In a candid revelation to Vanity Fair, Samuel L. Jackson shared a piece of advice from his co-star Bruce Willis during the filming of the 1994 action blockbuster Die Hard With a Vengeance. Willis advised Jackson on the importance of finding a character that would be a reliable fallback in the film industry, one that audiences would always love, regardless of the success of other projects. Willis pointed to his own character, John McClane, and compared it to iconic roles like Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator and Sylvester Stallone's Rocky and Rambo. Jackson realized the wisdom of Willis' words when he landed the role of Nick Fury, securing a nine-picture deal with Marvel.
Jackson's journey as Nick Fury began with a cameo in the post-credits scene of 2008's Iron Man. He fully embraced the character in 2010's Iron Man 2, and since then, has reprised the role in a total of 10 films, three TV series, and two video games. His latest appearances include the 2023 film The Marvels, the series Secret Invasion, and a voice role in the Season 2 finale of the animated series Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur.
Reflecting on his contract, Jackson humorously pondered the challenge of completing his nine-film deal before his time ran out. In a September 2024 interview with GQ, he recalled his initial conversation with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige about the deal, expressing surprise at the rapid pace of Marvel's production schedule. "I didn't know they were gonna make nine movies in like two-and-a-half years," Jackson remarked, highlighting the unexpected speed of the Marvel machine and how it impacted his contract.
