Samuel L Jackson confirms Marvel return as Nick Fury

Samuel L Jackson has confirmed his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as former S.H.I.E.L.D. director Nick Fury. The character has been a pivotal part of the franchise since his first appearance in the post-credit scene of 2008's Iron Man.

Perhaps most importantly, Fury founded the Avengers Initiative, bringing the dynamic superheroes together to protect Earth from extraterrestrial threats. He was last seen on screen in 2023, leading the TV series Secret Invasion and movie The Marvels.

Speaking on the red carpet for his new movie The Beast, Jackson shared that Fury would be reuniting with the Avengers very soon. Though he won't be starring in Avengers: Doomsday, he seemingly confirmed an appearance in Avengers: Secret Wars.

Related: UK film release dates

"Next movie... [The] movie after this one," Jackson told The Direct, when asked about his MCU return.

The star shared that he has "no idea" about the upcoming project, which is scheduled to be released on 17 December 2027,

"[Marvel] hasn't told me anything, other than, 'You're not gonna be in this movie. You'll be in the next'," he added.

Doomsday and Secret Wars are expected to form two halves of a story, similar to 2018's Avengers: Infinity War and 2019's Avengers: Endgame. The movies will be helmed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War, as well as Infinity War and Endgame.

Related: Avengers: Doomsday directors tease "very surprising ending" as fans worry about Secret Wars delay

Doomsday will hit cinemas this December, with a number of fan favourites reprising their roles, including Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes (aka The Winter Soldier). However, the actor has teased that some characters may not return in 2027.

"I haven't seen the movie, and I don't know how it turned out," he told Decider. "I'm sure it's going to be probably heartbreaking, in a lot of ways. We'll see who makes it to the next level."

Avengers: Doomsday is released in cinemas on 16 December.

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Divya is a freelance writer with experience in entertainment and lifestyle news. Described as a "telly addict" since childhood, Divya was able to translate her interests into a BJTC-accredited, Honours degree in Journalism and Media. After working in communications and marketing, Divya joined Digital Spy as a Freelance News Reporter. She has also written for various publications including Metro, Asian World News and TwitCelebGossip; as well as interviews, features and reviews on her own blog. Divya prides herself on her TV, film and showbiz knowledge, always offering (not so) fun facts to her long-suffering friends and family. From soaps to superheroes, Divya is the go-to person for tailored recommendations and up to date information.