Samuel L. Jackson Questions Why Marvel Hasn’t Sent Nick Fury to Wakanda: I’d Be in ‘Every Marvel Movie’ if I Had My Way
If it was up to Samuel L. Jackson, then his Marvel character Nick Fury would be in every Marvel movie. The actor spoke about his Marvel tenure to Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet for “Secret Invasion,” the upcoming new Marvel series on Disney+ that features Jackson’s Nick Fury in the lead role.
“I don’t know, it’s kind of up and down for me in an interesting sort of way,” Jackson said about Nick Fury, a role he’s been playing since the “Iron Man” post-credits scene in 2008. “Feels like I’ve been playing him forever. If I had it my way, I would’ve been in every Marvel movie because, I mean, he is Nick Fury, he knows everything that’s going on.”
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Despite 15 years and counting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Nick Fury has not popped up in a “Black Panther” movie. Jackson has some questions for Marvel about that.
“I’m still trying to figure out why I’ve never been to Wakanda,” Jackson said. “They didn’t ask me to go, but I’m still trying to get there. I need a ticket.”
Marvel has yet to officially announce a third “Black Panther” movie. Jackson has long been an outspoken support of Marvel against criticisms from fellow Hollywood talent. After Quentin Tarantino claimed last year that Marvel does not generate movie stars, Jackson fired back with a rebuttal.
“It takes an actor to be those particular characters, and the sign of movie stardom has always been, what, asses in seats? What are we talking about?” Jackson said on “The View” when asked about Tarantino’s comment. “That’s not a big controversy for me to know that apparently these actors are movie stars. Chadwick Boseman is Black Panther. You can’t refute that, and he’s a movie star.”
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times last June, Jackson said he’d much rather play Nick Fury than take on any Oscar-baiting roles.
“I was never going to let the Oscars be a measure of my success or failure as an actor,” Jackson said. “My yardstick of success is my happiness: Am I satisfied with what I’m doing? I’m not doing statue-chasing movies. You know [whispers]: ‘If you do this movie, you’ll win an Oscar.’ No, thanks. I’d rather be Nick Fury. Or having fun being Mace Windu with a lightsaber in my hand.”
“Secret Invasion” premieres June 21 on Disney+.
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