Samuel L Jackson has revealed he will not appear in the third Captain America film.

The 66-year-old actor has played S.H.I.E.L.D leader Nick Fury in seven Marvel movies as part of his nine-film deal with the studio, but will be missing from Captain America: Civil War.

“I’m not in Captain America 3. I can’t figure that out, but I’m not,” he told Collider.

“I guess I’m still out there, trying to figure out what happened to S.H.I.E.L.D. and who these other people are.”

Sam, who is expected to reprise his role in the two-part Avengers: Infinity War, is looking to renew his contract when it expires.

“Of course [I'm interested in returning]! I’m looking for a contract extension right now, yeah. I’m looking to re-up,” he said.

The star, who returned to the part in Avengers: Age Of Ultron, has enjoyed his stint in the Marvel universe, describing it as an “honour”.

“It’s an amazing amount of fun. I finally met [comics writer] Mark [Millar], last year, when I was doing Kingsman, ’cause he was on set one day, and I finally got a chance to thank him for making Nick Fury black and changing the whole dynamic,” he said.

“It’s really great to be the connective tissue between so many different characters in so many different films, that brings those guys together. It’s an amazing honour to be that guy, to be Nick Fury, to be in that particular world, and to be a character that people believe. It’s great.”

Sam added: “I’m as grateful for being in that, as I was being in Star Wars with George [Lucas] and to play a character that people remember, like Mace Windu. It’s all great.

“It’s hard not to be a part of something that you know, if people study film for the next 200 years, they’ll be talking about Star Wars and the Avengers series, and all that stuff.”

Captain America: Civil War, which will be directed by Joe and Anthony Russo, is scheduled for a release in April 2016.