Nick Fury star Samuel L. Jackson recently addressed how long he plans to keep playing his iconic role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jackson currently boasts the longest-running tenure of anybody in the MCU, having first been introduced as the director of SHIELD in the post-credits scene from Marvel Studios’ first movie, 2008’s Iron Man.
After showing up in all four Avengers movies from the Infinity Saga, he’s already made an appearance in the animated What If…? during the Multiverse Saga with two more credits coming this year in Secret Invasion and The Marvels.
But with 15 years and 14 Marvel Studios projects on his resume (which doesn’t count his run in Season 1 of Agents of SHIELD), how long can fans expect the 74-year-old star to stick with the most consistent role of his career?
Samuel L. Jackson Not Leaving Marvel Studios?
Speaking with Empire, Marvel star Samuel L. Jackson addressed how long he could keep playing Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the franchise continues.
Although Fury recently uttered the line “One last fight” in a recent trailer for Marvel Studios’ Secret Invasion, Jackson still “[loves] playing him” and hopes that he’s “not done” making an impact on the MCU:
“I love playing him, and I love the fact that they’re opening him up to all these other possibilities and this whole life that he has. So hopefully I’m not done, and in this new phase of the MCU I’ll still be floating in and out of there somehow, some way.”
Secret Invasion will also give Fury a brand-new look for his first Phase 5 appearance, taking away his eye patch, goatee, and leather jacket. For Jackson, he sees this as “an opportunity to humanise someone” that’s largely seen as “superhuman” by those in the story and by fans:
“All those things are part of a Nick Fury that’s invulnerable. Here you have a guy who’s showing his face, and showing his age. It’s an opportunity to humanise someone that everybody thinks is superhuman.”
This series will also give viewers a chance to finally learn more about Fury’s backstory, with Jackson getting “an opportunity to find out who he was” and learn how much his job as the former director of SHIELD actually takes a toll on him:
“I had to figure out some stuff and work out some new things, which I’ve been trying to do for a while. It’s great to have an opportunity to find out who he was and delve into how much of a toll his job actually takes on his personal life.”
On top of making his 13th of 14 appearances in the MCU during Secret Invasion, he also becomes the fifth star in MCU history to take on a role as an executive producer for Marvel Studios’ next Disney+ series.
How Long Will Samuel L. Jackson Stay With Marvel Studios?
Looking at these quotes from Samuel L. Jackson, it’s clear that he has no intention of leaving his role as Nick Fury behind anytime soon, especially considering he’s already survived a fake-out death scene in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Jackson is also getting more shine than ever these days, as he’s about to take on his first headlining role in the MCU during Secret Invasion.
He was also featured heavily in the first trailer for The Marvels, having already taken the record for the most appearances in Marvel Studios trailers from franchise mainstay Robert Downey Jr.
Even without SHIELD in the picture since Captain America 2, Jackson’s Nick Fury remains a constant presence, whether it’s in period pieces like Captain Marvel or through Skull imitation in Spider-Man: Far From Home.
But the real question now is where Fury could come back after starring in Secret Invasion and The Marvels.
Where Could Nick Fury Return for Marvel Studios?
The easiest pick for another Nick Fury appearance would be in 2025’s Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and 2026’s Avengers: Secret Wars, with Fury having not missed an Avengers movie in the MCU thus far.
The most logical choice for solo movies would likely be something like Captain America: New World Order, which could see him imparting his wisdom and/or a warning upon Sam Wilson as he takes a more prominent role with the Avengers.
He may also come in handy helping out Don Cheadle’s War Machine in Armor Wars, serving as one of the final ties to Tony Stark as Rhodey looks to tackle a changing world where Stark tech winds up in the wrong hands.
And with Deadpool finally taking his place in the MCU in 2024’s Deadpool 3, Fury may be a good option to help welcome in the Multiversal newcomer, especially with plenty of other MCU mainstays already confirmed to join the fray.
No matter where or when Fury shows up after this year, Jackson’s time in the MCU appears to be far from done as the original post-credits cameo artist looks to continue his journey with Marvel Studios.
Samuel L. Jackson will return as Nick Fury in Secret Invasion, which is confirmed to debut on Disney+ on July 21. He’ll then return in The Marvels on November 11.
