‘Secret Invasion’ director had an interesting method for appealing to old and new MCU fans alike

One of the reasons why the Marvel Cinematic Universe fandom continues to span multiple generations is the conscious effort to attract newcomers to the genre, and Secret Invasion director Ali Selim has shared his fascinating approach to striking the delicate balance.

In an interview with Collider, Selim revealed that he introduced the “Robin Rule” and the “Ryan Rule,” drawing inspiration from his wife, Robin, and his son-in-law, Ryan. While Robin is not an MCU fan, Ryan is a passionate Marvel enthusiast, which informed his decision-making.

“My wife, Robin, is not such an MCU fan […] My son-in-law, Ryan, is the greatest fan in the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and so we would apply the Robin Rule and the Ryan Rule to every decision we made, which is, can we make a self-contained story that Robin will understand, and can we make a self-contained story that Ryan will accept?”

Selim recognizes the importance of appealing to existing fans and newcomers to the franchise. The stories must be able to cater to casual viewers and die-hards, regardless of how familiar they may be with the backstories.

It will be interesting to see how the Robin and Ryan rules play out when Secret Invasion airs on Disney this month. The series focuses on the return of Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) after a mysterious absence during which his shape-shifting buddy Talos (Ben Mendelsohn) assumed his identity to keep things running smoothly. After his arrival, Fury learns from Talos that a group of Skrull insurgents are planning to take over the world.

Previously, Selim teased fans with the revelation that Secret Invasion is a fusion of film noir and classic Westerns. The show will explore the moral ambiguity that sometimes goes hand in hand with geopolitics. The stellar supporting cast includes Don Cheadle, Martin Freeman, Cobie Smulders, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Dermot Mulroney, and Olivia Coleman.