Nick Fury cast Samuel L Jackson as himself 6 years before the MCU

Marvel universes are complicated and always has been. Filled with intricate details and subtleties we are bound to miss. Screenrant has picked up one of those hidden gems and it's regarding the kickass director of S.H.I.E.L.D, Nick Fury.

Many wouldn't know that, Nick Fury wasn't always the bald African-American character . He was initially a Caucasian with a head full of gray hair. Though, that was until Mark Millar and Bryan Hitch rebooted the franchise in 2002. The new Fury being modelled on Millar's favourite actor, Samuel L Jackson.

This new Fury debuted in the Ultimates series that started from 2002. As reported by the Screenrant, in issue #4, the team in a pizza party discussed their on-screen counterparts. The team joked as Brad Pitt was the supposed Captain America according to them.

But when Hank Pym, the first Ant-man played on-screen by Michael Douglas asked Fury who'd play him on TV, Fury, with a certain clarity replied, "Mr. Samuel L. Jackson, of course".

Little did Millar know the same Samuel L Jackson would end up playing Fury years later. According to the Screenrant, when Jackson, an avid fan of the comics saw a strangely familiar-looking Nick Fury amongst his latest haul, Jackson's people got in touch with Marvel to ensure he play the character in any future movies.

And subsequently, only 6 years later, we saw Jackson on-screen playing Nick Fury in Iron Man.