, with future projects like Avengers: Doomsday set to come out in 2026. His career path mirrors Fury’s growth and ongoing presence, showcasing how effective Willis’s advice was. Willis’s career ended in 2022 due to a health condition, but his influence on Jackson and impact on the MCU and superhero films is still felt.

Malcolm Washington’s directorial debut in The Piano Lesson stresses the importance of legacy not just in the text of the film but in everything around it. This is a family affair: Malcolm and star John David Washington are both the sons of acclaimed actor Denzel Washington (here producing). The idea of legacy permeates through every frame and the pain endured by one family in the ’30s has endured.

The central conflict arises when Boy Willie (John David Washington) and his friend Lymon (Ray Fisher) travel to Pittsburgh to visit the former’s sister, Berniece (Danielle Deadwyler). Boy Willie plans to buy a farm their ancestors had toiled on as slaves. He wants to sell the family’s piano which, in addition to fetching a good price, is also anointed with the blood and tears of the Charles lineage.

While the family was enslaved, the Charles’ great-grandfather carved a piano that represented each member. The Charles family’s history is paramount to The Piano Lesson, represented by the piano itself. Boy Willie wants to sell the piano so he can make something of himself while Berniece can’t bear to part with something so tied to their ancestry.

There’s been many adaptations of August Wilson’s plays, but The Piano Lesson is by far the most cinematic. The playwright behind such works as Fences was intent on showing generational trauma and the strength of his main female character. This is heightened by Washington’s direction, any time the piano moves, be it in the past or present, the camera moves with it, a sleek movement that becomes the film’s signature.

Deadwyler in particular dominates audiences’ attention, as she well should given her recent powerhouse performance as Miranda in Station Eleven. Berniece’s character arc stems from the men in her house telling her who and how she should love. She naturally resists anyone trying to tell her how to live her life, but is also impervious to moving forward. The pain in the piano directly translates to the pain her mother felt when her father died. Berniece cannot let the piano go, nor can she play it.

Of course, The Piano Lesson cannot be discussed without the MVP, Samuel L. Jackson. The celebrated actor played Boy Willie in the stage premiere at the Yale Repertory Theater in 1987 and starred alongside Washington in the 2022 revival. His presence in the film as Uncle Doaker is powerful and further expands on the idea of legacy. The character carries with him the trauma of the family line, guilt over his brother dying, and the Black male experience, evident in the best scene in the film when he, Wining Boy (Michael Potts), Boy Willie, and Lymon sing a prison work song from their time on Parchman Farm. It’s a song of solidarity but when it ends, the audience is left with the weight of grief and pain.

Music in the film travels a long way. Like the song, the piano also represents ing the past and trying to find a way to forage ahead. This is further complicated by the ghost of the now-dead Sutter (who wants his piano back) with these unexpected supernatural elements dovetailing nicely with the themes of historic legacy. A ghost could potentially be a distraction, but The Piano Lesson‘s exploration of generational trauma provides fertile ground for the supernatural.

The final act is somewhat rushed, but that in itself also s the film’s thesis. This family needs to resolve this friction and they will do anything — including dispelling ghosts — to find a way through. Ultimately, the story is about love and honoring a legacy. Wilson’s work finds a foothold in cinema in a stunning debut by Malcolm Washington and the moving performances from all the actors. The Piano Lesson is now streaming on Netflix.

Deadpool & Wolverine went above and beyond in squeezing in as many genuinely mind-blowing cameos as possible — mind-blowing because they were people we never expected to see in the Marvel multiverse again. Chris Evans as Human Torch! Jennifer Garner as Elektra! Even Channing Tatum’s Gambit. Can you get a more unlikely cameo than someone who never even made it to the screen the first time around?

Apparently, yes. New behind-the-scenes images confirm that Deadpool 3 almost went and resurrected a variant of an iconic Marvel character we really thought had been swallowed by Alioth for the rest of time. A snap of many of the movie’s stunt doubles posing during a break in filming seems to confirm that, at one point, alongside the likes of Toad, Psylocke, and Azazel, the film was supposed to feature none other than White Nick Fury.

Stunt performer David Macdonald — who also stood in for Tatum as Gambit — was to be the one wearing the eyepatch, in a suit that is extremely reminiscent of the one David Hasselhoff wore in 1998’s hardly ed TV movie Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. That movie — somehow written by future The Dark Knight scribe David S. Goyer — is a wild ride, by the way. Not quite as wild as that 1990s Captain America film with the rubber ears, but still bonkers. Needless to say, the TV series that it was supposed to spawn never materialized.

OK, recapping for anyone with questions… Yes, Nick Fury was once played by David Hasselhoff and, yes, Nick Fury used to be white. It was the Ultimate comics, launched in 2000, that first reimagined the character as Black, with his appearance specifically based on Samuel L. Jackson. This made casting Jackson himself in the MCU a no-brainer. Ironically, this then caused the mainstream Marvel comics to follow suit, with the biracial Nick Fury Jr. — the original’s son — introduced, essentially erasing White Nick Fury from canon.

Seeing as Jackson is so synonymous with Nick Fury these days, hanging around the franchise since its very beginning in 2008’s Iron Man, the reappearance of White Nick Fury was not something we expected even the Multiverse Saga to serve up. It’s unknown why his presence was ultimately cut from Deadpool & Wolverine — we can only imagine what cheeky quip Ryan Reynolds had prepared for when Wade Wilson laid eyes on him — but maybe he could still get his shot in the MCU.

Considering that Hasselhoff himself has already cameoed in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, this deleted cameo has now planted the idea of his Fury variant returning for a hysterical walk-on part in Avengers: Secret Wars. Bonus points if he gets to come face-to-face with Jackson’s version. I know, it’s not exactly likely, but Deadpool & Wolverine has taught us that sometimes, just sometimes, the MCU can deliver on crossovers we couldn’t imagine in our most demented daydreams.

As far as cinematic cultural icons go, there are few more worthy of the distinction than the one and only Samuel L. Jackson. Indeed, the Academy Honorary Award winner has spanned the likes of Quentin Tarantino, Star Wars, M. Night Shyamalan, and Argylle, so it’s safe to say that if there’s a space to be occupied in the acting world, Jackson has probably occupied it.

And while he got his superhero start with Shyamalan in the Unbreakable trilogy as Mr. Glass, it’s his timeless turn as the Marvel Cinematic Universe‘s Nick Fury that has well and truly cemented him as the superhero movie icon he is today. Evidently, it’s a role that he has quite a bit to say about; a codex that will probably only grow as the character continues.

Breaking down his most iconic characters in an interview with GQ magazine, Jackson riffed on Kevin Feige informing him that Marvel wanted a nine-film deal out him; a Herculean task that caused Jackson to calculate how long he would have to stay alive to get such a thing done. Jackson has made 12 total film appearances as Nick Fury thus far, one of which was a cameo, another three of which were uncredited cameos in post-credits scenes. That’s not counting Secret Invasion, either, so if he once worried about hitting the Nick Fury goals he took on years ago, he certainly shouldn’t be now.

Moving on to his favorite-ever scene, Jackson named a high-tension moment from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, in which a framed Nick Fury was trapped in a car with law enforcement closing in on him, and was simultaneously recovering from the vehicular crash, and preparing to fight back. He named it a “quintessential” Fury moment, with his eyes darting around the battlefield in hopes of finding the perfect next step.

And finally, the big question; when is Nick Fury finally going to make an appearance in Wakanda? Jackson responded with an animated guffaw before reminiscing on conversations he’s had with other Black actors in the MCU about wanting to film Wakanda-set scenes, noting that Don Cheadle and Anthony Mackie both eventually got to fight against Thanos’ army in the country in Avengers: Infinity War, and yet Fury has yet to set foot in the vibranium-rich nation. Blasphemy, Kevin; utter blasphemy.

It could still happen; by all appearances, Nick Fury is far from finished in the MCU, and could potentially show up in a number of projects, be it Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts*, or the more likely candidates of Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

For now, his next comic book film may come in the form of Afterburn, an in-production J. J. Perry sci-fi actioner based on the Red 5 Comics series. Jackson will star alongside fellow Marvel comrades Dave Bautista and Olga Kurylenko.

Samuel L. Jackson is still ionately campaigning for a Mace Windu television show, and we know the Star Wars fandom has wanted this for years, so what’s really stopping him from coming down upon thee with great vengeance?

During a recent profile on the prequel trilogy run by Empire magazine, the MCU star known for the unmistakable face and voice of Nick Fury exclaimed that he still wants to return as everyone’s favorite purple-lightsabered badass Mace Windu. In fact, he has three words for anyone who says it’s not possible to bring the Mace back, and they’re in the capital. “HE’S NOT DEAD!!!”

We agree wholeheartedly. Sure, Mace Windu was Force-electrocuted by Palpatine himself, and then chucked off the Senate Office building with furious anger, but let’s not forget a golden rule: Jedi don’t take height damage. The Force will have sustained Mace Windu long enough to survive, and perhaps he’s been in hiding all these years waiting for the right moment to resurface and save the galaxy again.

Now, the only thing standing in the way of all that amazing potential is Disney and Lucasfilm themselves. Are you telling me we can develop solo projects for a dozen protagonists and side characters but not give Mace Windu his due after all these years?

Of course, Disney would understandably be a bit hesitant to contract Samuel L. Jackson for such a large-scale project after the Secret Invasion fiasco — one of the most panned and divisive MCU projects to date — but let’s not forget Jackson’s acting was one of the few redeeming qualities of that show, if anything.

Having Mace Windu show up again after two decades is exactly the sort of thing the sinking Star Wars ship needs to hang on just a little longer. But hey, why do that when you can develop a movie no one even asked for?

Secret Invasion serves as a showcase for Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and the other regular spies present throughout the series and touches on a variety of topics people do not always discuss easily like terrorism, torture and, now, just how old the main character of the production is.

What is Nick Fury’s age in Secret Invasion? 4y3j1o

For those who are not aware of every single critiqued aspect of the MCU, one thing fans have been consistently troubled by is its general sense of time. Previously, it was assumed every project took place in the year it was released, but, issues with Spider-Man: No Way Home threw this into doubt.

While Secret Invasion is at least breaking this trend, it also does not show what Fury’s age is supposed to be. Some think it is Jackson’s actual age (74). However, if you go back earlier in the franchise, you can find a real answer.

In 2019’s Captain Marvel, we meet the character at an earlier stage of his life before the Skrulls became the vexing problem they are for him now, and in one part of the film we are treated to a shot of his S.H.I.E.L.D identification. If you look closely at it before the camera cuts away, you can see he was officially born on July 4, 1950, in Alabama.

This would make him two years and 11 months younger than Jackson and, while in a different state, the pair do have other parts of their real and fictional lives which cross over.

To begin with, while Fury was raised in Alabama, Jackson came of age in another part of the South (Tennessee). Fury also does not talk about his father, as indicated in Captain America: The Winter Soldier his grandfather was more of an influence and Jackson barely knew his biological father and was more influenced by his maternal grandparents and mother as well.

While Fury went into the military and intelligence sectors, Jackson of course became an actor after flirting with militancy during the Civil Rights Movement and, if you really want to argue, other similarities the pair have are in their wives. Fury is named Priscilla while Jackson has been married to a LaTanya since 1980. Whether more will tie the two together remains to be seen at this time.

All of Secret Invasion is available to stream on Disney Plus.

The MCU has changed so much since its creation in 2008’s Iron Man, but one constant from then to now is Samuel L. Jackson‘s Nick Fury, who has refused to vanish from the franchise even as many of the Avengers he originally assembled have been and gone.

With Tony Stark sacrificing himself in Endgame and Rhodey changing faces (and becoming a Skrull), Fury is the t longest-lasting actor in the MCU — the other is Jon Favreau as Happy Hogan, FYI. 2023 was a big year for Jackson, in particular, with the iconic actor returning as the former S.H.I.E.L.D. boss in both his very own Disney Plus series, Secret Invasion, and The Marvels.

But what does the future hold for Fury? Is there even a future for Fury? With Jackson now 75 years of age, should we expect Nick to be given the kick as we head deeper into Phase Five?

Nick Fury’s Marvel future is shrouded in mystery 1n2o4f

As things stand, Marvel fans can breathe a sigh of relief that neither Jackson himself nor Marvel Studios have made any kind of statement suggesting we’ve seen the last of Nick Fury in the MCU.

However, there are various reasons why it feels highly plausible that 2023 could offer the final franchise appearances from Fury. Certainly for the time being. For starters, Secret Invasion felt like a finale for the character, fleshing out his private and personal life more than ever before. A second season could’ve gone further, but seeing as SI has gone down as perhaps the most notorious Marvel show of the lot, a sophomore run seems extremely unlikely.

As for The Marvels, Jackson no doubt would always have a home in the Captain Marvel world, seeing as he and Brie Larson are BFFs, but the future of that subfranchise is likewise in doubt given the sequel’s infamous box office performance. If there really isn’t a Captain Marvel 3 then it’s fair to say that Fury’s natural homes in the MCU have dried up, meaning it’s unclear where he could show up next. So even if both Marvel and Jackson are willing, there may simply be no outlet for his return on the cards.

That said, it would be tragic if Jackson’s historic Marvel career ended without him ever ticking one last thing off his bucket list. In June 2023, the star itted there’s one place in the MCU he’s never been — and he can’t understand why. “I’m still trying to figure out why I’ve never been to Wakanda,” he said. “They didn’t ask me to go, but I’m still trying to get there. I need a ticket.”

Aside from a cameo in Black Panther 3 being a must, then, the only other fit for Fury in Marvel’s coming plans is 2026’s Avengers 5 (not The Kang Dynasty, ) and 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars. All in all, Fury might be left in space for a little while, but if there’s one thing we’ve learned over the past 15 years it’s never to count out Nick Fury.

Fresh off his latest MCU appearance, Samuel L. Jackson is venturing back into the world of animation.

Jackson is one of the biggest selling points in the modern MCU, as the OG Avengers — the Chris Evans, RDJs, and Scarlett Johanssons — slowly file out, making space for the next era of superheroes. That new era is still headed by Nick Fury himself, as he stars alongside Brie Larson and Emilia Clarke and welcomes exciting new heroes into the fold.

SLJ became almost instantly synonymous with the character of Nick Fury, largely because the man elevates any project he’s attached to. In cases like Secret Invasion, that fact makes you wonder just what it would look like without a powerhouse like Jackson involved. His resume is lined with examples of projects that may have been sub-par without Jackson’s talent, so those releases that still manage to be sub-par are, in their own way, impressive.

Unfortunately for fans of Garfield, the most recent attempt to profit off the grouchy orange feline looks prepped to fall into the latter camp. The first trailer for The Garfield Movie, for that is the forthcoming film’s newly-updated title, showcases some lovely visuals, but a thoroughly flat-looking plot. Its got plenty of potential, of course, with so many talented names attached, but for now the flick looks poised to Secret Invasion on Jackson’s shortlist of worst releases.

Samuel L. Jackson’s role in The Garfield Movie 553q

Don’t worry, Jackson didn’t pull a Bill Murray with The Garfield Movie; he’s not set to appear in the title role — that honor (?) goes to Chris Pratt — but he will appear as one of the lead characters in 2024’s fresh attempt; Mr. Jackson was tapped to portray Garfield’s father, Vic. The beefy cat shares little in common (at least physically) with his portly, food-loving kid, but the film appears poised to examine their relationship in detail.

Jackson’s character looks to be one of the leading roles in The Garfield Movie. The film tells the title character’s story from the start, but appears to zero in on his relationship with his father, and the journey toward connecting again. With the likes of Brett Goldstein, Hannah Waddingham, and two of the hilarious minds behind The Emperor’s New Groove attached, it really could be a sure-fire hit, but only time will tell.

The Garfield Movie is slated to hit theaters on May 24, 2024.

Simply put, it’s the perfect chemistry of Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, and above all else, director Nia DaCosta’s strong ear for humor in The Marvels, the MCU’s latest team-up movie, that deserves the highest praise.

Though you can mostly skate by refreshing on MCU lore, The Marvels is mostly a sequel to Captain Marvel. After avenging the Supreme Intelligence, Carol Danvers (the cosmic “Annihilator”) unknowingly inserts herself into the Kree/Skrull civil war, bearing the guilt and responsibility of a fight she never intended. In connection to particular Kree events from Captain Marvel, superfan Kamala Khan and S.A.B.R.E. astronaut Monica Rambeau become entangled in an electromagnetic adventure in Captain Marvel’s pursuit of a dangerous Kree revolutionary.

To no one’s surprise, Iman Vellani’s Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel, is a true standout of The Marvels, who elicits the film’s best laugh-out-loud reactions. Vellani perfectly embodies what I imagine a Swiftie’s reaction might be upon meeting the legendary pop star; her hardcore stanning is just that infectious. Considering Vellani’s genuine obsession with the MCU, you must appreciate both the actor’s — and the character’s — genuine glee to be swept into the superhero world. They say “don’t meet your heroes,” but tell that to Kamala Khan, and it’ll absorb through one bangle and out the other.

That’s not to say the other two leads don’t hold their own. For all the unfair, online toxicity hurled Brie Larson’s way, she still portrays Carol Danvers with undeniable charm, with a real talent for turning humor on and off faster than the speed of light. Teyonah Parris also builds more layers upon WandaVision’s Monica Rambeau by further exploring The Blip’s psychological consequences — all while upping the importance of the character for future entries, and fans will be really excited about where the MCU’s headed.

It’s impressive how much past and present MCU lore is stuffed into Marvel’s shortest entry. The Marvels wastes zero time kicking off, with the unstable teleportation seen in the trailers, to the hilarious reactions of the Khan family. As a result, we get a hell of a joyride, and The Marvels is the type of blockbuster you can easily catch yourself casually throwing on TV precisely because of the brisk pacing. 

On the other hand, there’s a glaring feeling that The Marvels was caught amid an executive tug of war. Marvel’s ongoing content splurge across film and TV forced a dilemma you’d never think the brand would struggle up against: Recognizing what deserves to be a movie, versus what merits a lengthier television series — a problem raised as far back as The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Well, The Marvels is another example of indecisiveness, or maybe more precisely, incorrect corporate vision.

The film’s literal core occurs in a blink-and-you-miss-it flashback scene that drives the entire conflict, which should have served more naturally as the film’s cold open. It’s especially confusing if you haven’t done your due diligence MCU homework. Overall, it’s confusing why this flashback wasn’t chosen to establish the film’s context to ground the viewer into the movie from the get-go.

The issue doesn’t end there. Danvers’, Rambeau’s, and Khan’s character arcs fight for screen time in an already thin movie. Consider Carol Danvers and her massive influence within the Kree/Skrull war; Monica Rambeau’s struggle to identify herself as her own hero; and Kamala Khan’s balance of teenagehood and family life while being ushered into a world much more significant than hers. All of this exists in The Marvels, but it’s unfortunately presented more like a list of bullet points instead of plot development, and you can tell someone (or multiple someones) was fighting for a larger canvas.

Which is all more the shame when The Marvels screeches to a halt before revving up again. Midway through, there’s a particular love-it-or-hate-it sequence — you’ll know the one — with no business existing in the film. Granted, it’s a harmless moment played for laughs, yet still a gag that hinges unfortunately on the point of embarrassment for Larson who, we’re well aware, has mixed feelings about the whole gig. It’s a scene that would have fit right at home in an alternate D+ version, but here? How about a sharp lesson of what to cut from an already crisp runtime.

Yes, The Marvels is another example of inconsistent, and at times questionable special effects execution on yet another massive budget. What deserves exceptional praise, however, is the glimmer of B-movie sci-fi cinematography that DaCosta creeps through the temporal cracks, until the film wrestles itself away in favor of able MCU action schlock. This moment occurs in space during one of the first fights between Captain Marvel and the Kree. The actors, adorned in alien makeup, fool no one about that they’re working off an obvious sound stage, and they enter the scene in sync like they’re in a video game. And I wish The Marvels dug deeper into the classic Doctor Who aesthetic, because those Kree designs are some superb, Grade-A camp.

The Marvels continues the current MCU streak of sloppy storytelling — not to mention a cynical (but still fun) slapped-together mid-credit scene designed purely to sell more tickets — and we’re still trapped in that tug-of-war era of uncertainty with these Marvel projects. And yet, it still succeeds as a primarily standalone project — and who could forget Goose! Despite it all, DaCosta and her three stars wager pure fun above anything else, and The Marvels is a frenetic joyride full of riotous moments that audiences will recite on the walk back to their vehicles.

The art world is an easy target for mockery, but things take a decidedly more dangerous and deadly turn for the characters in director Nicol Paone’s The Kill Room, which premieres in theaters this coming Friday, Sept. 29.

Star and producer Uma Thurman’s art dealer Patrice enters into a shady agreement with Samuel L. Jackson’s criminal Gordon to concoct a money-laundering scheme designed to get everybody rich quick. An unexpected side effect is that Joe Mangeniello’s hitman accidentally becomes an avant-garde sensation thanks to his paintings, leading to the art world being pitted against the underworld.

As a result, the popularity and high demand for new work from elusive newcomer “The Bagman” threatens to blow a hole in not just their cover, but an operation that was supposed to be kept quiet. Also starring Maya Hawke, Debi Mazar, and Larry Pine to name but three, Paone’s second feature after 2020 comedy Friendsgiving toes the line between several different genres at once, excelling at them all.

Ahead of the film’s release, We Got This Covered had the chance to speak to Paone about her latest effort from behind the camera. During our chat, we cover the tonal tightrope The Kill Room walks, poking fun at the art world, shooting on location in places the filmmaker knows very well, bananas wrapped in electrical tape, Wonder Woman 3, and much more, which you can check out below.

It’s been a year and a half since The Kill Room was first announced and close to a year since you wrapped, but how does it feel know knowing your movie is almost ready for release?

Nicol Paone: Hmm, great question. I feel wonderful. I got enough rest and recovery from a shoot that was quite difficult. We had a lot of a lot of things changing at the last minute, we had to completely rewrite the ending, and redo bunch of reshoots.

And I know every movie has that, but this one was particularly fraught, with every possible thing that could go wrong did. And so it was it was challenging, but after looking at the movie, and the job that we did and had to do, I feel great. I’m proud of the movie. And, and of course, I see certain things that I would change. But that’s art.

Someone once said a director is never truly finished with a film, there just comes a point where they have to hand it over, which sounds like something you wholeheartedly agree with?

Nicol Paone: 100 percent. Like, as a person, you’re always growing and learning about yourself. And so that informs your art in a different way. And then, I don’t know how it’s possible for someone to watch a film that they made, say years ago, and go like, “Yeah, that’s good.” Unless, I mean, I don’t know, unless it’s like Pulp Fiction. I don’t know, I think people would always want to change because they change.

Your background is largely in comedy, and while there are definitely comedic elements to The Kill Room, it’s got plenty of other genre influences as well, so were you always keen to broaden your horizons sooner rather than later to add more strings to your bow, or was it more a case of this being the right project at the right time that spoke to your sensibilities?

Nicol Paone: Yeah, I think it’s a little bit of both, right? Like, I always want to grow and learn and evolve, humor will always be a part of anything that I do. But I thought The Kill Room walked the line perfectly in sending up the art world in a fun way, while providing some thrilling moments, and some much needed comedy. I personally believe I’m going more towards that direction, than just like straight up comedies.

You’ve got an extensive background as a writer and you wrote your first feature Friendsgiving as well, but you didn’t write the screenplay for this one, so did that alter your approach at all in of your process translating things from page to screen if only because it’s a different method of actualizing somebody else’s ideas as opposed to ones you’ve created yourself?

Nicol Paone: Definitely. So I worked on Friendsgiving, my first movie, I worked with Nicholas Weinstock and Ben Stiller, and they are really heavy on the developmental process. And I’ve learned a lot from them about story turns and character arcs. And, you know, if you take a look at The Kill Room, every character has an arc or a need or a want, and they’re not just servicing the the main characters, and that was important to me.

And every time a character is on screen, you you don’t want them just to be like the handyman of the movie, you know, and I don’t think they are. I think they all have great little storylines, for the better of the movie, really. And so I think The Kill Room took all of my strengths in character development that I learned at the Groundlings and, and working with Jonathan Jacobson, who wrote such a lovely script.

I was, you know, guiding him just towards showing a little bit more than telling, and I think he did an incredible job on the script. And it was a great collaboration, when you write and direct, you’re kind of just in your head as both. But to have the writer present, and you know, if I needed a scene, I would sort of just call him if he wasn’t on set and say like, “We need this or we need that.” And for him to go off and do it, and do it so brilliantly, was was really wonderful, I thought.

A black comedy crime thriller that’s got these hints of absurdism and then the occasional burst of ultra-violence, all set within a niche world that’s been picked apart throughout isn’t an easy tonal balance to strike, but was walking that tightrope something you were always cognizant of on set and in post to always ensure that no one element ended up overpowering the others?

Nicol Paone: Yeah, it was a difficult tightrope. I wouldn’t say I was walking sort of like, carefully or scared, I wanted whatever element spoke to the moment, that was what had to lead. But the other elements or aspects, say humor; if it was a moment when Joe is killing someone, obviously, we’re not going to make that funny in any way.

But we kind of did a little bit with like, the blood in the bag and those things, humor couldn’t overpower those moments. And so I really just tried to stay focused on each moment, and have the element of the moment speak to how we were shooting and what sort of led, but it wasn’t a careful or scared decision. It was like, “Okay, well, where are we now and what just happened, and let’s go for it, all-in.”

And hopefully, it’ll all balance out. And I think in the editing room, you know, that’s when a lot of the decisions were made. And I had a brilliant editor [Gillian Hutshing], and she and I were able to walk the line, mostly in the editing room.

The art scene and its associated veneer of pretension is an easy target that’s been taken down plenty of times before, but tying it to a criminal enterprise freshens it up in The Kill Room, so were you always trying to maintain that balance of walking over ground that’s obviously well-trodden in of being mocked and satirized, but grounding it in a way that makes sense with the context of the film?

Nicol Paone: Well, Jonathan, he actually read an article about a sort of mishap at Art Basel, where this woman was stabbed, and she was walking around with blood on her shirt, and people thought it was an art piece. Like, no one helped this woman for a while. And that’s what gave him the idea to write the script. And I fully think at some point or another, like The Kill Room in all of its absurdity it is just a film, but it’s not that far-fetched. That could happen, I think.

It reminded me of that viral picture when somebody put a random thing on the ground of an art exhibit, and then everybody gathered round and started taking pictures of it. It’s that sort of vibe, except more murderous.

Nicol Paone: Right, right. Yeah. In no way, in no world, is a banana with electrical tape worth $120,000. It just not. It’s, you know, come on.

You’ve got Maya Hawke working with Uma for the first time, and it would be fair to say that the dynamic is not what you’d call mother/daughter, which must have been a blast because Maya chews it up and spits it out any time she shows up onscreen?

Nicol Paone: Yeah, she’s brilliant. She, Maya is, I can’t believe she’s only 25 years old. She’s wise beyond her years, and she’s a brilliant actress, and she has such incredible pacing with her characters in the dialogue, and she’s incredibly present, and it was lovely to have her on set. It was adorable to watch, her and her mom together.

Even though you’re the director and the one marshaling everyone on set, what was it like for you as both a fan and a filmmaker to be on the set of your movie and hearing Samuel L. Jackson deploy his signature motherf*ckers?

Nicol Paone: It was an honor to be in a small room with Sam Jackson listening to him say MFer over and over. It was… I hope I’m like maybe one of 50 in the world, but who knows? Maybe, who knows how many of us there are. It was, you know, it was tough to step out of the moment and be the fan because when you’re in it, there’s so many levels and layers and things that need to be taken care of and addressed.

And so I just would be standing next to Sam and, you know, giving him a note or just discussing something, and once I stepped out I was kind of like, “Wow, this is Samuel L. Jackson.” And he’s just the loveliest man, and he’s a brilliant actor, and it was really just all about the work other the one time I was able to kind of bird’s eye view the whole thing. Yeah, the newbie filmmaker in myself, and the teenager in me, was really stoked.

You shot a lot on location in New Jersey, which was a homecoming of sorts for you. Was that always your intention from the second you signed on to set it there, because there’s an air of familiarity to the atmosphere that feels as though it was made by someone who knows those surroundings.

Nicol Paone: Yeah, so the film, actually the script, it was Brooklyn and Staten Island. But New Jersey has an incredible tax rate. And so our producers and I decided to toe the line. We shot a little bit in New York and mostly in New Jersey, and I thought, “Why are we trying to make New Jersey, New York? Why can’t they just be from New Jersey">Image via Shout! Studios

Now that The Kill Room has signaled a bit of a shift into new territory for you as a filmmaker with comedy, drama, a little bit of action and thrills thrown in for good measure, are there any other storytelling or genre avenues you’re hoping to head down sooner rather than later?

Nicol Paone: I would love to do a horror comedy. I really want to sink my teeth into that genre. There’s just some fun things that have happened recently. I thought, “Oh, that would be an interesting horror movie.” We’ll see.

Along similar lines then, if you could make any project of your choosing without any restrictions, what would it be and why would that be your number one pick?

Nicol Paone: Wow, that is a great question. Whoo, talk about on the spot! Some sort of, dare I say this, but some sort of superhero movie that’s not a superhero. You know what? I’m going to say I would love to do Wonder Woman 3. But a little differently. And I’m not going to give away my story. But, yeah, Wonder Woman 3.

The Kill Room releases in theaters this Friday, Sept. 29.

Prior to the release of Secret Invasion on Disney Plus, Marvel had already dampened the collective spirit of the fandom with lackluster installments on both the big and small screen. Given that the namesake of this particular TV series was steeped in a major moment in Marvel comic history, hopes were high for a thrilling, riveting, and just overall plain good story, as was the case with its comic book counterpart. Alas, we got the opposite of that.

One of the most contentious points among viewers — aside from that atrocious finale — was the sheer creative license the show took in deviating from its comic book origins. Major aspects from the page were either changed completely or left out entirely, something Samuel L. Jackson briefly touched upon in behind-the-scenes footage from Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Secret Invasion on Disney Plus. 

“I’ve been having conversations about a Nick Fury series for a long time. So when it came up, or came about, that they were going to do Secret Invasion I was pretty chuffed about it, and not knowing what that story was I had to go back and find that particular storyline in the comic books. That doesn’t necessarily follow that but once we started dealing with the Skrulls and the Kree in Captain Marvel, that’s when things started to bubble in that particular way.”

Jackson’s glossed-over comment doesn’t highlight just how vast the differences between the Secret Invasion television series and the Secret Invasion comics really are. In the comics, there is no Harvest; in the comics, beloved Marvel characters weren’t needlessly killed off; in the comics, even the entire reason for the Skrull invasion is different.

The show’s director Ali Salim corroborated these issues when he spoke with IGN ahead of its premiere and confirmed that Marvel specifically told him not to read the Secret Invasion comics in preparation of developing the six-episode series. “This series was more born out of the electric relationship that was created between Nick Fury and Talos or Samuel L. Jackson in Ben Mendelson in Captain Marvel,” Salim said.

According to Salim, the Secret Invasion comics were simply the launching pad upon which the Disney Plus series was meant to operate. They were not intended to serve as fodder for an accurate adaptation, sadly.

Creative changes are all fine and dandy and typically par for the course for any Marvel adaption, but if wants to be celebrated for its boldness it has to stick the landing, which this mediocre espionage thriller absolutely did not.

Marvel as a whole has done a relatively good job of adapting its source material to the current, modern storytelling landscape. Perhaps its track record for not completely ruining entire comic book storylines was the main reason Secret Invasion was so jarring to the fandom, aside from ending up looking like a haphazardly stitched-together patchwork quilt.

You can catch more insight into the dizzying creation of Secret Invasion, including how all those DNA samples were collected from the Battle of Earth (you’ve been warned), by watching Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Secret Invasion, now streaming on Disney Plus.

If you had to count the number of good things that came out of Marvel’s Secret Invasion, you’d probably be able to do so on one hand (or foot) with a few digits left over. However, there’s no question that the addition of English actress and all-around legend Olivia Colman to the MCU is, was, and always will be the best part of the Disney Plus series. That is, next to learning that Samuel L. Jackson thinks Colman is the bees-knees with the best sneakers in the house.

In Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Secret Invasion, now available to stream on Disney Plus, we see Colman and Jackson take turns gushing over the other while reflecting on how eager they each were to finally work together. Given the sheer star power these two possess, it’s nearly impossible not to smile watching them exchange doting words of affection, especially in the case of Colman who, it just so happens, is the owner of some dope sneakers.

“I just really, really, really love working with her after watching her in so many wonderful things and knowing what kind of actor she was,” said Jackson. 

“I was so excited and so nervous, like proper kneecap jelly, when I knew I was going to meet him,” said Colman. “I think we might even have both gone [laughs and claps] when we met. He called my sneakers dope. And I don’t think I took them off for a year.”

Disregarding any odor that may have resulted from Colman spending every waking hour in her Jackson-approved kicks, the sentiment is sweet, and now we’re wondering exactly which type of sneakers she wore to elicit such a compliment from her fashion-forward co-star. Colman has been known to rock a bedazzled Jimmy Choo in the past, but leave it to her to know the foot equivalent of business in the front, party in the back. 

Since Jackson has made it known he doesn’t own a pair of Nike’s, has no interest in owning a pair of Nike’s, and hasn’t worn a pair of Nike’s since the ‘90s, we can count those out. That leaves Adidas, Sketchers, Vans, Puma, Converse — the options are endless. But since Jackson has also been known to pull up on a red carpet wearing what some might call a dope pair of Reeboks, there’s a high plausibility he spotted his solemale in Coleman.

Feet aside, anyone who watched Secret Invasion can attest that Colman stole the show every time she appeared on screen as the MI6 agent Sonya Falsworth. In The Making of Secret Invasion, she even itted to having begged to be a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which explains the pure delight she emanated on the screen even while torturing a bound man in a chair.

“It’s one of those things where I think I’ve known even from watching her that as serious and as convincing and as honest as her work is when you see it, you can see the twinkle in her eye that’s fun,” said Jackson. “She is a very fun, fun actor. Like me, this is sort of a playground for her. She wants to come to work and do this thing that we do.”

Marvel Studios Assembled: The Making of Secret Invasion is now available to stream on Disney Plus.