Who Is Olivia Colman's Rumored Secret Invasion Character Union Jack?

Olivia Colman's character in Secret Invasion has been rumored to be long-running Marvel Comics character Union Jack. The upcoming Disney+ series is set to make waves in the MCU in early 2023, starring Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn reprising their roles of Nick Fury and Talos respectively from Captain Marvel. The pair are set to be joined by an all-star cast including Kingsley Ben-Adir and Emilia Clarke, but while most roles are still a mystery, one rumor suggests that Colman might be taking up the mantle of Union Jack in the MCU.

Secret Invasion was confirmed to be in the works at Marvel Studios in December 2020, based on the 2008-09 comic book series of the same name. The series will expand on themes introduced during 2019's Captain Marvel, focusing on Fury and Talos' relationship while dealing with the shapeshifting Skrulls who have "infiltrated all aspects of life on Earth," taking on a darker tone for the MCU's Phase 4 leading into Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. While not much information has been revealed about the storyline or characters involved in Secret Invasion, speculation has been rising about which characters might be making their debut in the ever-growing MCU.

Olivia Colman, star of The Favourite and The Lost Daughter, is rumored to be taking on the role of Union Jack in the MCU, making her first appearance as a new female version of the character in Secret Invasion. In Marvel Comics, Union Jack is a moniker taken on by three different heroes, originally James Montgomery Falsworth in 1976's Invaders #7. This character has already made an appearance in the MCU in Captain America: The First Avenger as a member of the Howling Commandos, but since the rumor suggests that Olivia Colman's Secret Invasion character will be named Falsworth, this points to some relation to the WWII hero while perhaps even taking up the mantle herself.

Secret Invasion Casting Rumor Suggests A Larger MCU Role For Olivia Colman

Three men have taken up the moniker of Union Jack in Marvel Comics: James Montgomery Falsworth, his son Brian Falsworth, and Joseph Chapman in recent years. Over almost half a century on the page, the different versions of Union Jack have fought with Captain America during WWII, battled vampires, and also gone toe-to-toe with the Skrulls, which creates an excellent opportunity for the character to debut in Secret Invasion. While this particular series is the best place to debut Union Jack in the MCU (since Joseph Chapman's version of the character fought Skrulls during their Secret Invasion of Earth in the comics), there's such a wealth of material that could be adapted in future Marvel Studios' projects that Olivia Colman could find herself with a much larger role in the MCU than first anticipated.

Olivia Colman's adaptation of Union Jack could easily continue on in the MCU after Secret Invasion. Upcoming projects such as Blade and Captain America: New World Order would act as prime opportunities for Union Jack to not only battle vampires alongside Mahershala Ali's Eric Brooks, a.k.a. Blade, but also fight with Anthony Mackie's Sam Wilson, a.k.a. Captain America, mirroring the character's comic counterpart perfectly. Whether this rumor turns out to be true is yet to be seen, with very little information having been confirmed about the upcoming Disney+ series. However, MCU viewers can rest assured that Olivia Colman will bring her trademark charm to whatever character she plays in Secret Invasion.

Next: Everything We Know About Marvel's Secret Invasion Show