In a recent interview, the actress explained in playful terms how secure the Marvel Studios team are and expressed her fear about leaking any details.
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
During an interview segment on the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Emilia Clarke gamely answered the host’s questions about her upcoming Marvel Disney+ role. Or at least she tries to answer them, without revealing too much. The vivacious 34-year old actress, famous for her role in the HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones as Daenerys Targaryen aka the Mother of Dragons, stated she is “already scared”. She continued:
— Fandom (@getFANDOM) July 23, 2021 Although in jest, Clarke’s expression of the security in the Marvel Studios production is not uncommon. Other MCU actors such as Mark Ruffalo (Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk) and Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man) were notorious for accidentally spilling details about their Marvel projects in the past. Since then, the studio behind the most successful film franchises of all time has tightened its security and stipulations for actors and actresses, particularly with plot and script details leaking to media. Clarke was also ecstatic about sharing her passion for comic books. The actress shared she had created a comic book published under Image Comics titled MOM: Mother of Madness, co-written with Marguerite Bennett with art chores by Leila Leiz.
Possible roles
Despite this tighter security, speculations about Clarke’s role have not escaped the attention of hardcore Marvel fans. One suspicion is that the actress will be playing Jessica Drew (aka Spider-Woman). In the storyline of Secret Invasion, Spider-Woman returned to the superhero fold after a long hiatus and joined the Avengers. However, it was later revealed that the real Jessica Drew was captured by the shape-shifting Skrulls and the Spider-Woman fighting alongside the Avengers is a spy. And not just any spy, but the Skrull Queen, Veranke. One point to consider, however, is that the Skrulls in the MCU are not villains. Instead, they are refugees hunted by the Kree and are currently working with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) to establish an intergalactic defense for Earth. If Clarke is playing the dual role of Jessica Drew and the Skrull Queen, some changes will likely be made for her participation in the events of the MCU version of Secret Invasion. On that note, another popular theory about Clarke’s role is that of Abigail Brand. As the top agent and director of S.W.O.R.D. (the intergalactic sister agency of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Abigail Brand played a pivotal role in pushing back the Skrull infiltration during Secret Invasion. At the end of Spider-Man: Far From Home, it was established in the end credits that the Nick Fury and Marial Hill Peter Parker interacted with were the real Nick Fury’s Skrull allies from the Captain Marvel film. Meanwhile, Fury is in orbit on a space station overseeing the establishment of the MCU version of S.W.O.R.D. Another reason Agent Brand is an important figure is the fact that she is an alien and mutant offspring. With her extraterrestrial father and mutant mother, Brand had an inherent connection to major corners of the Marvel Universe. As the X-Men and the other mutant characters have yet to appear in the MCU (save for revised origins and red herrings, such as Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver), Agent Brand could be a key linking element to bring in the mutant population after the Fox acquisition.
More Game of Thrones actors in the MCU
With the success of Marvel exclusive Disney+ shows such as Wandavision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the recently concluded first season of Loki (which generated record numbers), more projects like Secret Invasion will continue to generate buzz among the fanbase. While Emilia Clarke did not reveal much about her role or what the Secret Invasion series on Disney+ plot details are, the actress is clearly enjoying her time in the MCU. Coincidentally, the actress joins the growing number of former Game of Thrones alumni being added to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with her contemporaries Peter Dinklage (EiItri from Avengers: Infinity War) and Kit Harrington (Dane Whitman/Black Knight in Eternals). Secret Invasion will star Emilia Clarke, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Kingsley-Ben Adir, Killian Scott, Olivia Colman, and Christopher McDonald. The Marvel Disney+ exclusive show is projected for a 2022 release on the streaming service.
