10 MCU Actors Who Appeared In Character Outside The Movies
4. Nick Fury Shows Up In Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was initially a huge hit for ABC, but the series struggled to find its footing during that first season, and viewership quickly dropped. As ratings reduced, so too did the number of tie-ins to the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the show benefited from that in many respects and became its own, satisfying (arguably standalone) spinoff.
During those early years, characters like Maria Hill, Sif, and Peggy Carter all made cameo appearances, but by far the most memorable was Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. His first appearance came at the end of the second episode, but the most noteworthy was when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. started tying into the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.
Handing the Directorship of S.H.I.E.L.D. to Agent Coulson, this felt like a true changing of the guard, and it's a shame the series was never really able to capitalise on that. As time went on, it became clear that nothing that happened in this series was canon, but for an A-List star like this to give the show and these characters his approval meant a lot at the time and definitely benefited it.