If you remember, one of the first big multi-picture hires (if not the first) after IRON MAN hit big was Samuel L. Jackson’s nine-picture deal for Nick Fury. Cut to 7 years later (feels longer or shorter to you guys?). He’s popped up in IRON MAN, IRON MAN 2, THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, THE AVENGERS, CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER, and AGE OF ULTRON, not to mention a couple of AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. eps. That leaves three movies, two if you don’t include the IRON MAN cameo that (reportedly) preceded his contract. However, even though Fury’s function as been a sort of grand ambassador between S.H.I.E.L.D. and the central supers, he won’t be playing part in the epic upcoming CIVIL WAR that will feature in CAP 3.
"I finally met [comics writer] Mark [Millar], last year, when I was doing KINGSMAN, ‘cause he was on set one day, and I finally got a chance to thank him for making Nick Fury black and changing the whole dynamic. It’s really great to be the connective tissue between so many different characters in so many different films, that brings those guys together. But I’m not in CAPTAIN AMERICA 3. I can’t figure that out, but I’m not. I guess I’m still out there, trying to figure out what happened to S.H.I.E.L.D. and who these other people are.”
He claims he only has two films left on his contract, which we can assume are the two parts of AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR. It’ll be weird not seeing Fury take part in the CIVIL WAR that will incorporate pretty much the entire Earthbound MCU up to this point, but the lack of his authority (and inspiring monologues) may play a part in the tension that boils over. And don’t think Samuel L. is sick of the character:
"I'm looking for a contract extension right now, yeah. I'm looking to re-up.”
Sure, it’s easy to be cynical and say he’s just telling Adam at Collider what he thinks he wants to hear, but given the level of enthusiasm he constantly exhibits for the geeky properties he’s a part of (”It’s hard not to be a part of something that you know, if people study film for the next 200 years, they’ll be talking about Star Wars and The Avengers series, and all that stuff.”), I don’t think his participation will necessarily expire with his contract. How many senior citizens (Sam’s 66) get to wield bazookas, kill evildoers, and boss around superheroes in a a leather jacket and eyepatch? Not enough at least. Hard gig to give up, especially if the money's right (which, I suppose, is indeed an X factor here...).
Not many folks are big and bad enough to stand out as a connective tissue between characters that are quite literally godlike (shout out to Clark Gregg’s Phase One work), but Jackson’s one of the few that can do it in his sleep. Fury’s car chase in THE WINTER SOLDIER was a big fan favorite, and I’d love to see him kick as little more ass, ideally while he shouts at incompetent personnel/software. But it looks like the end of Fury isn’t near…if Sam can help it!
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR asks “Nick who?” on May 6th, 2016.
