Early next year, Marvel Studios will kick off its next round of Disney+ programming with Secret Invasion, the first streaming entry in the MCU's Phase 5. Behind Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury and Ben Mendelsohn's Talos, Secret Invasion boasts an all-star team of supporting cast members, many of whose roles won't become public for quite some time.
At the top of that list is Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke, particularly after set photos and videos showed the former Daenerys Targaryen actress behaving suspiciously, along with Happy Gilmore's Christopher McDonald. Also joining the team is Oscar-winner Olivia Colman, who's flown completely under the radar in terms of what she'll actually be doing in this massive streaming series.
Colman's role still hasn't been revealed, although Marvel reportedly has plans for her to stick around for future stories long after Secret Invasion finishes its run next year. Now, a new rumor may hint at who exactly she'll play in this mysterious series, which includes some potentially exciting ties to the MCU's storied past.
Who Is Olivia Colman Playing In the MCU?
The Illuminerdi shared a rumor that Olivia Colman will play a character with the name Falsworth, otherwise known as Union Jack, in Marvel Studios' Secret Invasion.
While the outlet isn't sure of which version of the character she'll play, Joseph Chapman, the current Union Jack in the comics, was heavily involved in battles against the Skrulls. This would also mean that Marvel is genderbending the character, as was the case with Tilda Swinton's Ancient One from Doctor Strange and May Calamawy's Scarlet Scarab from Moon Knight.
Another version of Union Jack also came in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger, with JJ Feild playing James Montgomery Falsworth. This character was part of Captain America's Howling Commandos alongside Cap and Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes during World War II.
Captain America Legacy Coming With Olivia Colman?
As mentioned above, Marvel is no stranger to changing the gender of some of its biggest characters as long as it fits the story effectively. This could very well be the case for Olivia Colman in Secret Invasion as she takes on this new and unique version of Union Jack for the MCU.
Seeing as a good portion of the series is taking place in the United Kingdom, it seems to make sense if Fury and Talos encounter a hero who's regularly been portrayed from that country in the comics. It would only be that much more meaningful with the potential tie back to Captain America: The First Avenger, which also had its own version of Union Jack in the Howling Commandos.
A similar nod came in Spider-Man: Homecoming, when The First Avenger's Kenneth Choi played both Jim Morita in that movie and his grandson, Principal Morita. Perhaps Colman's character could be another direct descendant of a Howling Commando, allowing Fury, Talos, and the crew to work with the granddaughter of one of the US Army's original heroes from World War II.
Even as more details on Secret Invasion become available, this information on Colman will likely remain one of the officially hidden mysteries as the show leads up to its release.
Secret Invasion is set to debut on Disney+ in Spring 2023.
