If you saw CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER (now out on Blu-ray and DVD), and you’re a classic Marvel Comics fans, you undoubtedly noticed the inclusion of the Howling Commandos assisting Cap during World War II. When IRON MAN (2008) introduced Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury on the big screen, it was a decision that was met with both praise (for fans of Marvel’s THE ULTIMATES) and solid criticism (from those who grew up with a white Nick Fury who survived WWII). Personally, I just like Sam Jackson, so I didn’t much care either way. But I will admit, it was a little odd seeing the Howling Commandos in the CAPTAIN AMERICA movie, knowing there’s no way we’d ever see their intrepid leader, Sgt. Fury, at least never in a very realistic way. Then I noticed a post on Facebook that’s rather interesting. Comic book writer Beau Smith, a man I’d consider very much “in the know” with things, posted the following:
I spoke with a trusted producer pal of mine in L.A. today and he mentioned that there is serious talks/meetings about a Sgt. Fury And His Howling Commandos film. Just the thought of that has me stoked.
Needless to say, with Smith having over 4000 followers (me being one of ’em), questions rolled in quick, such as whether or not this would involve Sam Jackson, or follow what we saw in the Cap movie. Smith responded with:
From what he told me, this would be the “real” Sgt. Fury from the comics, not the Sam Jackson version.
and
Word in the Hollywood cornfield is that it’s outside the current Marvel Universe that the films are using, almost like a “Classicverse” that could be played out more if successful. Remember, this is just rumor and talk.
That last bit is ever so important to note. As cool as I think it would be to see a self-contained Sgt. Fury movie, and perhaps even one utilizing the Howling Commandos we’ve already met in CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER, this is one of those rumors that could go either way. This is also interesting as there’s supposedly already a “Nick Fury” movie on the slate with Jackson starring, so could Marvel potentially have two different Fury movies out that are unrelated? Lastly, Smith Tweeted the following around the same time:
My friend (Trusted) said they are talking working out of a ‘Classicverse’ from Marvel.
I gotta say, I love the idea of a ‘Classicverse’ from Marvel, especially since X-MEN: FIRST CLASS was already sort of a starting point for that. To me, period piece comic book films are long-overdue… I keep saying if they’re going to reboot SUPERMAN, they should put him in the late 1930’s or early 40’s – I mean why not? Just keeping it all in consideration, how would you feel about a retro Fury film? And hey, who could be a good acting choice for WWII-era Nick Fury… George Clooney? How about CHUCK’s Adam Baldwin? I happen to know he’s a cigar man, and that would be essential to the character. Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
I’d watch it. Haven’t had much experience with the classic Fury, eing a reader more of the ultimate universe, but the classicverse stuff could be good.
I’m not down.
One of the reasons people were so stoked to see SLJ’s Fury on the big screen was, he was the only hero of color to at least play a significant role in the Hollywood superhero realm. Couching this new project in the realm of a “Classicverse” could end up being a convenient way to reverse that shift, even if it’s outside the bounds of the Marvel U. currently in play in the Avengers film series. The fact that this is being mentioned as the “real” Sgt. Fury, when even Marvel takes care to emphasize its Ultimate-verse characters as being valuable, strikes me as a very bad sign.
I hear ya, but this may also be Marvel’s way of dealing with the negative reactions toward SLJ, of which there are (even still) plenty of. Personally I love Sam in the role, but I also always dreamed of one day seeing a classic WWII Nick Fury story on the big screen, and let’s face it, that’s never going to happen with Jackson. Either way, keep in mind this is all still very much in the “rumor” stage.
There are two easy explanations for how Marvel Studios could do this while maintaining their current movie-verse:
1. The easiest way is to bring it directly from the comics. Per his Wikipedia Page: Nick Fury’s aging has been slowed greatly by the Infinity Formula, a serum created by Dr. Berthold Sternberg. Fury was first inoculated with the serum in the 1940s. Fury took the serum annually for many years. Due to its cumulative effect, Fury no longer needs additional doses to prolong his life span. Nick Fury is a highly athletic man despite his advanced chronological age.
This would allow them the backstory as to why he is in WWII as well as in modern day without looking any different.
2. The other possibility, and this would work if they wanted to slightly alter the “Nick Fury” character for the films, would be to state that the title “Nick Fury” is more of a codename, thus allowing for different actors to play the character at different times as well as even allowing for a white Nick Fury.
Either way would be fine with me. I like SLJ as Nick Fury, he plays him perfectly, as one would expect considering the Ultimate Nick Fury in the comics is in fact modeled after SLJ.
If they went the second route and opted for a white Nick Fury as he was originally portrayed in the comics and during the Sgt. Fury and the Howling Commandos, then Adam Baldwin all the way. He looks the part and has practice playing heroes and anti-heroes with military background very well. Just look at Chuck, Firefly, Independence Day and Full Metal Jacket.
Aw right! Liss’n up you goldbrickin’ yardbirds. I’m in my 60’s and an old school Howlers fan from way back. And while I like SLJ as the present day Nick Fury, he just wouldn’t work in a Howlers movie – he’s too old. So is Baldwin. Remember, the average age of the combat solder was 19-20 years old. Now Fury wasn’t that young but even 30 was very old for active combat then. So, if you’re gonna cast for someone to play SGT. Nick Fury, Howling Commando,you need a 6ft. 200lbs. caucasian. Maybe someone like Gerald Butler in looks or Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Baldwin- no way. Nuff said. As you were, dogfaces.
Jackson was fine as Fury, but in all fairness the dude from Baywatch was better(It is a comic, after all)…there are certain lines that even artistic licence cannot and should not cross…Howard the Duck can’t be a Swan…The Hulk can’t be blue…Thor can’t have a buzz cut…Gabe Jones can’t be white…Rebel Ralston can’t be an Ivy League preppie…Izzy Cohen can’t be a Muslim…Dino Manelli can’t be Irish…Dum Dum Dugan can’t be British…Percy can’t be an ex-New York Yankee pitcher…Eric can’t be Lord Ha Ha…and to sum up…Nick Fury can’t be an African American…no matter how good ol Sam was. This movie should have been made years ago with the following leads…Burt Lancaster as Fury (just watch From Here To Eternity)…Dean Martin as Dino (obviously), Tony Curtis as Izzie (he even has the right accent)…Sammy Davis Jr. as Gabe…Jon Voight as Rebel Ralston, Alan Hale Jr. as Dum Dum, Hardy Kruger as Eric…and of course Frank Lovejoy as Happy Sam Sawyer…with Jackie Bisset as Pam…
I know I’m late to this debate but now that an Agent Carter series is on the way and I believe it’ll be used to introduce a number of classic heroes. Just going by the Agent Carter One Shot it looks like Howard Stark and Dum Dum Dugan will be involved. Hopefully that means Gabe Jones too.
Seems to me that Marvel will make NO live action material, film or tv, that doesn’t corraborate what’s come before, so, with that in mind, any appearance by Sgt. Fury will most likely be Jack Fury, father of Nick and an African-American.
While I hope that Dugan, Jones, Fury and Union Jack all show up on the series I hope Dugan and Jones get One Shots and a Howlin Commandos movie, followed by a Sgt. Fury film and then Union Jack.
They could have even gone the Netflix route and given all of them 13 episodes culminating in a Howlin Commandos miniseries.
However they go about it I’m all for it. There is a 68 year gap between the “death” of Captain America and Tony Starks reason for being in Afghanistan at the beginning of Iron Man 1, so I’m glad Marvel is paying some attention to its classic phase.
a simple bloodline would do it. you’ve got 60 plus years to play with
Here’s an easy fix if Sam gets tired of the part: At some point in a modern era film, you just have Fury say “welcome to level eight.” and then he pulls his face off, Mission Impossible style, and shows his real face, the classic version Fury. Then, when you do the WWII era film, it would be that (somewhat younger) classic version. And, by the way, I don’t know about who plays the WWII classic version, but I think the modern era classic version should be played by Ian Glen from Game of thrones. Imagine this picture http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/20/590x/galway-378255.jpg with an eye patch, gray sideburns and a cigar. (And an American accent)
Ted Newsom told me that when he worked with his partner John Brancato who co-wrote the script of Sgt. Fury and also both worked with Stan Lee on Sub-Mariner and Spider-Man (which was a gone on limbo project from the 80’s-90’s)
This what he told the plot of his script of Sgt. Fury:
* FURY was updated. They’ were Vietnam vets, and it’s 15 years later, they’re older, have gone their separate ways, and variously want to get back into action or resist the thing entirely. Nick Fury is stuck being a gym teacher. Not at all happy with that! The English guy is dead, replaced by his son. They’re all hauled out of retirement to rescue some hostages held by terrorists in the Central American country of El Tabeo.
* They get there, but find an old enemy is in charge of it– and in fact the entire thing is a CIA put-up job. That makes for some extremely unhappy Commandos.
* I remember we had a continuing gag that Nick’s Zippo lighter lit first time every time. The final chase between him in a Jeep and the bad guy rev’ing & taxi-ing in a plane had Nick about to throw dynamite into the plane– and the fucking lighter won’t light.
* They get into the embassy from a rooftop some blocks away, improvising paragliders with stuff laying around.
Does anybody know is something in the works? Should be true to the original or don’t bother. Great stuff hope it happens!
No new reports recently, so not likely. However, at some point Marvel will reboot EVERYTHING, so who knows what will happen then.
I’m 50 yrs old and while I remember seeing white Nick fury & comics, I didn’t follow the character in the comics.
So like many I didn’t start following until the ultimate avengers cartoon and now most people have gotten spoiled on SLJ as Nick Fury
While i would love to see a Nick Fury & the howling commandos with another BLK actor as a young fury…. having said that I’d be willing to give a movie starring a white actor in a classicverse a chance
How about John Cena? He has the build and he has played military characters
The classic Fury and team was my favorite comic book early 70’s. I would love to see a movie based on the story line regardless of who plays Fury.
Brad Pitt was a perfect “Nick Fury” in Inglorious Bastards (Tarantino was a Sgt. Fury fan)
Time for sgt Fury…would be great to c!!