Criminal Minds: Evolution Season 2 was arguably one of the most thrilling streaming releases of the summer, as the BAU team returned to not only deal with Zach Gilford’s Voit all over again, but a whole new crew of killers. Despite the finale releasing for Paramount+ subscribers in early August, the crime drama is currently ranking at #2 on the streamer’s list of Top 10 Shows. Seeing Criminal Minds still doing so well nearly a full month after its finale made me think back to what Paget Brewster told CinemaBlend about Clark Gregg joining the cast, and it’s enough to make me want to watch the season all over again.

For some perspective on why I’m so impressed that Criminal Minds is still on Paramount+’s Top 10, it’s worth noting that the show has already begun filming Season 3 before Season 2 even dropped out of streaming relevance. At the time of writing, it holds the #2 rank on the list, behind David Boreanaz’s SEAL Team – which is currently still releasing new episodes – at #1 and NCIS at #3. (NCIS returns for Season 22 in the fall 2024 TV schedule.) I’m not saying that Clark Gregg joining the cast is why it’s doing so well, but he was one of the changes for the new season.

And when I spoke with Paget Brewster about Prentiss getting stoned with JJ and what was in store for the high-stakes Season 2 finale, I also asked what it has been to add the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum to the ensemble this time around. Brewster didn’t disappoint, as she laughed and said:

While plenty of people still recognize Paget Brewster from Friends, the actress is better known for her drama work nowadays thanks to more than 200 episodes of Criminal Minds over nearly twenty years. Still, she flexed her comedy muscles for the sadly short-lived How I Met Your Father to make out with Clark Gregg while playing Hilary Duff’s parents on Hulu. It certainly sounds like the reunion over the Evolution Season 2 table read made for a memorable Zoom encounter! Brewster went on to praise what Gregg brought to Criminal Minds as FBI Director Ray Madison:

Paget Brewster isn’t the only member of the Criminal Minds team who would like to get Clark Gregg back in the future, as the showrunner feels the same way. Showrunner Erica Messer shared her own thoughts on what the Avengers alum brought to the show as well as her hopes for what’s possible in Season 3:

While it remains to be seen if Clark Gregg will turn up again on Criminal Minds: Evolution, Paramount+ gave an early renewal for Season 3 that has allowed filming to already begin. There’s no saying at this point when the third season will be ready to premiere, but it’s safe to say that we all will have plenty of time to rewatch Season 2 during the wait. Both seasons of Evolution as well as the first fifteen Criminal Minds seasons that aired on CBS are streaming on Paramount+ now.

Spoilers ahead for the Season 2 premiere of Will Trent, called "Me Llamo Will Trent."

Will Trent is officially back on ABC in the 2024 TV schedule, with the first new episode since the previous season finale aired back in May. Many TV shows had delayed returns due to the WGA writers strike and SAG-AFTRA actors strike, but I would say that the Ramón Rodriguez-led show was worth the wait as the Season 2 premiere continued the story from the Season 1 finale cliffhanger. The episode featured former MCU star Clark Gregg, and between his performance and the fun Avengers joke early on, I'm hoping to see more of him. Read on for what we know!

Clark Gregg As Arthur (And That Avengers Joke)

The case of the week kicked off with a car bombing in suburbia, with the wrong man dying in a case of very mistaken identity... or, to be more specific, mistaken address. Several law enforcement agencies converged since there was the question of terrorism, and Will was representing the GBI alongside the APD's Ormewood and Franklin before being joined by This Is Us' Susan Kelechi Watson as bomb squad expert Cricket. When Ormewood commented on bomb squad and GBI joining the case, Franklin commented that "It's like The Avengers."

Will quickly deduced that Clark Gregg's Arthur was the intended target of the car bomb, and Arthur quickly turned out to be a very fun addition to the Season 2 premiere. Between spectacularly failing to convince Will and Faith that nothing shady was happening and his reactions to Will's comments about the stock market and paying in cash, I found myself really hoping that the bombers wouldn't catch up with him. And not just because I loved him as Coulson on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.!

But the case also seemed to be moving on from Arthur by the end of the hour, particularly after the death of Cricket in a bomb just after she and Will formed a bond. Cricket saved a lot of lives with her heroic action, and her death motivated Will to reach out to the serial killer who also just might be his father. The episode just didn't end on any kind of guarantee that Arthur's story would continue. That said, there's reason to expect more of him!

Will Clark Gregg Be Back?

When Clark Gregg's casting for Will Trent was announced, it was reported (via TVLine) that he would appear in the first two episodes of Season 2. While that was announced back in January and there's no guarantee that nothing has changed in the time since, that report gives every reason for optimism that Arthur will be back for at least one more episode.

Unfortunately, there's no sign that there's a future for Arthur beyond the second episode of Season 2. Characters who come as parts of the cases of the week generally don't return in more significant capacities, and I wouldn't expect Clark Gregg to recur on Will Trent.

Still, if the upcoming episode ends without killing Arthur off, I'm going to take it as a win that hasn't ruled out bringing him back. And honestly, if Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has given me any expectations, it's that not even death will stop a character played by Clark Gregg.

In all seriousness, you can see new episodes of Will Trent Season 2 on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. You can also revisit the first season streaming with a Hulu subscription now.

The second season of Will Trent is on the way in the 2024 TV schedule, after a hiatus lasting the better part of a year. The first season ended on an emotional reveal that set up a payoff that is (hopefully) coming in Season 2, and a first look trailer for the new episodes reveals some of what to expect. While fans undoubtedly have to wait until the show is back in primetime for more answers about Will's past, the trailer does reveal something that I'm already excited about: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum Clark Gregg is on board!

The trailer (seen above) combines footage from the drama's thrilling first season, which brought characters from author Karin Slaughter's successful novel series to the small screen. The author only had good things to say about the adaptation in Season 1, even though she originally pictured the characters looking different than the actors who portray them. It remains to be seen how closely the second season sticks to adapting parts of Slaughter's books; I'm already confident that Clark Gregg is going to be a highlight early on, though.

It's hard to glean much about Gregg's character other than 1) somebody wants to kill him and 2) he thought it was a good idea to try and run away from an FBI agent. Still, I got a laugh out of his very brief moments in the trailer, and I'm more excited than ever for the return of Will Trent. TVLine also sheds a bit more light on what to expect from him, reporting that he plays an accountant by the name of Arthur Highsmith who attempts to skip down after getting himself into a messy situation. 

Notably, he's set to appear in the first two episodes of Season 2, which indicates that Will Trent is going big by starting the new season with a two-parter. Sign me up! Clark Gregg of course spent the better part of a decade on ABC thanks to his role as Phil Coulson in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which ended back in 2020 with a fantastic series finale. While he has since moved on in his career with projects including Florida Man, Painkiller, and now Will Trent, he had a blunt reaction to comments about Marvel TV. 

While it seems like a safe bet that the closest thing Will Trent will have to S.H.I.E.L.D.-esque superpowers is Will's incredible investigative ability, the trailer indicates that there's a lot to look forward to in addition to Clark Gregg. This Is Us alum Susan Kelechi Watson will appear in Season 2, and apparently catch Will's eye pretty quickly. The glimpse of Angie teasing Will in his suit about how long it'll take him to get undressed just makes me miss those two all the more.

Luckily, the wait for the first new episode since the Season 1 finale back in early May 2023 is almost over. Will Trent returns to ABC for Season 2 on Tuesday, February 20 at 8 p.m. ET. If you want to revisit earlier episodes sooner than the second season arrives, you can find all thirteen of Season 1 streaming with a Hulu subscription now. 

Spoilers for Netflix’s Painkiller are ahead. You can stream the series that just premiered on the 2023 TV schedule with a Netflix subscription. 

The OxyContin crisis and opioid epidemic is was not started by one person and it's not a singular issue, and in Painkiller that is made very clear. There are flashbacks that show the beginnings of Purdue Pharma and its founder Arthur Sackler, played by Clark Gregg. However, the greater toxic relationship between the drugs and marketing is shown through this character appearing as a ghost-like spirit in the primary antagonist’s, Matthew Broderick’s Richard Sackler, imagination as he creates and sells the drug. It’s a fascinating creative decision, and the producers told CinemaBlend all about why they made it, and how it helps illuminate just how long these problems have existed. 

Throughout the show, Gregg’s character is seen talking to his nephew, Broderick's Richard, about why it’s important to keep selling and pushing the drug. This created a link from Purdue’s founder, Arthur Sackler, to the man who led the charge to sell OxyContin, Richard Sackler. Eric Newman, an executive producer of Painkiller, explained why they decided to have the two characters interact this way, rather than relying on devices like flashbacks. He told CinemaBlend:

It’s important to note that Arthur Sackler didn’t live to see the creation of OxyContin, he died in 1987 and the drug was developed and patented in 1996. However, his legacy certainly impacted its creation. Newman elaborated on this idea, saying:

Newman went on to explain that bringing in Gregg to play Richard Sackler’s uncle in the form of a ghost-like spirit was a way of showing that Painkiller tells a story that shows “what’s wrong with a lot of the business.” He continued to explain this idea, and how it’s portrayed through Gregg’s character, saying:

This mode of storytelling is one of the major ways Painkiller fictionalized the real story. 

Like all shows based on a true story, this book-to-screen adaptation featured disclaimers, but they were read by families impacted by OxyContin addiction. Both this mode of showing people the real-life implications of this issue, and the fictionalized story between Arthur and Richard can help viewers see what Purdue Pharma did has spanned across generations. Barry Meier, the author of the book Painkiller is partially based on and a consulting producer on the show, spoke to this idea, and how dramatizing this element of the story actually really helped. He said:

Both Clark Gregg and Matthew Broderick portray two real men who were responsible for the rise of OxyContin and the terrible crisis that followed. Gregg playing Aurther as a sort of ghost to Broderick’s Richard really helped hammer that point home, and truly showed that this issue, that’s still going on today, spans across generations. 

Bob Iger has been CEO of the Walt Disney Company since he was reinstated in the position in 2022 after Bob Chapek's brief stint. The ever-popular exec has found himself in hot water recently after making viral comments surrounding the multiple entertainment industry strikes and the Disney brand. His statements surrounding Marvel TV in particular and its varied success sparked a blunt response from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Clark Gregg. 

The House of Mouse bigwig shared his sentiments while speaking with CNBC. 72-year-old Bob Iger shared a variety of much-discussed thoughts, including criticisms connected to his company’s own streaming service, Disney+. In particular, he referenced the influx of Marvel TV shows that have been made for the streamer and how they have impacted the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole. While making his argument, he stated that the company had "not been in the TV business at any significant level." 

Specific comments about the TV shows diluting the Marvel brand have sparked outrage from fans. Clark Gregg, who starred in one of Marvel Entertainment's first major live-action shows, tweeted his reaction to the comments, insinuating that he was not in line with the CEO's thinking. You can see his Twitter post below:

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D pre-dates Disney+ and was actually produced by the now-dissolved Marvel Television as opposed to the studio branch run by Kevin Feige. The show, which aired on ABC for seven seasons from 2013-2020, saw Clark Gregg reprise his role as Agent Phil Coulson, who led a cover team of operatives. While the movie studio was not involved in the making of the show, it still shared continuity with the MCU, tying in with it on multiple occasions, though the movies never referenced it in turn. 

Despite that, the series was popular and had one of the longest runs for a Marvel show. S.H.I.E.L.D. may not have been one of the various originals that was created solely for the streaming service, but it seems clear that Clark Gregg still takes issue with Bob Iger's thoughts. The "business" statement could be what stands out to the actor, as it seems to imply that TV content for the comics and media brand hasn't been as effective as desired over the years. Before the platform launched, live-action and animated series like Legion, Cloak & Dagger and Netflix's Defenders saga saw varied levels of success.

Since the advent of Disney+, Marvel Studios has produced shows that definitely take place in the MCU, including WandaVision, Loki and What If...?. Said series have also connected to their big-screen counterparts. A number of fans have enjoyed the expansion, as the series allow more time to develop new and veteran characters. However, some devotees do believe fatigue is setting in, it seems. Bob Iger previously spoke about the MCU and superhero fatigue, explaining that the company was planning to take a more measured approach to sequels and new franchises moving forward.

Aside from his Marvel-related thoughts, the Disney head honcho also talked about the current 2023 writers strike, saying that the demands by the WGA were "unrealistic." This prompted negative responses from many creatives, including Marvel’s own Sean Gunn, who gave a brutally honest response to the CEO from the picket lines. 

With the Screen Actors Guild having joined the writers on the picket lines, they're standing in solidarity to get better wages and benefits. This marks the first complete Hollywood work stoppage of its kind in over 60 years, and some believe this could be a watershed moment for the industry. With plenty of people speaking out amid the situation, there's a firm chance Clark Gregg won't be the last actor to respond to an exec in some manner before it's all said and done.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D is currently available to stream with a Disney+ subscription. Make sure to consult our feature on upcoming Marvel TV shows heading to the streamer in the near future.

While it is easy to understand why the costumed vigilantes like Tony “Iron Man” Stark and Natasha “Black Widow” Romanoff are the characters that get the most attention in the Marvel movies in order, I often like to shine a spotlight on the unsung heroes of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Perhaps the most recognizable of this bunch, however, would have be S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson, who is played by Clark Gregg.

I was already familiar with this Boston-born actor from his days on CBS’ The New Adventures of Old Christine and was cool seeing him pop up in some of the best superhero movies ever made as a character who proved to be very important to the MCU timeline. Nowadays, I relish the idea that I am just one of many people who love seeing him in other, eclectic, projects, which I will cover in the following list of some of the best Clark Gregg movies and TV shows, along with where to find them on streaming or as a digital rental. Of course, his tenure as a comic book movie character is where we shall start.

Clark Gregg's Marvel Movies (2008-2019)

A special agent (Gregg) works for an elite defense organization that works with individuals who posses extraordinary skills and abilities to protect earth from more strange and otherworldly threats.

Why they are some of Clark Gregg’s best movies: Gregg steals the show as Agent Coulson in some of the best Marvel movies — five, to be exact, and namely Iron Man, Iron Man 2, Thor, The Avengers, and in the 1995-set Captain Marvel from 2019 — which are all available to stream with a Disney+ subscription now.

Stream Clark Gregg's Marvel Movies on Disney+.
Buy Iron Man on Amazon.
Buy Iron Man 2 on Amazon.

Rent or buy Thor on Amazon.
Rent or buy The Avengers on Amazon.
Rent or buy Captan Marvel on Amazon.

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013-2020)

In the aftermath of the Avengers’ world-changing battle with the Chitauri in New York, the mysteriously resurrected Agent Coulson assembles his own team of operatives and superhuman individuals to help keep earth safe in a more covert manner

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best TV shows: After it seemed like Gregg’s tenure as Coulson had ended with his heartbreaking death scene in The Avengers, he was brought back as the lead character of a spin-off TV show, aptly titled Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but never had the chance to reunite with the Avengers, unfortunately.

Stream Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on Disney+.
Buy Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on Amazon.

The New Adventures Of Old Christine (2006-2010)

A single mother (Emmy winner Julia Louis-Dreyfus) struggles to maintain a civil relationship with her ex-husband (Gregg), who has begun to date a new woman with the same first name as hers.

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best TV shows: Before joining the MCU, Gregg was best-known for playing the onscreen former husband of sitcom queen and Seinfeld star, Louis Dreyfus, on the CBS sitcom, The New Adventures of Old Christine, which he did for five seasons.

Buy The New Adventures Of Old Christine on Amazon.

How I Met Your Father (2023)

In the future, a woman (Kim Cattrall) reveals to her son the full story of how her younger self (Hilary Duff) met the love of her life, complete with several anecdotes involving her closest friends while living in New York.

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best TV shows: In addition to its many awesome How I Met Your Mother character cameos, Gregg would make one of the most exciting appearances on the second season of the Hulu-exclusive spin-off, How I Met Your Father, as a hot dog chef named Nick, whom Sophie discovers is her long-lost father.

Stream How I Met Your Father on Hulu.

Florida Man (2023)

A former cop and Florida native (Édgar Ramirez) is forced to return to the Sunshine State to track down a mob boss’ missing girlfriend (Abbey Lee), which turns out to be just the beginning of a long, troubling ordeal.

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best TV shows: Also in 2023, Gregg had an even bigger part in the Florida Man cast as a disgruntled police sheriff in this Netflix original TV show with offbeat humor and fun thrills.

Stream Florida Man on Netflix.

We Were Soldiers (2002)

The heart wrenching hardships of the Vietnam War are seen through the eyes of military officers of various ages and ranks.

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best movies: Also one of Sam Elliott’s best movies and one of the more realistic depictions of war in cinema is writer and director Randall Wallace’s adaptation of Lt. Col. Harold G. Moore’s memoir, We Were Soldiers, in which Clark stars as Capt. Tom Metsker.

Stream We Were Soldiers on Paramount+.
Rent or buy We Were Soldiers on Amazon.

One Hour Photo (2002)

A lonely, middle-aged employee of a supermarket photo development department (Academy Award winner Robin Williams) becomes increasingly and disturbingly obsessed with a frequent customer and his family. 

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best movies: Gregg had the honor of working with the late, great Williams (giving one of his most underrated performances) in writer and director Mark Romanek’s tense psychological thriller, One Hour Photo, in the role of a detective tasked with investigating Williams’ character and his questionable behavior.

Stream One Hour Photo on Hulu.
Rent or buy One Hour Photo on Amazon.

(500) Days Of Summer (2009)

A greeting card writer (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) looks back on his romance with a beautiful, free-spirited woman (Zooey Deschanel) to try to figure out where everything went wrong.

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best movies: Gregg has a few great romantic comedy movies on his resume, and one of the best is director Marc Webb’s inventive and oft-debated favorite, (500) Days of Summer, in which he plays Mr. Vance — the boss of JGL’s character.

Stream (500) Days of Summer on Max.
Rent or buy (500) Days of Summer on Amazon.

Choke (2008)

In order to finance his ailing mother’s medical bills, a sex addict (Academy Award winner Sam Rockwell) pretends that food is clogging his windpipe and takes advantage of the sympathetic people who “rescue” him.

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best movies: In the same year he made his MCU debut, Gregg made his debut as a writer and director with this funny adaptation of Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk’s wild satirical novel, Choke, in which he also plays an uptight fellow employee at the colonial theme park where Rockwell’s character works.

Rent or buy Choke on Amazon.

Trust Me (2014)

A former child star (Gregg) struggling to make it as a talent agent believes he has found his chance for a breakthrough when he befriends a gifted aspiring young actor (Saxon Sharbino).

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best movies: Gregg would cast himself as the lead of his next feature-length effort as a writer and director: a charming, star-studded dramedy called Trust Me.

Rent or buy Trust Me on Amazon.

Being The Ricardos (2021)

A dramatized, inside look at the lives of Lucille Ball (Nicole Kidman) and her husband and co-star, Desi Arnaz (Javier Bardem) during a tumultuous week in production of I Love Lucy.

Why it is one of Clark Gregg’s best movies: Writer and director Aaron Sorkin pulls back the veil on the not-so-funny goings-on behind-the scenes of one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time in this Oscar-nominated Amazon original movie featuring the stellar Being the Ricardos cast — including Gregg as a TV executive fearing the show’s fate named Howard Wenke.

Stream Being the Ricardos on Amazon.

Clark Gregg’s career outside of the MCU has been pretty fantastic, but I do agree that it would be a dream come true to see him in a new Marvel movie as Coulson reuniting with some of the surviving Avengers. Until then, streaming these favorites will do!

While fake news is a dangerous and annoying problem that still plagues society to this day, something that people cannot get enough of these days is “too-weird-to-be-true news” — many of which are associated with bizarre and hilarious headlines that include the words, “Florida Man.” An eponymous, new Netflix TV show aims to capture the essence of what makes the Sunshine State so ripe for such twisted viral content through the lens of an original piece of crime fiction.

Created by former This Is Us executive producer Donald Todd and produced by Jason Bateman, the eight-episode limited series follows a former cop who is sent by a notorious Philadelphia mobster to locate his girlfriend in the last place he wants to be: his home state of Florida. However, the assignment turns out to be only the first step to an increasingly uproarious situation, which is now available to stream on Netflix. But, first, let’s take a look at who plays whom in the Florida Man cast and what other movies and TV shows you may recognize them from.

Edgar Ramírez (Mike Valentine)

Leading the Florida Man cast as former cop and gambling addict Mike Valentine is Edgar Ramírez, who has previously starred in several Netflix original movies — namely Bright, Wasp Network, The Last Days of American Crime, and Yes Day. He also has several notable theatrical releases to his name, like the third of the Jason Bourne movies (Ultimatum), 2013’s Zero Dark Thirty, sports biopic Hands of Stone, and Disney’s Jungle Cruise to name a few. The Venezuelan-born actor’s biggest small screen hits include his Emmy-nominated performances in the 2011 miniseries Carlos and as Gianni Versace in the second season of American Crime Story, HBO’s The Undoing, and one of Peacock’s best true crime titles, Dr. Death. 

Abbey Lee (Delly)

As Delly, the woman Mike is hired to find, we have Abbey Lee, who broke into the acting world as one of the Sister Wives in Mad Max: Fury Road in 2015. She went on to play a goddess in Gods of Egypt, revisit her modeling roots in The Neon Demon, turn heads and inspire laughs in the party movie favorite, Office Christmas Party, and join the Stephen King universe with 2017’s The Dark Tower adaptation. The Australian native’s roles have only grown larger with each new project, with some of the most memorable in recent years being her villainous turn in HBO’s Lovecraft Country cast, a fictionalized version of herself in Gaspar Noe’s Lux Ærterna, and a scene-stealing part in M. Night Shyamalan’s Old cast in 2021.

Emory Cohen (Moss)

Playing Delly’s mobster boyfriend, Moss, is Emory Cohen — another Florida Man cast member who has worked with Netflix a few times before, namely on the platform’s sci-fi TV series, The OA, and the Brad Pitt-led political satire, War Machine, from 2017. His debut role in the 2008 coming-of-age drama Afterschool led to roles in acclaimed films like The Place Beyond the Pines (also starring Ryan Gosling) and the period romance Brooklyn, opposite Saoirse Ronan. He more recently appeared in the Blumhouse creature feature Sweetwater, played a racist cop in the Blue Bayou cast, and starred in the star-studded fantasy comedy, Big Gold Brick, in 2022.

Anthony LaPaglia (Sonny Valentine)

Mike’s father and fellow cop-turned-criminal, Sonny, is played by Anthony LaPaglia, who has played a number off law enforcement officials before — most notably on Without a Trace to Emmy-nominated acclaim — and a few criminals, such as Barry Muldano in 1994’s The Client or Al Capone in 2002’s Road to Perdition. The Australian actor once took home an Emmy for his recurring role on Frasier, starred opposite Mike Myers in 1993’s So I Married an Axe Murderer, leant his voice to animated favorites like Happy Feet and Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, and starred in one of the most revered Conjuring Universe movies (Annabelle: Creation) as the creator of the titular, possessed doll.   

Lex Scott Davis (Iris)

Mike’s ex-wife, Iris, is played by Lex Scott Davis, whose last Netflix original title was the Jason Momoa-led movie, Sweet Girl, in 2021, which is also one of her more recent crime dramas following her recurring role on the series remake of Training Day, the 2018 remake of Blaxploitation classic, SuperFly, and ABC’s short-lived dramedy, Rebel. She broke out as the title role of Lifetime’s 2016 music biopic, Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart, and went on to star in the first of the Purge movies (in chronological order, that is), landed a five-episode stint on The L Word: Generation Q, and appeared in the Son of the South cast in 2020.

Otmara Marrero (Patsy)

Mike’s sister, Patsy, is played by Otmara Marrero, who is best known for the Crackle original crime series, StartUp, her lead role in the 2019 lesbian romance, Clementine, and the Covid-era ensemble comedy series, Connecting… One of her earliest roles was a small appearance on the Dwayne Johnson-led HBO series, Ballers, in 2015, which she would follow-up with movies like the 2018 comedy, Miss Arizona, and Vandal — a drama from the following year.

Clark Gregg (Deputy Sheriff Ketcher)

As Deputy Sheriff Ketcher, we have Clark Gregg, whose last Netflix original titles were the Amy Poehler-directed comedy, Moxie, from 2021, and the more recent, post-9/11-era documentary, The Anthrax Attacks, for which he portrayed Dr. Bruce Ivins in scripted segments. He also had small roles in classic ‘90s movies like The Usual Suspects and Clear and Present Danger, played Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ ex-husband on The New Adventures of Old Christine, and wrote, directed, and starred in 2013's Trust Me. Of course, Gregg’s best-known role is, easily, S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Phil Coulson from various Marvel movies and TV shows. 

Paul Schneider (Officer Andy Boone)

As fellow Florida cop Andy Boone, we have Edgar Ramírez’s The Assassination of Gianna Versace: American Crime Story co-star, Paul Schneider, who starred in movies like Elizabethtown and The Family Stone before landing, arguably, his most recognizable role from the Parks and Recreation cast as Mark Brendanawicz. Following that short-lived stint on the beloved sitcom, he starred in 2011’s Water for Elephants, worked with Woody Allen on Café Society, led the first season of one of the creepiest shows on Shudder, Channel Zero, and had a starring role on one of the weirdest shows on Amazon Prime, Tales from the Loop.

Isaiah Johnson (Benny)

As Haitian-born Florida motel owner Benny, we have Isaiah Johnson, who originated the role of George Washington in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s blockbuster rap opera, Hamilton — which he also poked fun at in a 2017 Curb Your Enthusiasm episode. His best known screen acting credit is the role of Sky on the OWN network original drama, David Makes Man.

Lauren Buglioli (Kaitlin Fox)

Starring as local TV news anchor Kaitlin Fox is Lauren Buglioli, who last played a reporter in 2020’s Bad Boys For Life and whose previous Netflix original credits are the short-lived superhero series Raising Dion and Tyler Perry’s romantic period mystery drama, A Jazzman’s Blues. She made her feature-length debut in Unstoppable (not the train movie with Denzel Washington, but a Wesley Snipes thriller from 2004), played the lead of the 2020 horror movie, Transference, and also appeared in two of Bruce Willis’s last movies — namely Vendetta and White Elephant. 

Sounds like the next “Florida Man” headline you will read could be “Florida Man Wows Audiences With Stellar Acting Ensemble,” considering all the talented names in the cast. See how you feel about the actors yourself when you stream Florida Man on Netflix now.

It’s been almost two years since Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ended and the characters went on their final time-traveling mission together. However, the cast remains pretty close, and they have reason to celebrate as of late. The underrated Marvel show is now streaming for those who have a Disney+ subscription, and the series has seen reignited buzz on social media as a result. Series alum Chloe Bennet wasn't exactly promoting the show when she recently posted a funny and cheeky social media photo, though her former co-star, Clark Gregg, responded to their unconventional "thirst trap."

Chloe Bennet and Clark Gregg portrayed Agents Daisy Johnson and Phil Coulson, respectively, on the ABC Marvel series, and the two characters grew to have a very loving father-daughter bond. Well, based on their recent social media exchange, it's still alive and well. Bennet shared two hilarious photos on Instagram of her trying on pants that didn’t “fit,” humorously exposing much of her bottom in the process – and Gregg responded in the most dad-like way:

The former Quake star may not quite have the thirst trap game of the Kardashians or Megan Fox, but her post is still perfect nonetheless. And the fact that her fictional father figure responded to it is simply the icing on the cake. Check out the post down below:

Chloe Bennet has not been shy about what she posts on Instagram and, in many cases, she likes to make jokes (if you couldn't already tell). But the actress also likes to use her platform to express body positivity and has even called out those who photoshop her photos for their purposes. All in all, I'd say the star deftly balances the kind of content she posts on her socials.

Of course, she (like Clark Gregg) remains popular among superhero fans and many are wondering if the two might appear in any upcoming Marvel movies. Last year, Chloe Bennet responded to rumors about the possibility of reprising her beloved role as Daisy Johnson in the Marvel Cinematic Universe proper, saying, “I wish.” It's definitely not a total impossibility and, since she dropped out of the still-in-development Powerpuff Girls reboot from The CW, she could now have the time to appear in some capacity.

Meanwhile, the man who played Phil Coulson for over a decade is keeping plenty busy post-Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. On the small screen, he's set to star in Netflix’s upcoming series Florida Man and has also landed a new role in the upcoming fourth season of TNT’s Snowpiercer.

It remains to be seen whether or not Chloe Bennet and Clark Gregg will ever team up for another production, though I'm hoping they will (and for a Marvel project at that). We'll see what happens but, in the meantime, I wouldn't mind seeing even more funny interactions between the two on social media. Regardless of whether their exchanges over thirst traps or another topic, it's always nice when they have a back-and-forth.

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D and Marvel fans love actor Clark Gregg, so it’s a shame that his presence in the MCU has been limited since the ABC show’s finale. Gregg is keeping busy in showbiz following the end of S.H.I.E.L.D, as evidenced by his recent appearance in the cast of the much-buzzed-about film Being The Ricardos. He's also coming to Netflix's Florida Man when that's ready to premiere, and now he has joined the cast of another TV show. 

Clark Gregg has joined the cast of Snowpiercer, which just started production on Season 4. There are no details on what role Gregg will play, though, given Melanie's recent return to Snowpiercer, it’s possible Gregg’s character will be yet another survivor from outside the trains. 

Snowpiercer fans are fortunate that a talent like Clark Gregg is joining no matter what part he plays, and can look forward to him possibly sharing scenes with great actors like Sean Bean, Daveed Diggs, and Jennifer Connelly. The TNT series does a good job of putting its stars together for riveting and freeing scenes for actors, so I’m excited to see how Gregg will be worked into the story and who he’ll spend the most time with in the cast.

Snowpiercer will be the latest new job for Clark Gregg, but he has another project coming to streaming down the line. He’ll appear in the upcoming Netflix original series Florida Man, which follows an ex-cop attempting to find a mobster’s girlfriend in Florida. Gregg will play a Sheriff in the series who loses his gun while vacationing at Disney World with his family. Gregg’s character is understandably worried about retrieving his firearm and will appear as a series regular in the eight-episode irreverent thriller. 

Clark Gregg has also been in the news lately in relation to his longtime role as Coulson on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as the actor reacted to some exciting Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. news. The addition of S.H.I.E.L.D. to Disney+ could create new fans of the Marvel series, even years after its finale in 2020.  While the odds feel slim that it could return, there’s always hope that the show and its characters find some continued life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Even without a potential revival, there’s always a chance that Gregg’s Agent Coulson (who actually wasn’t meant to have a large role in his debut in Iron Man) from another universe could appear in the MCU and mix things up. Of course, all his other gigs might prevent such a twist from happening.

Snowpiercer Season 4 is in production for TNT, and as mentioned, Clark Gregg has Florida Man headed to Netflix sometime in the future (an official release date hasn't been announced). Fans can now enjoy his work on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. with a Disney+ subscription or check out any other of his works as Coulson in the Marvel movies on the streaming service. 

Light spoilers for The Batman lie ahead, so read at your own risk.

Matt Reeves’ The Batman has been the beneficiary of some major buzz as of late. The film has received highly positive reviews from critics, and fans really seem to be connecting with Robert Pattinson’s emo-esque take on the hero. It feels like almost everyone has thoughts on the movie, and even a number of celebrities have taken to social media to share their takes. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. alum Clark Gregg can count himself among those who’ve watched the movie and, apparently, he wants to talk about THAT interesting similarity between his Marvel character and one of the DC movie’s.

For years, Clark Gregg played Agent Phil Coulson, the warm (yet formidable) S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who helped unite the Avengers and then went on to lead his own team of operatives. Due to the character’s popularity, the name Coulson has become quite recognizable by fans. So like Gregg, some may have been a little thrown off to discover that The Batman (which will soon be available to stream with an HBO Max subscription) has a character with a name that’s fairly similar to Phil’s. You can see how the actor responded via his Twitter post:

It’s an intriguing, and slightly chuckle-worthy coincidence, and it’s totally on brand for the actor to point out such a small detail. And fans seem to have thoughts on the similarity as well. One commenter’s viewing of the Matt Reeves-directed film seems to have been heavily impacted by the development: 

In The Batman, Gil Colson (an original character played by Peter Sarsgaard) is Gotham City’s district attorney. The weaselly Colson is one of the many corrupt public officials in Gotham and, due to his illegal activities, he lands on the Riddler’s radar in a bad way.

Gil really is a far cry from the infallible Phil Coulson, which is why one fan thinks the agent would have a puzzling reaction to learning someone’s name is similar to his own. Check it out:

Amid the character comparisons, many seem to be out in full force to show their love for Nick Fury’s most trusted operative. One Coulson devotee evoked a comic book panel to defend Phil against any kind of Gil comparison:

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of Phil Coulson love, and there’s been plenty of it as of late. This is partly due to the fact that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. recently joined the Disney+ family. The long-hoped-for development drew a positive response from Clark Gregg along with some of his co-stars. 

Some may continue to ponder the similarity between the names Phil Coulson and Gil Colson moving forward. I wouldn’t overthink it, though, because hey, coincidences do happen, especially in the realm of superheroes.

If you’ve yet to do so already, you can check out The Batman in theaters now.

Disney+ has been home to most of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but there have been a few TV shows that the streaming service hasn’t been able to scoop up. That is, until now - since series like Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D  and The Defenders have finally arrived on the platform. With this, stars like Ming-Na Wen, Clark Gregg, and Finn Jones are celebrating their long-awaited homecoming. 

Ming-Na Wen recently took to social media to announce the arrival of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D  arriving on Disney+. Check out her Instagram post: 

The actress' post features a screenshot of the homepage for Disney+, where a banner for S.H.I.E.L.D  is on full display. On the fan-favorite show, she played Melinda May, a.k.a The Cavalry, a badass weapons expert and pilot who was later revealed to have a tragic backstory. In the closing moments of the show, she was revealed to have become a teacher at the aptly named Coulson Academy. 

Meanwhile, her former co-star, Clark Gregg (otherwise known as veteran agent and Avengers ally Phil Coulson), celebrated the show's digital move by sharing a charming photo album filled with behind-the-scenes snapshots. Take a look below: 

His pics include shots with Samuel L. Jackson, Patton Oswalt, and even the late comics legend Stan Lee. Clark Gregg began his tenure in the MCU as Nick Fury’s right-hand man in Iron Man, but his character got an upgrade when he became the lead of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. 

Finn Jones of Iron Fist kept the party going with a social media shoutout. He let all of his fans know that the Marvel shows were officially online: 

Another former Netflix alum to chime in on the news was Daredevil alum Deborah Ann Woll. The actress shared a brief but exciting reaction on her Instagram:

Other Marvel stars to share the news included Krysten Ritter of Jessica Jones, who reacted with a nice post of her own. You can see what the star had to say on her own social media down below:

Among those who also weighed in on the news is Ming-Na Wen and Clark Gregg’s co-star, Elizabeth Henstridge. Like her colleagues, her reaction to the Disney+ move was one of pure delight.

The full list of Marvel shows that are now on Disney+ includes Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, The Defenders, Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, The Punisher and Daredevil. Nearly all of the programs began their tenure as Netflix originals before being transferred to their new streaming. With this, they were unavailable to he House of Mouse when it launched its own streaming service back in 2019. The wait was long, but, for Marvel fans who are ready to have all of their favorites in one place, it's sure to be worth it. 

If you're hoping to stream all of this MCU-related fare and more, you'll want to grab a Disney+ subscription. You can also check out the best shows to watch now on Disney+ or sneak a peek at the next round of upcoming Marvel movies coming out in 2022. 

Aaron Sorkin has made a career out of showing audiences what goes on behind the scenes of places like the White House, television news networks, and the creation of the world’s largest social media platform. With Being the Ricardos, his latest effort, the master screenwriter and budding director provides a short glance into the making of the beloved sitcom I Love Lucy and its principal players over the course of a single yet hectic week.

With A-listers like Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem, the Being the Ricardos cast is one of those collections of actors that just keeps getting more and more interesting the farther you get down the list. In the event some of the faces and names don’t look familiar to you, we’ve put together a quick yet comprehensive rundown of the cast and where you’ve seen them before.

Nicole Kidman (Lucille Ball)

Taking on the role of TV legend Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos is Nicole Kidman, who has racked up an Oscar, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and an impressive five Golden Globes throughout her successful film and television career.

Over the years, Nicole Kidman has dazzled audiences with performances in everything from Moulin Rouge! to Big Little Lies and Cold Mountain to The Undoing, with dozens upon dozens of memorable appearances before and since. And with upcoming movies like The Northman and shows including Expats, expect to see a lot more of Kidman in the very near future.

Javier Bardem (Desi Arnaz)

Portraying Lucille Ball’s real-life husband and co-star Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos is Javier Bardem, an actor who has built up a tremendous resumé over the course of the past two decades, including an Oscar and Golden Globe for his terrifying performance in No Country For Old Men.

Although he was already a well-known name before portraying Anton Chigurh in the Coen brothers’ 2007 neo-noir classic, Javier Bardem has become a massive star in the years following its release. With iconic performances in Skyfall, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and most recently Dune, Bardem has become one of Hollywood’s best actors.

J.K. Simmons (William Frawley)

What would a movie centering on I Love Lucy be without a portrayal of one of the show’s main stars? Luckily we don’t have that problem as Being the Ricardos sees J.K, Simmons take on the role of William Frawley, the man behind Lucy and Ricky’s neighbor Fred Mertz.

Throughout his career, J.K. Simmons has shown up in both the DC and Marvel cinematic universes playing two of the most iconic comic book characters in the process with portrayals of James Gordon and J. Jonah Jameson (including in the recently released Spider-Man: No Way Home). Outside of the realm of superhero movies, Simmons has also appeared in riveting dramas like Whiplash, for which he won an Oscar and Golden Globe, as well as groundbreaking TV dramas like Oz.

Nina Arianda (Vivian Vance)

Taking on the role of Vivian Vance, who played Ethel Mertz on I Love Lucy, is Nina Arianda. Prior to joining the Being the Ricardos cast, the Tony Award-winning actress built up a nice collection of roles in film, television, and the stage.

Over the years, Nina Arianda has given commanding film performances in Midnight in Paris, Florence Foster Jenkins, and Richard Jewell, small-screen appearances on shows like Goliath, Billions, and Hannibal, and broadway shows that include Venus in Fur and Born Yesterday.

Tony Hale (Jess Oppenheimer)

Since so much of Being the Ricardos focuses on the behind-the-scenes drama of I Love Lucy, it only makes sense for some of the major players to play prominent roles in Being the Ricardos. Enter Tony Hale, who portrays the sitcom’s showrunner Jess Oppenheimer.

Whether it is with modern classic TV shows like Arrested Development or Veep, which earned him two Golden Globes, or in movies like The Informant! and Toy Story 4, Tony Hale has been just about everywhere the past couple of decades. And with the upcoming Hocus Pocus 2, it looks like it will be that way for quite some time.

John Rubinstein (Jess Oppenheimer)

Being the Ricardos features modern-day interviews with older versions of several of the key creatives behind I Love Lucy, including one with an older Jess Oppenheimer, played by John Rubinstein. 

The son of influential pianist Arthur Rubinstein, John Rubinstein has bounced between acting, directing, and music composition throughout his more than 50-year career, including Broadway musicals like Pippin and Love Letters, film productions like 21 Grams and Red Dragon, and a list of shows that includes everything from soap operas to Young Sheldon.

Alia Shawkat (Madelyn Pugh)

Taking on the role of I Love Lucy writer Madelyn Pugh in Being the Ricardos is Alia Shawkat, who broke out as a promising young actor in the early 2000s with State of Grace and Arrested Development.

Over the years, Alia Shawkat has continued to find success in front of the camera with appearances in The Final Girls, 20th Century Women, and Blaze. Shawkat currently plays Dory Sief on the TBS/HBO Max original series Search Party. 

Linda Lavin (Madelyn Pugh)

Taking on the role of an older Madelyn Pugh in Being the Ricardos is Tony Award and Golden Globe winner Linda Lavin, who brings with her decades of experience in film, television, and Broadway.

Probably best known for leading the successful TV series Alice from 1976 to 1985, Linda Lavin has appeared on shows like The Muppet Show, The Good Wife, Santa Clarita Diet, and most recently B Positive. Her film work includes The Muppets Take Manhattan, The Back-Up Plan, and The Intern. Lavin’s stage works includes A Family Affair, Broadway Bound, and The Lyons, to name only a few.

Jake Lacy (Bob Carroll Jr.)

Jake Lacy continues his impressive run with a portrayal of Bob Carroll Jr., one of the I Love Lucy writers at the heart of Being the Ricardos. 

Over the course of the past decade, Jake Lacy has gone from a late addition to The Office cast to one of the most go-to comedic actors in film and television with roles in Obvious Child, Girls, Ode to Joy, and High Fidelity. Lacy also gave a great performance as the jerk Shane Patton on The White Lotus in 2021.

Ronny Cox (Bob Carroll Jr.)

Taking on the role of the older Bob Carroll Jr. in Being the Ricardos is Ronny Cox, who has worn many hats throughout his 50-year career.

Perhaps best remembered for his portrayal of Lieutenant Andrew Bogomil in Beverly Hills Cop, Ronny Cox has also appeared in movies like RoboCop, Deliverance, and Total Recall. His television work includes everything from Bonanza to Dexter and Star Trek: The Next Generation to Nashville.

Clark Gregg (Howard Wenke)

Rounding out the Being the Ricardos cast is Clark Gregg, who portrays CBS executive Howard Wenke.

Throughout his career, which goes back to the late 1980s, Clark Gregg has appeared in everything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to modern-day adaptations of Williams Shakespeare’s plays, and dozens of movies and shows in between. 

And don’t forget you can see all these names and more when you watch Being the Ricardos streaming on Amazon Prime. Oh, and now’s the perfect time to check out the remaining 2021 movies before it’s too late.

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The movie world would likely be spectacularly different right now if Jon Favreau's Iron Man wasn't the great film that it is. It proved to be the perfect foundation for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, what is now one of the most successful franchises of all time, and none of it would have happened if the blockbuster didn't click with audiences the way that it did. It's incredible to think about how it all came together, and according to star Clark Gregg, it's true potential was something that was actually apparent even as it was being made. The only question for him was if it would end up being everything it could be (spoiler: it did).

Gregg was recently a guest on the At Home With The Creative Coalition podcast, and during the interview the actor took a trip down memory lane discussing his time working on Iron Man. He was asked if he recognized the pop culture powder keg that the cast and crew were cooking up with the Marvel blockbuster in the process of making the film, and he explained how he saw that all of the proper pieces were in place – it was just a matter of whether or not they would all fit together. Said the actor/filmmaker,

As fans will remember, Robert Downey Jr.'s stock price as a performer in Hollywood wasn't exactly skyrocketing in the mid-2000s due to his past substance abuse issues, but Marvel Studios and Jon Favreau felt there was nobody else who could properly bring the role of Tony Stark to life – and one would have a hard time arguing against their choice at this point. Downey Jr. not only had a professional renaissance, but he made Iron Man into a pop culture icon, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe was in many ways built on his back.

Of course, Clark Gregg also saw his career fundamentally changed as well. Before Iron Man, Gregg was a successful character actor, but namedropping S.H.I.E.L.D. as Agent Phil Coulson turned out to be a massive turning point for him, and the role has been a huge part of his life ever since – not only appearing in various Marvel blockbusters, but also starring on Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. for seven years.

No matter how much time passes, and now matter how much changes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it remains impressive to look back on where it all started, and the truth of the matter is that Iron Man is still one of the best movies in the franchise. If it has been a minute since you've given it a rewatch, it is currently streaming on Disney+ (in addition to being available on digital, 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD).

With any great television show from the '90s there are dozens of movie and TV stars who appeared in small and largely forgotten roles early in their career. And while nothing will ever compare to all the guest stars and bit players who appeared on Law & Order over the years, the groundbreaking HBO romantic comedy series Sex and the City will give the two separate yet equally important groups a run for their money, especially when you consider the likes of Bradley Cooper, Timothy Olyphant, and Elizabeth Banks all appeared at one point or another.

In fact, there are dozens of future big-name actors who showed up for either one scene or a short-lived relationship with Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha Jones, Miranda Hobbes, Charlotte York, and even Mr. Big, whose actor, Chris Noth, just so happened to appear on Law & Order as well, bringing this whole thing full circle. Here are just 12 of the many famous faces who appeared on Sex and the City before they were well-known entities and just struggling actors looking for a big break in the city that never sleeps.

Bradley Cooper (Jake)

More than five years before Bradley Cooper became a comedy legend in the making with his portrayal of Zachary "Sack" Lodge in 2005's Wedding Crashers, the young actor got his first credit with an appearance in a 1999 episode of Sex and the City. In the early Season 2 episode, "They Shoot Single People, Don't They?" Cooper played a young and cocky New Yorker who at first hits things off with Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), but things go south when he makes a comment about the New York Star columnist's unflattering picture on the cover of New York Magazine.

John Slattery (Bill Kelley)

No one will hold anything against you if you think that John Slattery's career began with his Emmy-nominated portrayal of New York City advertising whiz Roger Sterling on the AMC drama Mad Men, but the man who would one day play Tony Stark's father in the Marvel Cinematic Universe had a long list of bit roles and one-off performances prior to his time at Sterling Cooper. One of those not-so-early, yet sometimes overlooked roles came in the form of Bill Kelley, the New York City comptroller candidate whose two-episode arc in Sex and the City Season 3, and political aspirations, went south when Carrie wrote about a certain politician who wants nothing more than for his lovers to pee on him in the shower.

Bridget Moynahan (Natasha Naginsky)

Bridget Moynahan, who would go on to star in CBS' Blue Bloods and appear in movies like The Sum of All Fears, Coyote Ugly, and John Wick, where she played the deceased wife of Keanu Reeve's pained assassin, got her first big acting break on Sex and the City where she appeared sporadically throughout Seasons 2 and 3 as Natasha Naginsky, Mr. Big's 20-something girlfriend who eventually becomes the second wife of Carrie's on-again-off-again boyfriend before things take a turn near the end of her 7-episode run.

Ron Livingston (Jack Berger)

Ron Livingston, who had already appeared in Office Space and Band of Brothers at this point, was a major part of Carrie Bradshaw's love life and weekly column in Seasons 5 and 6 of Sex of the City, when he portrayed the sardonic yet talented humorist writer Jack Berger. Jack had a few great moments throughout his brief run on the HBO romantic comedy, but none of that means anything once you remember how things ended for his relationship with Carrie: a Post-it note reading, "I'm sorry, I can't, don't hate me."

Timothy Olyphant (Sam)

Timothy Olyphant, who had already appeared in movies like The First Wives Club and Scream 2 but hadn't yet shown up in Gone in 60 Seconds or Rock Star, appeared in an early episode of Sex and the City Season 1 as Sam, one of the many 20-somethings that the show's central cast would date or at least hook up with throughout its duration. In the perfectly titled episode, "Valley of the Twentysomething Guys," Carrie quickly learns just because someone is young and attractive, it doesn't mean they are a suitable partner, especially when they have an awful apartment with no toilet paper.

Will Arnett (Jack)

For most of the 21st Century, Will Arnett has been considered one of the funniest television stars of his time thanks to shows like Arrested Development, BoJack Horseman, and countless others, but all future stars of the small screen have to start somewhere, and what better place than Sex and the City. Appearing in the second half of Season 2, Arnett played Jack, one of Miranda's (Cynthia Nixon) many suitors, but his weird sexual desires were a little too much for the feisty attorney.

Kat Dennings (Jenny Brier)

Kat Dennings, who would go on to have a successful comedy series of her own with the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls later on in her career, started things off with her portrayal of Jenny Brier, Samantha Jones' (Kim Cattrall) foul-mouthed 13-year-old client who jumps between cussing, talking about hooking up with different men, and planning her over-the-top bat mitzvah near the end of Sex and the City Season 3.

Elizabeth Banks (Catherine)

Today, Elizabeth Banks is known as one of the most successful triple threats in show business with a number of successful movies that she directed, produced, and starred in over the years, but before all of that she was known as Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell. There are only a few credits with Banks' given name, and one happens to be Sex and the City, specifically the Season 3 episode where she portrayed Catherine, a partygoer at a fundraiser for Bill Kelley (John Slattery's pee-brained character).

Clark Gregg (Harris Bragen)

Clark Gregg, who happens to be the fourth person on this list to have appeared in both Sex and the City and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, showed up in a Season 3 episode where Miranda is looking for a date to Charlotte's wedding and turns to a speed dating service to get the job done. After lying about her career, she meets Harris Bragen (Gregg), and things take off for a bit, but when Miranda can no longer act like a flight attendant, the pair comes back to earth.

Justin Theroux (Jared, Vaughn Wysel)

This is something you don't see everyday, but Justin Theroux played not one, but two different characters on Sex and the City. During his Season 1 appearance, Theroux, who had only taken on small roles in Ally McBeal and Romy and Michele's High School Reunion at this point, played Jared, an author with an eye for Carrie. Theroux would return in Season 2, this time playing Vaughn Wysel, a completely different writer who ends up with Carrie, but has some trouble when he's needed the most.

Tony Hale (Tiger)

Tony Hale, the future star of shows like Arrested Development, Veep, and dozens of theatrical releases, had one of his first television appearances on Sex and the City, where he showed up briefly in Season 4 as the assistant to nude photographer snapping pics of Samantha Jones. The episode, and all its awkwardness, is still something Hale talks about to this day.

Andy Cohen (Shoe Salesman)

Andy Cohen, the future host of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, has one acting credit to his name, which just so happens to be Sex and the City. Appearing briefly in Season 6, Cohen played a shoe salesman helping Carrie find the perfect shoe. This wasn't the first time (though it is his only credited role) Cohen appeared on the show, as he showed up as a shirtless guy at a gay bar in Season 4.

These are just a few of the future stars who ended up on Sex and the City during the show's original run. Did you know about all these soon-to-be famous faces on one of the most popular shows of the past 25 years? Make sure to sound off in the comments below.

The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series finale aired just a few months ago but, for longtime fans, it probably feels like an eternity. Many people, like myself, are still grappling with the fact that Phil Coulson and his team completed their final mission and ultimately, went their separate ways. It was a bittersweet ending but one that was more than fitting for the Marvel show. Still, you still can’t help but feel like there are more stories tell with these characters in spinoffs.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a vast sandbox, but the world and mythology that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has built is quite expansive on its own. This includes a plethora of endearing characters, who were all left in interesting places when the show reached its conclusion. All of them (except FitzSimmons because they’ve been through enough) have plenty of fighting left to do and deserve to headline new shows. So let’s take a look at some potential S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoffs that would be fun to see:

Mack And Yo-Yo Working For The New S.H.I.E.L.D.

Although a number of their colleagues left active S.H.I.E.L.D. duty by the series’ end, Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie and Elena “Yo-Yo” Rodriguez remained with the organization in prominent roles. Yo-Yo is revealed to be one of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s top agents and is working alongside Agents Piper and (the LMD-resurrected) Davis. Meanwhile, Mack continued his duties as director, seemingly expanding the organization’s reach in the process.

Mack and Yo-Yo are compelling characters and putting them against the backdrop of this new-look S.H.I.E.L.D. could be interesting. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. covered aspects of their pasts, but a show like this can dive even deeper into their psyches. Their jobs come with serious emotional baggage and how they carry it and simultaneously continue their romance could make for some compelling TV. And of course, this show would also allow us to see how S.H.I.E.L.D. continues to evolve as an entity, which could have continued effects on the MCU as a whole.

The Awesome Adventures Of Deke Shaw: Director Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Deke made a bold choice in the series finale, as he opted to stay in the alternate timeline to help his allies return to their own. While this left Deke further misplaced in time, he did land himself in a new position – director of that timeline’s S.H.I.E.L.D. Through instructing the team on getting back to their timeline, Deke proved himself to the agents of the alternate reality. So they had no problem asking him to be their leader.

It goes without saying that there are plenty of shenanigans that can arise from a Deke Shaw-led S.H.I.E.L.D. As well-meaning as he may be, he does have a tendency to cut corners now and then, which could make things rocky for him and his team. Still, he’s also proven to rise to the occasion when needed, which is what got him into the situation in the first place. In addition, this spinoff – being set in an alternate timeline – wouldn’t be restrained by events of the MCU and could actually take a What If...? kind of approach to its storytelling. Jeff Ward and the producers worked hard to make Deke a likable character, and now he deserves more time to shine.

Melinda May And The Coulson Academy

Yes, Melinda May is now a professor, helping to educate the next generation of agents at S.H.I.E.L.D.’s Coulson Academy. What’s even sweeter about it is that Flint (the young Inhuman from the future) is also one of her pupils. May becoming an educator made a lot of sense, especially when you consider just how cerebral she is. Plus, she’s built up a firm level of patience over seven seasons, which could be invaluable when dealing with a younger crop of agents.

Marvel proved it could more than handle the YA genre with Runaways and Cloak and Dagger, and it could do the same here. Though these agents, aside from Flint, likely won’t have powers or supervillain parents, they’re still young people who are growing up in an extraordinary world. And who better to guide them than May? It’s true that she’s not exactly Ms. Frizzle, but watching her instruct her students and guide them through their problems (both academic and personal) while simultaneously dealing with faculty would be fun.

Quake’s Adventures In Space

When S.H.I.E.L.D. began, Daisy “Quake” Johnson was a lone hacker living in a van and going by the name Skye. By the end of the show, she was a full-fledged superhero with a found family. Coulson, May and the others were her kin for the duration of the show. However, the final season gave her a blood relative in the form of her Inhuman half-sister, Kora – who she brought with her from the alternate timeline – along with a love interest in ‘50s S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Daniel Sousa. Ultimately, the final moments of the series finale revealed that the three were exploring the cosmos in Zephyr Three.

A TV show in which two superpowered sisters and a man out of time travel through space may sound far-fetched, but it could definitely work. The cosmic side of the MCU is vast and could provide a plethora of story opportunities. One can only imagine what kind of planets or cosmic entities the group could come in contact with. Plus, the three actors have great chemistry, and a spinoff could further highlight it. This show could also further Daisy’s development in interesting ways. As mentioned, Daisy had to learn to be part of a family during the events of the S.H.I.E.L.D., and it would be satisfying to watch her become the Coulson-like figure that keeps this new family together.

On The Road With Phil Coulson And Lola

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has given us so much over the years, but we can’t forget that it all started with one man – Phillip J. Coulson. It was his talent for seeking out people with special abilities, and it was that very same knack that landed him his extraordinary team. Coulson may not have been the person he was (both physically and mentally) by the time we arrived at the series finale, but he remained the glue that held everything together. With the fight against the Chronicoms finished, the now-LMD Coulson decided to take a sabbatical and travel the world in a new version of his vintage car, Lola.

At this point, I think most fans would pretty much watch Coulson do almost anything, and travelling the globe and finding adventure is definitely one of those things. Coulson may be taking time off, but the craziness of the MCU is always at work, and he could certainly cross paths with some interesting people during his travels. In a way, having Coulson make his way around the world and come into contact with “special” people is a sweet way of bringing his story full circle. One can only hope that we one day get to see Clark Gregg don his signature shades and continue doing what he does best.

So what other potential Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. spinoffs would you like to see down the line? Would you like to see any of the ones listed here? Let us know in the comments! And keep it here at CinemaBlend for Marvel updates and more news from the world of TV and movies.

Spoilers for the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series finale – “What We’re Fighting For” – lie ahead.

After seven eventful seasons, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has finally reached its conclusion, and the result was an action-packed, funny and heartfelt send-off for the MCU’s favorite S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives. And most fans were left pleased with the fact that each member of the team received a happy ending. Phil Coulson and Melinda May had particularly compelling arcs throughout the series, and both Clark Gregg and Ming-Na Wen took some time to reflect on their characters’ journeys.

The end of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has to be especially surreal for Clark Gregg, as Phil Coulson began as a character in the MCU films before being killed off and resurrected for the show. Coulson was a lone agent who formed a special team that would quickly become a family, and he would even die a few more times. After the team’s final mission, LMD Coulson takes some time to figure out his next move. There’s been so much to Coulson’s story, which is why during a roundtable for the finale, Clark Gregg told CinemaBlend and other outlets that it’s hard to choose one singular moment that he’s most grateful for:

S.H.I.E.L.D. was a show that really cared for its characters but wasn’t afraid to put them through the wringer. Ming-Na Wen’s Melinda May (aka The Cavalry) experienced plenty of loss and trauma but, in the end, she powered through. In the closing moments of the finale, it’s revealed that May has become a professor at S.H.I.E.L.D.’s newly established Coulson Academy and, during the roundtable, Wen said she was pleased with this development:

Most would agree that the producers of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. put some serious thought into how things would end for the main characters, as they definitely stuck the landing in that regard. May has always been a teacher, and having her now do so in an official capacity is too perfect. Some may have been disappointed to see Coulson end up on his own once again, but he does still have his family and Lucy. And let’s be honest, when his Phil Coulson ever been unable to find adventure on his own?

It’s sad to say goodbye to these characters, but we can still be glad that we got to spend so much time with them over these past seven years. One can only hope we get to see them again in some shape or form.

Anyone looking to revisit Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. can stream the first six seasons on Netflix.

After seven seasons, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is preparing to end its run and, as a result, fans will be saying goodbye to their favorite team of agents. The show has been through quite a lot, whether it be traveling to different places on camera or struggling to stay afloat behind the camera. But through it all, the cast and crew have pushed forward, and the ultimate result amounts to a pretty incredible journey. Of course, this all began with Phil Coulson, who first debuted in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over a decade ago. Now, the man behind the agent, Clark Gregg, is reflecting on his time in the Marvel franchise with a sweet message:

Clark Gregg was feeling very nostalgic while delivering his message (via Marvel), and I wouldn’t blame any longtime S.H.I.E.L.D. fan if they shed a tear or two while watching it. You can check it out for yourself down below:

Many were surprised when it was first announced that Phil Coulson would be revived after his Avengers death and would become the lead in his own TV show. While audiences knew what to expect from Coulson, what they didn’t know was that the show would introduce plenty of other memorable characters that would become close to their hearts. As Gregg mentions, stars like Chloe Bennet, Iain De Caestecker and Ming-Na Wen have been integral in helping to make the show what it is.

In the beginning, the series leaned heavily on its connections to the greater MCU, with big names like Samuel L. Jackson and Colbie Smulders popping in for guest spots. It even featured some great crossovers that still hold up to this today. However, as the show moved forward, it began to forge its own identity and develop lore of its own.

Filming this final season was probably tough for Clark Gregg and his co-stars since they’ve been together for so long. And this could’ve only been compounded by the fact that Season 7 has pulled no punches with certain developments. And one can only imagine what the impending series finale will bring.

Still, as the saying goes, “Don’t be sad that it’s over, be glad that it happened.” And think I speak for many S.H.I.E.L.D. fans when I say we’re glad to have had this show than to have never had it in the first place.

The two-hour Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. series finale airs Wednesday, August 12 at 9 p.m ET on ABC.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is fast approaching its series finale. The Marvel show has had a good run, with seven seasons filled with time travel, battles with HYDRA and aliens. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. originally picked up following Agent Phil Coulson’s “death” in 2012’s The Avengers and has since included a number of MCU connections. However, there’s one particular MCU crossover that still holds up in Clark Gregg's eyes.

While a number of MCU actors are moving from the films to star in Marvel’s upcoming Disney+ shows, Clark Gregg was the first to make that transition with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. However, despite its origins, the series ultimately moved away from its MCU connections the longer it was on. Speaking with CinemaBlend and others during a recent roundtable, Gregg discussed his experience on the show as it evolved and explained which of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s MCU connections he believed withstood the test of time. In his words:

As a refresher, Bill Paxton played John Garrett, an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who was revealed to be working with HYDRA. Garrett famously recruited Grant Ward, who cozied up with Coulson’s team before betraying them at the end of Season 1 in one of the best Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. twists. Unfortunately, Paxton died in 2017. However, in a nice tribute, his son James Paxton joined the show in Season 7 to play the younger version of Garrett.

All told, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. moving further away from the MCU has had its benefits. Sure, Samuel L. Jackson never reprised his role as Nick Fury on the show after its first season, but the ABC series managed to hold its own regardless. In that vein, Clark Gregg went on to discuss the upside to disentangling Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. from the MCU movies. Here’s what he said:

I agree, it definitely “freed up” the writers. I don’t think they would have been able to do things like the Framework storyline in Season 4 or catapulting the agents into the future and outer space in Season 5 if Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had remained so closely connected to the MCU films. By exploring its own storylines with “whatever pieces” were left in the Marvel sandbox, the ABC series became all the better for it.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s two-hour series finale (!) will air on Wednesday, August 12 at 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC. For more on what to watch, be sure to check out our 2020 fall TV premiere guide.

For Marvel fans that stick only to the MCU, Clark Gregg’s character Agent Phil Coulson played an early and pivotal role in starting the Avengers Initiative but tragically died during the first The Avengers movie, and that's it. Of course, his character never really died, but continued on in the TV show Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. So Naturally, Clark Gregg wants his character to reunite with the Avengers.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is currently on its final season and, to discuss all things Marvel, Clark Gregg sat down with Comic Book. With the devastating events of Avengers: Endgame now behind us, one sad fact is that Agent Coulson never got to reunite with Tony Stark. When asked who of the Avengers Clark Gregg would like to reunite with, this is what he said:

For many Marvel fans who watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, it’s no secret that Agent Coulson returns from the dead after the events of The Avengers. However, others may have totally missed the boat and not given a second thought that Agent Coulson is indeed still alive and probably should have gotten the chance to show up for Avengers: Endgame.

There could have been a number of ways for Marvel and the Russo Brothers to pull off giving Agent Coulson a brief cameo in Avengers: Endgame. He could have fought in the climactic battle (After all, they even gave Howard the Duck an Easter egg shot), been at Tony Stark’s funeral, or as Clark Gregg later explained it, they could have run into each other briefly:

At the end of the day, perhaps they didn’t include Agent Coulson because a large portion of the MCU audience doesn’t watch Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and may have been very confused why he would have just shown up out of nowhere. Especially considering he hasn’t been even hinted at since his death. There are a variety of factors in play.

Of course, Agent Coulson did reappear in Captain Marvel, but we all know that was set before his death. Still, since he’s still alive and has that connection, it’s not out of the question that he might end up returning in some capacity in the MCU. Stay tuned to Cinema Blend for more MCU news as it arrives.

During its seven-season run, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been fortunate to have a plethora of notable guest stars. From Samuel L. Jackson and Colbie Smulders to Ruth Negga and Edward James Olmos, it’s truly had a revolving door of talent. Ahead of the show’s final season, many expected some familiar faces to pop in and, so far, the show hasn’t disappointed. Still, there are a few guest stars Clark Gregg wishes could’ve joined in on the show’s last adventure.

Clark Gregg has fond memories of some of the show’s past stars and, of course, he would’ve loved to have seen as many return as possible. Now, he’s opened up to ComicBook.com about who he thinks would’ve made nice additions to Season 7:

For longtime Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., having B.J Britt’s Antoine Triplett and the late Bill Paxton’s John Garrett would have been a dream. Both were key characters, especially during the show’s first season, and having them back would have brought things full circle in a way.

The two were originally introduced during the latter half of the first season and were working together to bring down the villainous Ian Quinn. This would bring them into contact with Coulson’s team, and Garrett, and old friend of Coulson’s, would agree to help them track down a HYDRA operative known as the Clairvoyant. Ultimately, Garrett was revealed as the Clairvoyant and later killed by Coulson in the season finale.

After the fallout with Garrett, Tripp joined Coulson’s team, with B.J. Britt remaining on the show into the second season. Tripp would tragically be killed when he was turned to stone by a shard from the Obelisk in the midseason finale.

With time travel being the focal point of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s final season, having them on the show would have been possible. The returns of characters like Daniel Sousa and Rick Stoner prove this point. Of course, Clark Gregg’s comments, paired with the fact that Bill Paxton is no longer with us, means these returns are unlikely. Still, as the actor mentions, there may still be tributes or nods to the two. When he passed, Paxton was given a sweet nod during a Season 4 episode, and the show also honored another late alum. So it’s certainly possible the series could do a similar thing here.

With five episodes left, we can likely assume that S.H.I.E.L.D. has at least a few more surprises up its sleeve, and it’ll be fun to speculate on them as the season finishes out.

New episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is back and the final season has been packed with a lot of exciting things for longtime fans. After all, there have been promises the series will avoid treading the path of another series’ controversial outcome. And if that isn't enough great news, Clark Gregg is teasing even more surprises to come.

While fans have already gotten to see some major MCU tie-ins within the first two episodes, they also have that Agent Carter crossover, which will begin with next week's episode. After some early speculation, it was eventually confirmed that Enver Gjokaj would appear on the final season of S.H.I.E.L.D., reprising his role as Daniel Sousa. Agent Carter fans will recall that Sousa was Peggy Carter’s love interest in the series.

Aside from the Agent Carter connection, Clark Gregg indicates there are more surprises where that came from. Asked what it was like to have some blasts from the past return, Gregg said:

Clark Gregg always knows how to put out a great tease, and his comments to Collider were no different. It sounds like Patton Oswalt, and Agent Carter’s Enver Gjokaj are far from the only ones making their way back for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s final season. And with the time-traveling drama surrounding this new season, it definitely makes sense that this would be the case.

One of the more interesting aspects of Clark Gregg's comments is his mention of seeing new versions of past people. Could this mean we could see some younger versions of some major MCU characters? There's always a chance we could see a young Howard Stark (played by Dominic Cooper) come into the picture again. Or maybe we'll see some version of S.H.I.E.L.D. traitor Grant Ward. The possibilities are endless.

Time will tell who ends up popping up and, since fans aren't far into Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s final season, there's plenty of time for some big names to cross paths with our favorite agents. And hopefully, the big questions that have been raised so far will be answered.

Tune into to see what other surprise appearances occur when new episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s final season air Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC as one of this summer’s premieres. You can currently stream past seasons on Netflix alongside a lot of new 2020 content.

Ever since making his on-screen debut twelve years ago in the MCU’s Iron Man, Clark Gregg’s Phil Coulson has been a vibrant fixture in Marvel entertainment, hence, it is no wonder that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. left the door open for Gregg to return to the MCU. It all makes one wonder. Will Coulson ever return after Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ends on ABC?

Clark Gregg has weighed in, and his answer could arguably be categorized as hopeful. The actor, who has revealed the challenging part of playing Coulson, has thoughts on whether Season 7 will really be the end of his fan-favorite character. Asked about ever making a return to reprise his role as Coulson, Gregg told Variety:

So, Clark Gregg isn't saying never to playing Coulson again, which is a positive sign, as Gregg knows all about how the unexpected can happen. After all, Coulson was killed off in the MCU and then on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., only to subsequently return as a Life Model Decoy (LMD). If Marvel wants there to be more Coulson, they can figure out a way to make it happen.

If they do want him back, Clark Gregg sounds ready to get on-board. Or at least, he would not slam the open door in their faces. It will be interesting to learn if Marvel would have to get creative about Coulson’s future following Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s final season, which is said to have pulled out all the stops.

Many are undoubtedly wondering if a Coulson reprisal would happen in the MCU, or on television during his post-Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. career. It is not as if Disney+ is running out of series to showcase Clark Gregg’s beloved character. Between the apparently two-season Loki and other Marvel/Disney+ ventures, there are a lot of possibilities.

As Clark Gregg has explained, there is a “division” between Marvel’s television series and its cinematic universe. But, Gregg’s Coulson has somehow managed to weave between both worlds to a remarkable degree throughout the years. His home on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has been a steady one during that time. Let's face it, bringing back fan-favorites is not an unheard-of development.

An Agent Carter actor will be among those fans will get to see when Season 7 gets underway. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is about to kick off its final season, which will include time-travel rules that are different from Avengers: Endgame. So, you will want to brush up on that while you can. Thankfully, Coulson will be around to do his thing.

The importance of Clark Gregg’s presence in the Marvel universe, be it in television or the movies, goes without saying at this point. While it is tough to imagine that Gregg’s final bow (ever) as Coulson will occur on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., considering his popularity, I could be wrong.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 (aka the final season) premieres tomorrow, Wednesday, May 27, at 10 p.m. ET on ABC as one of this summer’s premieres. You can currently stream Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. on Netflix alongside new 2020 content.

Fans are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Disney+’s Loki, which will continue the adventures of Tom Hiddleston’s mischievous (and sometimes well-meaning) antihero. Like its fellow Marvel Cinematic Universe shows, the show is being touted as a limited series, with a season only consisting of six episodes. But Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Clark Gregg may have just let it slip that the show could run longer than a single season.

While pondering what S.H.I.E.L.D. would have been like with Marvel Studios backing it, he mentioned the number of episodes Hiddleston is filming, and it’s more than six:

Per his comments to Variety, Clark Gregg has reportedly spoken with his former Avengers co-star Tom Hiddleston about his upcoming Disney+ project. Hiddleston more than likely wouldn’t lie to Gregg about such a thing, so this would mean Loki is indeed getting an additional set of episodes.

Although there were rumors that Loki could get a second season, there was nothing concrete to indicate that this would indeed be the case. Now, Loki appears to the be only the second MCU series to have multiple seasons, as the animated series What If…? will also have two.

The idea of Loki having multiple seasons was never too far-fetched, as the few plot details we have tease a complex story. The series will pick up with the 2012 iteration of the God of Mischief who managed to slip away with the Tesseract during Avengers: Endgame. From here, he’ll use it to travel through time and likely alter historical events to his liking. The first teaser for the show also hinted that Loki will land on the Time Variance Authority’s radar. It’s also been confirmed that his adventure will have ties to Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

In addition to the madcap chaos that’s bound to ensue, showrunner and executive producer Michael Waldron has also confirmed that the show will explore Loki’s internal struggle with his identity. This is sure to add even more layers to a character that we’ve already known for nearly a decade.

It’s exciting to see that Loki is likely getting a new season, though the wait is going to be long now that Season 1 has already been delayed due to the global health crisis. Nevertheless, this still means we have even more to look forward to from Tom Hiddleston’s trickster.

Loki is currently slated to premiere on Disney+ in early 2021.

Phil Coulson is coming back for the final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., but he won’t quite be the agent and former organization head that viewers have come to know. The version of the character that fans will see this year is an LMD (Life-Model decoy) that was created to help guide the team during their final mission. If this development was somewhat jarring for you, then don’t worry, because Clark Gregg felt the same way.

Clark Gregg has played Agent Phil Coulson for over a decade and, in that time, he’s become very in tune with who Coulson is and what he wants and doesn’t want as a character. So the actor was a bit surprised when he found out his character would become a Life-Model Decoy. Regardless, he sought to make this iteration of the beloved character more than just a machine:

Clark Gregg’s recent interview with Variety further proves just how much he loves Phil Coulson, but it also shows that even he can still be surprised as to how the character’s story plays out.

Phil Coulson has had an interesting journey since he debuted in Iron Man back in 2008. The committed and humorous operative would be instrumental in getting the Avengers together, with his death at the hands of Loki propelled them to assemble for the first time. Of course, he was later revived and was tasked with leading his own covert team on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. before becoming the organization’s new director.

Unfortunately, due to an agreement made with Ghost Rider, Coulson died sometime between Seasons 5 and 6, though Gregg still remained on the show. During Season 6, he played Sarge, a villain possessing Coulson’s appearance.

Sarge would meet his end in the season finale, but, with the team having been thrust into a time travel mission to save S.H.I.E.L.D., they need someone with a wealth of knowledge on the peacekeeping entity’s history. This is where LMD Coulson comes in.

Although turning Coulson into an LMD may not be what anyone (including Clark Gregg) would’ve expected for the final season, it makes sense. The android appears to possess the attitude that Coulson exuded during the first season, which essentially brings things full circle.

We’ll get an idea of how he’s able to aid the team when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. returns for its final season on Wednesday, May 27 at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has outlasted every other Marvel TV show to date — its Netflix and Freeform counterparts like Daredevil or The Runaways never made it past the three-season mark. It’s also the last currently airing series to be produced under the guidance of Marvel TV president Jeph Loeb, who parted ways with the studio last fall. Recently, MCU vet and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. star Clark Gregg discussed the “division” between Marvel TV and the MCU and how it impacted the storylines that made it into the ABC series.

Headed into its seventh and final season on ABC, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. began its existence with strong connections to the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Season 1 (including appearances from Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders’ Agent Hill) before branching off to do its own thing. Season 7 will finally give viewers the Life Model Decoy (LMD) version of Coulson that it was first assumed he would play after he died in The Avengers.

However, that had less to do with a blatant MCU connection than the showrunners being allowed to incorporate it into the story. On that note, Clark Gregg recently spoke about the separation between the TV and movie branches of Marvel and how that disconnect affected what could be done on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. Here’s what he told Variety:

I’m sure there are viewers out there who would’ve preferred Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to be more deeply connected to the MCU as time went by, but I think the division between Marvel TV and the MCU allowed for a lot more creativity to happen on the small screen. Untethered, the ABC series got a lot more ambitious, introducing HYDRA’s Framework, aliens, and even did time travel before Avengers: Endgame.

Of course, the Marvel TV shows headed to Disney+, including The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki, will be a lot more intricately tied to the overarching MCU. Season 7 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. truly marks the end of an era, though there’s always a chance for Coulson to return to the MCU down the line, in one for or another.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 premieres on Wednesday, May 27 at 10:00 p.m. ET on ABC. For more on what to watch, be sure to check out our summer premiere guide.

Major spoilers below for the season finale of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., which delivered some surprising and welcomed twists.

Once it became clear that Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. would be coming to a close after the previously ordered Season 7, filmed relatively soon after the sixth batch of installments, it perhaps became easier to embrace the more questionable Season 6 moments, knowing that the creative team is gearing up for a small screen endgame in the future. That knowledge also definitely helped justify the double-episode finale's twists and time changes going into the Coulson-friendly final year.

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 7 Is Going Back In Time

Because explaining everything that went down in the Season 6 finale would take about as long as the dual episodes themselves, let's hone in on the fact that the finale ended with the Zephyr essentially becoming a time machine that transported the team back to 1930s New York, during the Empire State Building's construction process. What can co-showrunners and executive producers Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen say about it?

The major threat at hand is that those pesky (and kinda terrifying) villains, the Chronicoms, are trying to turn Earth into a third version of their home planet Chronyca, which doesn't exactly work for Team S.H.I.E.L.D. or the rest of civilization for various reasons. The synthetic beings destroyed the Lighthouse base, and viewers gained knowledge of their plans to remove S.H.I.E.L.D. by traveling back in time and targeting the organization and its agents across recent history.

Time travel isn't exactly new for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., or other areas in the MCU, seeing as how the characters spent part of Season 5 in 2091 before returning to the present. But that was the semi-distant future, obviously, and this isn't a show that regularly offers audiences chances to relive parts of history. The CW's Legends of Tomorrow is far more accustomed to those kinds of adventures.

S.H.I.E.L.D. Welcomed Back Phil Coulson, Sort Of

Of course, the Legends of Tomorrow crew don't get to boast about having Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson around, but the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. gang have now welcomed back the closest representation of Coulson that fans have seen since the Season 5 finale. First, Gregg's Season 6 character Sarge was ceremoniously skinned and lopped in half, which seemingly put an end to the Shrike and zombie threats.

Then, Simmons revealed that Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans don't need to worry about making it through the final season of the show without Clark Gregg guiding things in some way. Granted, it's an LMD version of Coulson, and not a fully resurrected iteration, but beggars can't be choosers. In fact, the only choosers here are showrunners Jed Whedon, Jeff Bell and Maurissa Tancharoen, who reiterated to EW the idea that there is "no show without Clark," despite fears of his potential absence.

Don't expect any of them to offer any concrete answers about where things are going with New Coulson in Season 7, the last batch of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. episodes. Here's how Jed Whedon put it:

Hmm. Couple the fact that Clark Gregg plays different versions of his central character along with the time travel issues, and it's clear that The Flash is the more comparable comic book show in this case. That show not only uses time travel chicanery, but star Tom Cavanagh also portrays different iterations of the same character in each season. Basically, I guess I'm trying to wish Clark Gregg into the Arrow-verse after Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. ends next year. It won't happen, but it's fun to imagine.

Just like it's fun to ponder the kinds of destruction-defying tactics Simmons & Co. will need to utilize to stop their enemies during a time when Babe Ruth was still a baseball behemoth. At least in that initial time-jump. Stay tuned to future episodes to find out where S.H.I.E.L.D. will show up after that.

Does The Time Travel Offer Up Any MCU Connections Inspired By Avengers: Endgame?

Considering the final films of the MCU's Phase 3 fully opened the doors to multiverses and altered timelines, it shouldn't be ignored just how quickly Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is following up on that game-changer by introducing its own time-traveling storyline. But what does that mean for the ABC action drama? Will we learn of different outcomes of whatever happens in the early '30s, or does Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have its own guidelines when it comes to changing time?

To be expected, the answers given by the co-showrunners aren't spoilery, but they don't shoot the notion down, either.

It's assumed that Jeff Bell's Marvel comment there means that the time jaunts would have been shut down by the studio if S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Season 7 narrative didn't have the ideal plan to maneuver its way through the timeline. Could the series use this opportunity to fully immerse itself in cinematic MCU lore by dropping into key moments from the franchise's history?

How badass would it be to watch the team interacting with a young Steve Rogers and/or Peggy Carter prior to the events seen in Captain America: The First Avenger? Or to get scenes where members of the team show up in the background of familiar big screen moments, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead-style? (Please let it leak that Tom Stoppard was on the writing team for Season 7, which already finished shooting.) It does look like Agent Carter characters may appear, so it'll be interesting to see if they'll be the same as they were in the standalone series.

What did you guys think of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s doubled-up season finale? We certainly hope it was enough to last the hiatus until Season 7 arrives on ABC at some point in the future. Until then, enjoy the remaining summer TV shows that are debuting before the joyous onslaught of the fall primetime schedule.

The end is coming for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as news recently broke that Marvel's first live-action primetime superhero series will wrap up at the end of Season 7. The good news is that S.H.I.E.L.D. is still airing Season 6, so there's no need to start a countdown to the final credits just yet. Still, it does raise the question of what will became of the S.H.I.E.L.D. characters once the final credits roll.

Star Clark Gregg chatted with CinemaBlend and other press outlets at Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s San Diego Comic-Con round tables, and he said this when asked if he could appear in future Marvel projects:

The MCU is massive and not going anywhere, despite the loss of some big heroes during the events of Avengers: Endgame. The Marvel Cinematic Universe will obviously outlive when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. comes to an end, which could mean the opportunity for Clark Gregg and the rest of the cast to reprise their roles. After all, there's even Disney+ coming up as a platform for Marvel. Gregg's comments are promising, if not definitive.

At this point, S.H.I.E.L.D. hasn't revealed how Coulson and Sarge are connected, if indeed they are connected beyond sharing DNA. Is there a Phil Coulson consciousness buried down beneath the mysterious Sarge? Or a Phil Coulson who can be restored to that body? Was there some kind of T.A.H.I.T.I.I. process that resulted in Sarge?

Since that mystery is still as enigmatic as ever, of course Clark Gregg couldn't say whether he'd return as Coulson for any kind of MCU project not set prior to Coulson's death, either in The Avengers or following S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 5. Whoever he's still playing in the final moments of Season 7, perhaps that character will be able to move on to another project in the MCU. S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't still be "all-encompassing," after all!

All of this said, there is still plenty of time before the series finale. Season 6 is still airing, and the seventh and final season doesn't debut until next year. As sad as fans will undoubtedly be at the end of Marvel's first big live-action primetime series, at least S.H.I.E.L.D. will have had the chance to craft a solid ending. After all, Clark Gregg did reveal how the cast thought Season 5 was going to be the end.

There's also the point that the end of S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't mean the end of the MCU on the small screen. Disney+ is premiering a show all about Loki, with Tom Hiddleston reprising his famous role. Scarlet Witch and Vision have a series of their own as well, as do Falcon and Winter Soldier. Throw in everything in the works for Phase 4, and plenty of Marvel will continue making its way to the screen.

For now, you can catch new episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (which recently managed to make Fitz and Simmons' story even darker than it has been in the past few cursed seasons) on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

The long-awaited sixth season premiere of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is finally here, and fans get to find out what happened to the heroes after the Season 5 finale that killed off Fitz, left Coulson with his days numbered, and seemingly split the team in two with Mack as the new leader. The sixth season is the first to run for only 13 episodes, and it just so happens to be premiering in the same time that HBO's mega hit Game of Thrones is winding down its last season.

On the surface, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Game of Thrones don't seem to have much in common, but S.H.I.E.L.D. star Clark Gregg recently chatted with CinemaBlend about how S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 is like the HBO series, saying this:

Yes, April was an emotional month for fans of Game of Thrones who are also fans of the MCU, thanks to Thrones airing one of its most highly-anticipated and deadly episodes the same weekend that Avengers: Endgame closed a chapter in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While obviously the battle for the Iron Throne and leadership of the Seven Kingdoms is different from what the heroes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. are up to in Season 6, there are notable similarities, not the least of which is the episode count.

As Clark Gregg said, genre series often lend themselves to shorter seasons. Given that Coulson died between Seasons 5 and 6, he's tasked with developing a brand new character within a shorter span of episodes, and it's already clear that Sarge is just about as un-Coulson as can be.

Just as Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 is its shortest season to date, Game of Thrones Season 8 is its shortest season. Based on some of Clark Gregg's previous comments about how much longer S.H.I.E.L.D. will last, it's probably safe to say that Season 6 is the beginning of the end of the S.H.I.E.L.D. saga. Both shows also switched up their formats for their latest seasons. On top of Season 8 being its shortest, Game of Thrones is poised to resolve its two big series arcs within only six episodes.

Interestingly, for all that it has struggled in the ratings for years, S.H.I.E.L.D. is in no danger of the new format backfiring and getting the show cancelled after Season 6. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was renewed for a seventh (and likely finale) season well before Season 6 even premiered, also for 13 episodes. Most of the Netflix Marvel shows ran seasons of 13 episodes each, and both Runaways and Cloak & Dagger have run seasons well below the 22-episode mark. Maybe 13 episodes is exactly what S.H.I.E.L.D. needs for one spectacular arc.

Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D. is not going to score Game of Thrones-esque numbers no matter what it does, but no show is likely going to come close to matching Thrones any time soon. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is the first MCU TV show to make it to a major network, and it's currently the last one standing. Considering future Marvel shows are likely headed for streaming, perhaps these next two seasons of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be the end of Marvel's presence on network television. We'll have to wait and see.

For now, we can look forward to a few months of S.H.I.E.L.D. action on the small screen. Considering the timing of the premiere, S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 could be just what fans of Game of Thrones and Avengers: Endgame need. You can catch the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 premiere on Friday, May 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, with future episodes continuing to air in the Friday 8 p.m. ET time slot on ABC.

Marvel had a mighty presence on television not so long ago, but the cancellation of all the Marvel shows on Netflix means that there are far fewer Marvel superheroes mixing it up on the small screen until Disney+ launches later this year. The good news is that the MCU's original TV show is still going, against all odds and despite ratings that weren't exactly setting the good kind of records. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will soon return to ABC for its sixth season after a long hiatus.

The Season 5 finale was actually crafted in such a way that it could serve as a series finale in the event that ABC gave the show the axe, which seemed entirely possible last spring. The ratings weren't the best, although they were never likely to skyrocket after S.H.I.E.L.D. moved to Friday. Still, rumor had it that ABC wanted to cancel S.H.I.E.L.D. after Season 4, and it was only the intervention of Disney that brought it back. A sixth season felt like a long shot for a while.

So, in preparation for S.H.I.E.L.D. finally coming back and revealing what's in store following the Season 5 finale, read on for our breakdown of what we know so far about Season 6!

The Trailer

Given how the Season 5 finale really could have served as a decent series finale, if ABC decided to cancel the show when it was too late to shoot a new ending, fans haven't had a lot to go on to speculate about what's to come. The death of Fitz would propel Simmons on the next leg of her journey, Mack had a new role to play, and Coulson's journey was coming to an end. But what about everything else?

Well, in true Marvel fashion, the trailer for S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't give away a ton in the way of solid details, but it does deliver some great teases. Take a look:

The trailer confirms that S.H.I.E.L.D. followed through on what seemed to be Coulson's certain death as well as the fact that Clark Gregg will still be in the mix. Not as original recipe Coulson, except, apparently, via recordings, but in the mix. Deke is back despite his ambiguous fate following his grandfather's death, Daisy is in the thick of the action, and there's just a lot going on. What exactly is going to happen? Difficult to say. Still, it should be a wild ride!

When Will Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 Premiere?

The renewal for Season 6 was great news for fans who had been fretting about the ratings, but there was bad news: rather than premiering in the fall as usual, S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't be back for the next season until the summer. ABC didn't reveal a premiere date for quite a while, and comments from one star seemed to indicate it would be back in July. It always seemed likely that it wouldn't be back before Avengers: Endgame hit theaters, at the very least.

Well, S.H.I.E.L.D. did not return before Endgame hit theaters, but fans won't have to wait until July or even the official beginning of summer. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 will debut on Friday, May 10 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. This represents a move to a new time slot. Although S.H.I.E.L.D. made the move to Fridays ahead of Season 5, it held the 9 p.m. ET time slot, with Once Upon a Time as its lead-in.

The cancellation of Once Upon a Time actually had some fans concerned that S.H.I.E.L.D. would be the next victim of the Friday night death slot, but S.H.I.E.L.D. isn't going anywhere just yet. Hey, what better way to ring in the weekend than with a good old-fashioned dose of the MCU? The May 10 premiere date also puts S.H.I.E.L.D.'s return at just eight days shy of the anniversary of its Season 5 finale, which aired on May 18, 2018.

How Many Episodes In Season 6?

The move from a fall premiere date to a summer premiere date wasn't the only big change for S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6. The first five seasons of the series ran for 22 episodes. The first couple of seasons generally ran one big arc for the full span of episodes, although of course also with smaller stories going on concurrently. Starting with Season 3, seasons began to break up into mini arcs, or "pods." S.H.I.E.L.D. would generally get three out of a 22-episode season.

Well, Season 6 of S.H.I.E.L.D. won't have the time for three pods of episodes. The sixth season scored an order for only 13 episodes. While this was a bummer for fans who were hoping for another order of 20+ episodes, it might not be a bad thing. S.H.I.E.L.D. arguably improved when it began to focus on smaller arcs with limited filler, and fans responded well to the Netflix shows with episode counts of, or around, 13 episodes. Perhaps S.H.I.E.L.D. will thrive with a shortened season.

How Much S.H.I.E.L.D. Is Left?

For fans who were surprised that S.H.I.E.L.D. was renewed for Season 6, the next big announcement for S.H.I.E.L.D. must have been downright shocking. Back in November, months before fans could even hope for Season 6 to debut, ABC ordered a seventh season of the show. And, it doesn't even appear that somebody had to sell their soul to Ghost Rider to make it happen!

Like Season 6, Season 7 will run for only 13 episodes, and Clark Gregg stated earlier that the "word I've heard" is that there would be just two more seasons. So, fans should probably resign themselves to S.H.I.E.L.D. ending after Season 7. That doesn't have to be a bad thing. If the folks at S.H.I.E.L.D. already know at this point that the Season 7 finale will be the very end, then they can craft an ending that (hopefully) delivers closure.

Who Will Be Back?

The stakes may not be as high for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 as for Avengers: Endgame, but Marvel was still keeping a pretty tight lid on spoilers for what's to come. Thanks to the trailer and a very Last Supper-esque promotional image, however, we can safely say which members of the main cast will be back.

Ming-Na Wen, Clark Gregg, Chloe Bennett, Elizabeth Henstridge, Iain De Caestecker, Henry Simmons, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, and Jeff Ward will all be back. Most of those returns aren't altogether surprising, but they do pose interesting questions for the new season.

Of course, Coulson ended Season 5 ready for a vacation in Tahiti -- the real Tahiti -- with May before he passed away, so Clark Gregg will be primarily playing somebody brand new in Season 6, and Skrulls probably won't be connected.

Jeff Ward's inclusion apparently means that Deke didn't just blink out of existence following Fitz's death at the end of Season 5, which was what I originally believed. Deke's continued existence presumably means that Simmons' mission to get Fitz back will be successful, as the show has given no sign that she was already pregnant at the time of Fitz's death.

Sadly, the Fitz who presumably does come back will be a Fitz who missed out on some key events from Season 5, not the least of which were his epic rescue of his pals on the Lighthouse and the perfectly FitzSimmons way Fitz and Simmons got engaged. But hey, at least he'll be alive!

Interestingly, alien anthropologist Enoch will seemingly be back as well, despite what appeared to be his definitive end back in Season 5. Actor Joel Stoffer was spotted in a picture posted in honor of S.H.I.E.L.D. wrapping filming on Season 6. Stoffer is reportedly recurring in Season 6, along with Briana Venskus as the resilient Agent Piper, according to Revenge of the Fans. The same report states that Anthony Michael Hall will appear as a guest star in the sixth season.

Who Is Clark Gregg Playing?

It was difficult to imagine Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. without Clark Gregg, so fans naturally had to wonder after the Season 5 finale if S.H.I.E.L.D. would pull a switcheroo and find a way for Coulson to survive the ailment that was supposed to kill him. Well, we now know that original recipe Coulson really did die, and he seemingly went peacefully enough that May didn't sound too bitter in the Season 6 trailer. Gregg is back as a new character, and this new character won't just be Coulson 2.0.

Speaking to CinemaBlend's Nick Venable at the winter TCA tour, Clark Gregg revealed that he'd be playing somebody who looks "an awful lot like Phil Coulson to these people," and it "may be a little disturbing, what's about to go down." This newcomer will be known as "Sarge," and his grand introduction proves that he's not one of the good guys, at least right off the bat. Take a look!

According to Clark Gregg, playing Coulson could be quite challenging. Playing "Sarge" after so many years on the small and big screen alike as Coulson likely presented its own set of unique challenges. Hey, at least his character dying didn't mean he's out of a job! On top of this new character and potential appearances elsewhere in the MCU timeline like in Captain Marvel, there are possibilities like S.H.I.E.L.D. flashbacks, holograms, dream sequences, hallucinations, and more.

What Is The Premiere About?

Expectations are likely going to be high for the premiere after nearly a year without any new episodes, so the question is what S.H.I.E.L.D. will do to kick off its next season. ABC still hasn't released much premiere footage, but a description of the episode paints an interesting picture of a new enemy emerging. Here's what's happening:

The action will pick up after a one-year time jump, which should allow S.H.I.E.L.D. to neatly sidestep any continuity issues that would come with Avengers: Endgame.

Guest starring in the premiere are Maximilian Osinski, Briana Venskus, Joel Stoffer, Barry Shabaka Henley, Lucas Bryant, Winston James Francis, Matt O'Leary, Brooke Williams, Glenn Keogh, and Levi Meaden. In a fun twist, "Missing Pieces" was directed by Clark Gregg, and penned by co-creators/co-showrunners Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen.

Where We Left Off: S.H.I.E.L.D.

The end of Season 5 saw several of the characters broken into factions with different goals. With Coulson dying and wanting to spend his remaining time in a beautiful, calm, serene place with May by his side, he needed somebody to step up as director of S.H.I.E.L.D., and that person is none other than Mack.

Mack is certainly qualified to serve as S.H.I.E.L.D. director, but actor Henry Simmons has revealed that there's one particular challenge he faces. His "reluctance to put the people he loves in the line of danger" will force him to make difficult decisions, including "what sacrifices will be made." The core group of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents have become a family that trusts and loves each other. Mack may find that's less appealing when you're the guy in charge.

Chloe Bennet, who already explained how Quake will deal with Coulson's absence in Season 6, shared what to expect from Mack as S.H.I.E.L.D. head honcho in a chat with TV Guide:

With Piper, Daisy, and probably Yo-Yo still working at S.H.I.E.L.D., Mack should have familiar faces around him. He also didn't go looking for the leadership position, so fans should definitely cut him some slack if he struggles in Season 6.

Where We Left Off: May And Coulson

The Season 5 finale was especially bittersweet for May and Coulson. After everybody finally came to terms with the reality that Coulson was dying and didn't want any unnatural measures to be taken to prolong his life, Coulson and May left their friends at S.H.I.E.L.D. behind.

Where did they go? Well, just about the most fitting place imaginable. The last image of the two of them together in Season 5 featured them side by side on a beautiful beach on the actual island of Tahiti, which is presumably far more enjoyable for Coulson with May at his side than anything he went through with T.A.H.I.T.I. Hopefully Tahiti truly was a magical place for him in his final days.

With Coulson gone, May will clearly be back. How different will she be now that she's lost another man she truly loves? Will she still be opened up to her friends? Or will the Cavalry be back?

Where We Left Off: FitzSimmons

By this point, we're all wondering if Fitz and Simmons really are a little bit cursed, right? Well, at least S.H.I.E.L.D. found a new way to cruelly rip them apart right when they were beginning a fresh chapter of their lives together. Instead of depriving Fitz of oxygen at the bottom of the ocean or whisking Simmons off to a far-off planet, S.H.I.E.L.D. just went ahead and killed off Fitz.

Fitz hadn't had an easy ride in Season 5 already, he crossed some major lines with what he did to Daisy while in an altered state, and he wasn't thrilled that Deke of all people was their grandchild, and poor Simmons had to try and hold everything together. The good news is that Fitz's grand heroic gesture of freezing himself and sleeping the decades away in the first pod of Season 5 means that a frozen-in-time Fitz is floating around space somewhere, just waiting to be recovered, revived, and hopefully re-married.

Actress Elizabeth Henstridge shared some of what to expect from Simmons as she tries to find her lost love:

If anybody can find Fitz floating around the vast nothingness of space, it's Simmons. The universe may seem determined to rip Fitz and Simmons apart whenever they get too close to a happily-ever-after, but it hasn't stopped them from always fighting to get back to each other. Hopefully they both live to the end of Season 7 and can end the series by retiring to a cottage in Scotland or taking over their own lab or just doing anything that doesn't end in heartbreak.

Less than a month is left to wait before Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is finally back on the small screen. If you need a refresher of all that happened before, you can find all five current seasons of S.H.I.E.L.D. streaming on Netflix now.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans still deciphering that biblically inspired image for Season 6 put that aside for now, because there's some brand spankin' new footage to pour over! A fresh sneak peek for the upcoming season has arrived, and we're treated to a shocking new scene that involves Clark Gregg's Coulson doppelganger and a couple other familiar faces. Take a look.

Damn, he didn't even hesitate to shoot that guy! This Coulson look-alike isn't playing games, and it sounds like he's going to need to be filled in on S.H.I.E.L.D. and some other things. As for the characters we do know, they're looking a bit rattled by the fact he just drove a semi out of that smoke. There wasn't any sounds of the truck driving before it appeared, so did he emerge from a portal?

For now, it doesn't seem like we're any closer to learning what the deal is with this doppelganger. He's definitely a different character, as we've heard Clark Gregg say, but is he speaking figuratively or literally? Perhaps this character is Phil Coulson, but timeline manipulation and all that has changed his path to one that has made him completely oblivious to S.H.I.E.L.D's existence? He also could be the Coulson of another multiverse?

"Sarge," as he's called on ABC's press release, is just one of the things Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s main characters will have to deal with as they wrestle with the consequences of saving the planet. Fitz and Coulson are, supposedly, gone and clearly there's going to be some new challenges such as this Terminator-looking Coulson that rolled up on the scene. Clark Gregg has hinted we shouldn't expect Skrulls, so what's going on?

The clip above is from the Season 6 premiere, which is going to be a very special episode for Clark Gregg. The actor will be directing the premiere, which will mark the second episode he's done for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. since Season 5's "Fun & Games." Maybe it means something, but fans shouldn't read into it too much. With that said, it's impressive Gregg is handling this new character's premiere episode, especially given how attached he is to Coulson.

With so much disorienting footage coming out, the only thing Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. fans should expect is for even more episodes. Season 7 is already a sure thing, although there's been hints that the ride may be over after that. If the "endgame" for this Marvel series is on the horizon, then expect this abbreviated Season 6 to ramp up the action rather quick.

The wait for new Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is almost up, as Season 6 is due to air Friday, May 10 at 9:00 p.m. ET. Keep with CinemaBlend for updates on the Marvel series as they arise, as we work to unravel the mystery behind what should be an exciting season. For more on the series, check out the first trailer for the upcoming season, and try to remember the premiere isn't that far off!

Clark Gregg has been part of the MCU from the very beginning thanks to his appearance (which was originally much smaller) in Iron Man back in 2008. He didn't have a huge part to play in the movie as Coulson, and nobody could have guessed that the MCU would someday come to span 21 movies (and counting) and several TV shows. He went on to star in ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. starting in 2013, and he has now revealed the challenging thing about playing Coulson for all these years:

Phil Coulson has been such a huge part of Clark Gregg's life over the past decade that his comments to io9 shouldn't come as a huge surprise to many. He's able to slip into the role, which must be convenient for a character that has been called upon to appear in such a variety of projects. Whether he appeared in the MCU films, made the jump to ABC for S.H.I.E.L.D., or went on a blast to the past for Captain Marvel, Coulson is a familiar character... to a point.

Unlike Phil Coulson, Clark Gregg has not been tasked with making life-or-death decisions for the people he loves when facing off against aliens or unfriendly Inhumans or any other baddies that have appeared on S.H.I.E.L.D. over the years. Coulson has to be serious about his job almost all the time, or people can die. If Gregg isn't always 100% serious about his job... well, fans can get some fun bloopers out of it!

Considering Clark Gregg's comments about how he can get caught in the moment Coulson is caught in, I have to wonder how S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 felt different for him. He has confirmed that the character he plays in Season 6 is not the Phil Coulson that S.H.I.E.L.D. fans have come to know and love, as original Coulson presumably died between the end of Season 5 and beginning of Season 6 due to his deal with Ghost Rider.

The new character definitely doesn't seem as friendly as Coulson 1.0, and the agents may want to be careful around him. Just because he has the face and voice of a dear friend doesn't mean he's to be trusted. Although there may not be anything to the Skrull theory about how Clark Gregg is playing somebody who looks exactly like Coulson but isn't Coulson, something obviously happened to bring this new character into the mix.

Fortunately there's a new leader at S.H.I.E.L.D. who should be able to help guide the good guys, and Daisy's new duds as Quake bode well. Hopefully this new character of Clark Gregg's doesn't do anything to mess with Simmons on her mission to recover a version of Fitz that hasn't been killed. Fitzsimmons have had to deal with enough misery over the years without throwing in a lookalike of their beloved mentor to mess with their heads!

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 will premiere in May. It is likely the penultimate season of the show, but at least a seventh season is already guaranteed. If you want a look at Coulson back in the MCU sooner than May, you can find Clark Gregg on the big screen in Captain Marvel.

It's a very exciting time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Phase Three will come to an end next month with Avengers: Endgame, one year after audiences were left mouths agape at the horrifying twist ending of Infinity War. But before that we have Captain Marvel, the 90's set origin story which flew into theaters this weekend, making a ton of money in the process. In addition to introducing Carol Danvers, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Marvel blockbuster included plenty of familiar faces including Nick Fury, Korath, Ronan, and Phil Coulson.

Clark Gregg is back on the silver screen playing a younger Phil Coulson, who is still a rookie at S.H.I.E.L.D.. Ahead of its release, Captain Marvel fell victim to online trolling, including the film's Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes pages. While measures were made to fix this issue, Gregg had some choice words for those trolls and haters. He recently spoke to the trolling situation, saying:

Just when you thought you'd heard it all, there's Agent Coulson using the expression "butthurt". But Captain Marvel haters do seem to have a certain axe to grind, with the anger directed at Brie Larson specifically, especially from white men who took umbrage with her previous comments about diversity in the press.

Early into the press tour for Captain Marvel, Brie Larson expressed her disappointment that reviewers and film journalists she'd run into were primary white males. While encouraging inclusion in all aspects of the film world, she majorly ticked off certain fans who felt like she was trying to exclude them from the upcoming blockbuster. Those naysayers took to the internet to explain their issues, and Captain Marvel's reviews and scores ahead of its release plummeted.

In his same conversation with Nerdist, Clark Gregg went on to explain how futile the resistance against Captain Marvel and other female-led properties ultimately is, As he describes it,

Phil Coulson isn't here for Captain Marvel trolls, and he's making his feelings known. While some actors have been known to curb their language about haters, Clark Gregg went so far as to call the haters butthurt dinosaurs. So yeah, he's not exactly holding back much regarding the naysayers for the newest Marvel blockbuster.

You can see Clark Gregg's conversation about Captain Marvel below, dinosaurs and all.

Clark Gregg has spent a great number of years in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, on both the small and silver screen. As such, he's got a particular level of investment. So when trolling begins, he responded in an honest way.

The backlash for Captain Marvel started back in June of 2018, when Brie Larson was accepting an award at the Crystal + Lucy Awards. While discussing the call for inclusion both in front and behind the camera, Larson discussed how diversity also needed to be reflected in the press. Her original comments read:

While uttered many months ago, Brie Larson's comments citing a 40-year-old white dude ended up being the catalyst for online Captain Marvel hatred. Websites like Rotten Tomatoes and Fandango saw a ton of negative comments about the Marvel blockbuster, weeks before it actually arrived in theaters this past weekend. The trolling specifically cited Larson's speech, with white men claiming to boycott the blockbusters in response.

Brie Larson eventually clarified her comments during the press junket for Captain Marvel. Reelblend co-host Kevin McCarthy discussed the controversy with Larson shortly before the movie arrived in in theaters. The Oscar winner had this to say:

While Brie Larson got the chance to expand her comment, there was still plenty of trolling heading to Captain Marvel in the days before it finally arrived. But that controversy doesn't seem to have negatively affected the blockbuster. Brie Larson's Marvel debut made a whopping $153 million domestically during its opening weekend, with pre-sales among the MCU's biggest. The movie has also made $303,285,175 internationally, so Marvel Studios is really raking in the dough with Captain Marvel.

It should be interesting to see if/when the Captain Marvel the trolling ceases, especially as the title character becomes a bigger presence in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. She's expected to have a meaty role in Avengers: Endgame, as the surviving heroes will need all the help they can get in order to face off against Thanos and hopefully reverse the affects of The Snap. Carol Danvers is the strongest hero in the entire shared universe, so it should be especially exciting if she lays the smack down on Josh Brolin's big purple villain sometime during the upcoming blockbuster.

As for Phil Coulson, it's unclear if he'll get another silver screen appearance. While the character is the focus of the TV series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the Avengers still believe him to have died at the hands of Loki. But with the future of the MCU after Endgame largely a mystery, it seems anything is possible.

You can see a digitally de-aged Phil Coulson in Captain Marvel, which is in theaters now. Carol Danvers will return to the MCU with Avengers: Endgame on April 26th. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Agent Phil Coulson will long be remembered as one of the most important lynchpins of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. When the franchise was first starting up, he was utilized as the character bringing everything together and one could easily argue that the movies wouldn’t be the same without him. Which makes it all the more amazing that his initial part in Jon Favreau’s Iron Man was much smaller than what we all saw in the finished cut of the film.

After about seven years away, Clark Gregg is now back on the big screen as Phil Coulson in Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s Captain Marvel, and it was during the movie’s recent Los Angeles press day that I learned just how tiny the character’s role initially was in the first Iron Man. During our interview I steered the conversation towards a reflection on his start in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Gregg explained that Coulson in the script didn’t have anywhere near the impact on the movie that he ultimately does:

That’s right – apparently Clark Gregg’s character wasn’t even named Agent Coulson before an appreciation of the actor’s contribution on set led to an expanded part. And that expanded part, of course, led to future roles in Iron Man 2, Thor, The Avengers, and the still-running television series Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. He has been at the center at some of the most crucial moments in the history of the franchise.

It’s also worth noting that the impact isn’t limited to the big and small screen. Phil Coulson made his debut in the pages of Marvel Comics in January 2012, palling around with Captain America, the Avengers, and even Deadpool. And none of that would have happened if the character’s part in Iron Man was as big as it was in the script.

Obviously it’s led to great things for Clark Gregg, but the actor also sees the whole situation very much reflecting why it is that Marvel Studios has been so incredibly successful in the last 11 years. As protective as they may want to be with the material, there is still a certain openness to new ideas that allows spontaneous greatness to be generated. Said Gregg,

Captain Marvel, which is the 21st film from Marvel Studios, is further example of the company’s pop culture dominance, debuting this weekend with a $153 million three-day start. The blockbuster, which stars Brie Larson, Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn, Jude Law and Annette Bening in addition to Clark Gregg, is now playing in theaters everywhere – and we’ll have plenty more content about the film coming your way in the next few days.

Technology is continually changing in the world of filmmaking, leading to more in-depth and startling visual effects. Over at Marvel, the movie studio has starting de-aging characters for flashbacks—or in Captain Marvel’s case more like the whole movie—instead of using different actors to play characters in past decades. (Point of clarification: Other actors do play younger versions of Brie Larson's Carol Danvers.)

Obviously, it’s a lot of work to satisfactorily de-age an actor for an entire movie, and we’ll see how it pans out when Captain Marvel hits theaters this weekend. However, from the early looks at Nick Fury and Agent Coulson, a lot of work was put into the task.

This isn’t the first time that Marvel has attempted de-aging work, however. Plenty of other MCU actors have been treated to the process, including characters in the Ant-Man narrative and Iron Man before he became a superhero. You can take a look at the de-aged characters and their counterparts today below.

Nick Fury - Samuel L. Jackson

The photo on the right is actually from last year’s Avengers: Infinity War, in which Nick Fury has a small cameo. Obviously, the eyepatch and the bald head show Samuel L. Jackson as the Nick Fury that we know and love. Honestly, it’s almost off-putting to see him with two eyes in Captain Marvel, although since Jackson actually has two eyes in real life, that wasn't something that actually needed to have altered digitally in addition to the rest of his new look. Luckily, the technology was there for Captain Marvel, as producer Jonathan Schwartz says the studio never considered recasting.

Samuel L. Jackson is 70 years old and has shown no signs of slowing down yet. Captain Marvel throws Nick Fury right into the action too. While the movie could digitally de-age the actor, I’m sure playing a spry S.H.I.E.L.D. agent wasn’t a total cakewalk.

Agent Phil Coulson - Clark Gregg

Along with Nick Fury, Agent Coulson also got de-aged for Captain Marvel, although he can be seen in fewer scenes as a whole. Still, ridding the actor of wrinkles and adding to his hairline does make the character look younger, especially since some of his scenes are in broad daylight. Still, I'd say Clark Gregg has aged pretty well, or de-aged pretty poorly, however you want to look at it.

In real life, Clark Gregg is 56 years old, but in Captain Marvel, we get a glimpse at the character when he was still very early in his S.H.I.E.L.D. career. Prior to Captain Marvel, Clark Gregg last appeared on the big screen in The Avengers, but he's endeared himself on the small screen thanks to being resurrected on ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Tony Stark - Robert Downey Jr.

Tony Stark had already been Iron Man for quite some time before Captain America: Civil War was released. That movie, however, was tasked with de-aging Tony Stark to a time well before he ever took on the popular superhero mantle. In fact, we saw him as a young man while BARF technology is being used, talking to his parents in the time before they were killed by the Winter Soldier.

In real life, Robert Downey Jr. is actually 53, and so the de-aging has to take off a lot of years in Captain America: Civil War, but the de-aging technology is not so far off from how Downey Jr. looked earlier in his career in movies like Soapdish or Less Than Zero. Still, compared to the way Nick Fury was de-aged, a lot has changed with technology in a few short years.

Ego - Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell plays Ego The Living Planet in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. While it was fun to watch his interactions with an adult Star-Lord, it was also ridiculously fun to see him hanging out at a Dairy Queen years prior. As Ego, Kurt Russell sported a fine head of hair, no matter which age he was playing -- although I personally am more impressed with the Ego with the beard.

In real life, Russell is 67 years old. He’s also sported longer hair plenty of times during his career before the de-aging sequence in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Those include but are not limited to Escape From New York and Overboard. Technically, Ego would not have had to present himself as older to his son and his son's friends, but that could have meant a lot of additional de-aging work (read: production cost) for Vol. 2 as well.

Janet Van Dyne - Michelle Pfeiffer

Playing Janet Van Dyne should have been a pretty cool gig for Michelle Pfeiffer. Not only did she get to play a mysterious character who had been lost in the Quantum Realm in Ant-Man and the Wasp, she also got to be de-aged for the movie too. The early version of Janet Van Dyne was certainly younger looking and sported hair fitting to the period although, like some of the other actors on this list, Michelle Pfeiffer was famous when she was that young in real life too!

These days, Michelle Pfeiffer is 60 years old. She actually only got back into the acting game a couple of years ago after a brief hiatus, appearing in the Ant-Man sequel and Murder on the Orient Express. Not a bad comeback tour.

Dr. Hank Pym - Michael Douglas

We’ve seen Hank Pym in multiple movies, but in Ant-Man and the Wasp we got to see the character de-aged for some scenes with his lost partner Janet Van Dyne. At first glance, honestly I never think Michael Douglas looks all that de-aged. Then, I see the Hank Pym we know and love and that's when it really hits home for me that a lot of time has passed since Michael Douglas was the young actor on the block, although he still looks great with the glasses and beard.

In real life, Michael Douglas is 74 years old, making him the oldest actor to be de-aged on this list. For Ant-Man and the Wasp, he was de-aged to look around 45 or so. Not a bad job, Marvel, not at all.

Technically, Marvel has done some digital aging as well as de-aging, as Agent Carter gets the treatment so she can be killed off in Captain America: The Winter Soldier; still, it’s de-aging that seems as if it would be more difficult and has captured my fascination more than ever, particularly now that Nick Fury has been given the treatment for a huge chunk of Captain Marvel.

You can check out the visual effects for yourself very soon. Captain Marvel hits theaters on March 8. In addition, you can see a de-aged Nick Fury right now thanks to the trailer for the flick.

While Clark Gregg's agent Phil Coulson doesn't have superpowers, the character is as loved by fans as any of the Avengers. Between his appearance in several Marvel Cinematic Universe films, and the ongoing Agents of SHIELD TV series, he's become a significant part of the story. However, if it was always the plan for Coulson to become a recurring part of the MCU, somebody forgot to tell Clark Gregg, as he didn't know his role was growing until the middle of filming Iron Man 2. According to Gregg...

Clark Gregg made his debut as Agent Phil Coulson in the original Iron Man, back when the only hint that there was ever going to be anything like the MCU came in a post-credits sequence back when people didn't know they needed to stay through the credits. He was Tony Stark's liaison with SHIELD.

He returned for Iron Man 2 and likely just assumed that he'd just be a small part of whatever shenanigans Tony Stark got up to. The Incredible Hulk was the only other Marvel movie at that point and while Robert Downey Jr. did appear in a post credits sequence of his own, connecting the stories, it still wasn't clear just how well the MCU idea would work. Hulk wasn't a hit like Iron Man had been.

It's clear from the way Clark Gregg talks to Polygon that he's as much a fan of the Marvel movies as he is happy to be a part of them. Of course he would get excited about the chance to be in Thor as well as the Iron Man movies. I like how it was just sort of planned to have Clark Gregg appear in the movie and he was asked if he was free after telling him he was going. Based on his response, it was probably assumed he would make himself available if he made it clear how happy he was to be making the movies.

His fate in The Avengers was probably somewhat disappointing to him, though Gregg says he was humbled by the outpouring of support from fans who wanted to find a way to bring him back. One theory was that dead Coulson could have been a Skrull. Now, Gregg is back on the big screen in the MCU in the 90s prequel Captain Marvel which opens on Friday, and so are the Skrulls. Is Coulson actually a Skrull? No spoilers.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has seemed on the cusp of cancellation during the last several seasons as ratings dwindled and the show made the potentially disastrous switch to Friday nights, but the future is bright for the MCU's original TV show. After the somewhat surprising renewal for Season 6, ABC went ahead and shockingly handed down a renewal for Season 7 well before Season 6 even premiered. Now, star Clark Gregg has revealed that he knows the probable end date of S.H.I.E.L.D., saying this:

Although Clark Gregg couldn't definitively say that the show is done for good at the end of Season 7, his comments to Den of Geek are a decent indication of what's to come. Admittedly, Gregg and members of the cast were mistaken before when it came to the end of the show, but given that ABC and Marvel are planning far enough ahead to order Seasons 6 and 7, I would say the odds are pretty good that the plan is to wrap things up after Season 7.

Would that really be the worst thing in the world? If the folks at S.H.I.E.L.D. are able to know way in advance when the show is ending, then that gives them the chance to wrap things up exactly as they desire, and that's not a chance that cancelled Marvel series like Iron Fist, Luke Cage, and Daredevil had before getting the axe from Netflix.

Jessica Jones may be able to tie things up since that show was cancelled before its latest season aired, but its fellows on Netflix didn't get that chance. S.H.I.E.L.D. having a set ending with Season 7 could be a good thing. Maybe some characters could even get a happily-ever-after! I'm not the only one pulling for Fitzsimmons getting their cottage in Perthshire at some point, right?

The S.H.I.E.L.D. writers may have been prepared for a possible cancellation after Season 5, but two seasons to set the stage for a grand finale? Sign me up! I do wonder at this point if Marvel and Disney are deliberately moving away from broadcast network TV shows after S.H.I.E.L.D. wraps up. The show about female heroes that had been in the works for ABC isn't happening, and big plans are in motion for Disney+ series with major ties to the MCU.

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige promises close ties that should definitely excite fans of the larger MCU. After all, S.H.I.E.L.D. is the Marvel show with the biggest ties to the MCU, and those have been relatively minimal. The MCU is moving forward, and it likely will likely look very different after the events of Avengers: Endgame in April than it did prior to Infinity War. Maybe the era of S.H.I.E.L.D. is coming to a natural end.

Of course, S.H.I.E.L.D. itself is poised to enter a new era itself. All signs point toward the original Phil Coulson having died between the end of Season 5 and beginning of Season 6, and Clark Gregg will be playing a new character who looks just like good old Phil but seems a whole lot more sinister. Gregg may have already debunked a big theory; only time will tell for sure.

Find out who exactly Clark Gregg is playing in S.H.I.E.L.D. in Season 6 when it finally premieres in May. You can see him back in the MCU sooner, however, when he hits the big screen in Captain Marvel, which premieres March 8. For some TV options to help pass the next few months until S.H.I.E.L.D. returns, swing by our midseason TV premiere schedule.

It's been several years since the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase Three slate of movies was announced, and we're finally entering the home stretch. Avengers: Endgame will conclude this era of the franchise, but before that, we'll be winding the clock back to the 1990s (approximately a decade before Iron Man launched the modern MCU) and meet Carol Danvers for the first time in Captain Marvel.

Because of its setting, Captain Marvel will be one of the more standalone entries in the MCU, but, not to worry, because there will be plenty of characters from the Marvel Comics universe who will be stopping by, some of whom we've already seen on the big screen. Here are all the heroes and villains who are confirmed to appear in Captain Marvel, as well as some of the actors who are definitely showing up, but their characters haven't been identified yet.

Carol Danvers

Introduced in 1968, Carol Danvers' previous superhero monikers included Ms. Marvel, Binary and Warbird, but since 2012, she's been serving as the current Captain Marvel, making her the seventh individual to have that title in the Marvel Comics universe (let's not forget that DC Comics' Shazam was called that for decades). For the Captain Marvel movie, she will be played by Brie Larson, who was officially confirmed for the role at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con. So far the only official details about the MCU's Carol that have been revealed are that, like her comic book counterpart, she is an Air Force pilot who gains special abilities (super strength, flight, energy projection) after her body is infused with alien DNA during an accident.

Leaked set photos showed Larson wearing a costume that looked just like what she wears in the comics, only it had a green color scheme. However, the concept art shown at last year's San Diego Comic-Con revealed that eventually Carol will don her traditional red, blue and yellow colors. And like the other MCU superheroes, Brie Larson's Carol has a bright future ahead of her, as it's been confirmed that she will participate in Avengers: Endgame, which comes out almost two months after Captain Marvel. Since there's a two decade gap between Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame, it will be interesting to learn why Carol hasn't aged at all.

Mar-Vell

In the Marvel Comics universe, the first individual to go by Captain Marvel was Mar-Vell, a Kree agent who was sent by his superiors to spy on Earth and see if it posed any threat to the Kree Empire. Mar-Vell adopted the identity of a recently deceased scientist named Walter Lawson for his civilian cover, but he also started protecting Earth's citizens as Captain Marvel (which came about from someone misunderstanding his Kree name), using his natural strength and a device called the "universal beam" that can project energy. Down the line, Mar-Vell met Carol Danvers, and Mar-Vell's arch-nemesis, Yon-Rogg, kidnapped her to force Mar-Vell into battling him. During the fight, a Kree Psyche-Magnetron device detonated, and that resulted in his DNA being fused with Carol's, thus giving her powers. Eventually Mar-Vell joined the Avengers and turned his back on the Kree empire, but exposure to a nerve gas gave him cancer, and he soon died.

Mar-Vell is rumored to be played in the Captain Marvel movie by Jude Law (with some reports suggesting that he's actually playing Yon-Rogg), though all we know about his role so far is that he will serve as Carol Danvers' mentor and train her to use her new powers. Since he's using the Walter Lawson guise as well, one would imagine that like his comic book counterpart, he was sent to Earth to spy on us. Law is no stranger to major motion pictures, with his credits including the Sherlock Holmes movies, Road to Perdition, Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and the upcoming Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.

Nick Fury

Warning: SPOILERS for Avengers: Infinity War are ahead!

Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury has been part of the MCU since the beginning. If it wasn't for him going to Tony Stark's mansion in the Iron Man post-credits scene to talk about the Avengers Initiative, we wouldn't have known that a "much larger world" was being set up. We most recently saw Fury in Avengers: Infinity War's post-credits scene, where he faded away along with half of life in the universe after Thanos obtained the six Infinity Stones. But, before disappearing, Fury managed to transmit a distress signal from a pager-looking device, and while it wasn't outright stated who he was contacting, the device featured Captain Marvel's insignia, thus serving as a nice tease for her upcoming movie.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. briefly touched on Nick Fury's pre-Iron Man life, but Captain Marvel will show us how his first encounter with a superhero went down. In other words, Carol Danvers' origin story will somehow see Fury being drawn in, and that experience will set him on the path that leads to the creation of the Avengers Initiative. The younger Nick Fury in Captain Marvel also still has two eyes, so expect to see him lose one of them before the movie is over. Fury commented in The Winter Soldier about how he lost an eye the last time he trusted someone, and since the shapeshifting Skrulls (more on them later) are appearing in Captain Marvel, I wouldn't be surprised if one of those aliens is responsible for the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent becoming his cycloptic self.

Phil Coulson

Even though Nick Fury popped up in Iron Man's final minute, Phil Coulson served as the movie's main S.H.I.E.L.D. representative. What was originally written as a small part morphed into something much bigger, and Clark Gregg reprised Coulson for supporting roles in Iron Man 2, Thor and The Avengers. That last movie saw Coulson being fatally stabbed by Loki, but just a year later, the everyman agent was brought back to life for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the ABC series that he still leads. However, none of the Marvel movies have mentioned that Coulson is still alive. Fingers crossed Avengers: Endgame remedies that, but for now, it will be nice to see a younger version of Coulson in Captain Marvel. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has dedicated a few episodes to Phil Coulson's exploits before Iron Man, but this will be the earliest we've gone back in his S.H.I.E.L.D. career. Perhaps the events of Captain Marvel are where Coulson proves himself to Fury and becomes one of the spy organization's more valued agents.

Ronan The Accuser

When we met Lee Pace's Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy, he was enraged that, after centuries of conflict, the Kree Empire and Xandar signed a peace treaty to end the war. Determined to see the Xandarians wiped out, Ronan made a deal with Thanos: Ronan would track down the Orb, a.k.a. the Power Stone, and deliver it to Thanos, and in exchange, the Mad Titan would help the Kree antagonist destroy Xandar. However, when Ronan finally obtained the Orb, he decided to use its power himself and reneged on his arrangement with Thanos. He nearly succeeded in his genocidal campaign, but he was destroyed when Star-Lord, Gamora, Drax and Rocket redirected the Orb's energy back at him. Thus ended Ronan's reign of terror, but Captain Marvel will show us what he was up to approximately 20 years before his demise.

Given that the Kree will play a big role in Carol Danvers' transformation into a superhero just like in the comics, it makes sense that Ronan will be involved in the story, although it remains to be seen if he'll actually meet her or will be operating elsewhere. It will also be interesting to learn if Ronan was just as unstable back in the Captain Marvel days or if he was a little bit calmer then. Who knows, maybe something in this movie pushes him on the path to becoming the zealot we saw in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Korath

Dijmon Honshu's Korath served as Ronan the Accuser's main flunky in Guardians of the Galaxy, essentially making him the movie's tertiary villain (Nebula occupying the secondary position). Like Ronan, Korath is a Kree (albeit cybernetically altered), but rather than being a fellow radical, Korath was a mercenary that Thanos sent to aid Ronan in finding the Orb. When Ronan finally obtained that prize and kept it for himself, Korath warned him that Thanos was too powerful for him to betray, but after Ronan reassured him that Thanos would no longer be a threat, Korath stuck around and aided in the attack on Xandar. He was killed soon after by Drax the Destroyer. Evidently, Korath will be another Kree who is somehow involved in Carol Danvers' origin story, though we haven't learned yet if he and Ronan are already familiar with one another during Captain Marvel or if this movie will mark their first meeting (assuming they even cross paths).

Minn-Erva

Humans star Gemma Chan has been cast as Minn-Erva, a Kree geneticist. In the comics, Doctor Minerva was keen on mating with Mar-Vell, as she believed the two of them would produce genetically superior offspring, but her plan was foiled. Afterwards, she worked with Captain Atlas (another Kree) and attempted to steal the quantum-bands belonging to Quasar. In addition to her genetic expertise, Minn-Erva was also augmented by the Kree Psyche-Magnetron, which gave her super strength and flight. Her specific role in Captain Marvel will actually see Minn-Erva as a sniper and member of Starforce along with Carol, but given how antagonistic she's been in the comics, I suspect that she won't be one of her allies for long.

The Skrulls

When Carol Danvers gains her special abilities in Captain Marvel, it won't be long until she has to put them to good use, as it was announced that the movie's main villains will be the Skrulls. Known for their shapeshifting abilities and penchant for repeatedly invading Earth, the Skrulls have been at war with the Kree for centuries in the comics, and that mythology will play into Captain Marvel, meaning that the two species will be at odds with one another in the MCU. The Skrulls are also notable for being one of the few Marvel properties that both Marvel Studios and 20th Century Fox can use. Only one specific Skrull character has been confirmed for Captain Marvel (and we'll get to him next), but it's rumored that Titannus, Anelle and Dorrek VII will show up.

Talos

Over the last half decade, Ben Mendelsohn's fame has slowly been rising thanks to roles like Danny Rayburn in the Netflix series Bloodline, Orson Krennic in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and, most recently, Nolan Sorrento in Ready Player One. Mendelsohn was rumored to be joining Captain Marvel back in October 2017, and his casting was finally confirmed five months later. As for who his character is, it was though for a while that he was actually brought on to play Yon-Rogg, a Kree villain who was Mar-Vell's nemesis in the comics and is responsible for the accident that gave Carol Danvers her powers. In actuality, he'll be playing the leading Skull baddie, Talos, who is leading an invasion force on Earth. And, because those villainous Skrulls will be Carol's initial opponents in her theatrical debut, and they have shape-shifting powers, we also know that Talos has managed to infiltrate S.H.I.E.L.D. and will be posing as Nick Fury's boss for part of the film. There's a lot of speculation about how Fury will lose his eye in the upcoming blockbuster, and a lot of signs are already pointing toward Talos.

Maria Rambeau

Originally, She's Gotta Have It star DeWanda Wise was cast in Captain Marvel, but due to a scheduling conflict with Season 2 of the Netflix series, she was forced to drop out in March 2018. Days later, Lashana Lynch was cast as Wise's replacement, and her credits include Atlantis, Doctors and Still Star-Crossed. Back when Wise was still attached to Captain Marvel, I suspected she was playing Monica Rambeau, the second individual to go by Captain Marvel in the comics (her other superhero identities have included Photon, Pulsar and, most recently, Spectrum). However, after Lynch joined the Captain Marvel cast, it was reported that she is playing a "contemporary" of Carol's who also has a young child. Lynch's Maria Rambeau is another Air Force pilot and Carol's best friend, who happens to fly under the call sign "Photon." So, it's incredibly likely that her daughter is actually Monica, and she'll become a superhero in the present day MCU.

Att-Lass

Algenis Perez Soto made his film debut in 2008's Sugar, which was directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, the duo that's also helming Captain Marvel. Evidently, Soto made a good impression with them, because Boden and Fleck brought him back for their Marvel movie for the role of Att-Lass. All we know so far is that Soto will be playing another Kree member of Starforce in Captain Marvel.

Bron-Char

To American audiences, Rune Temte is best known for playing Bjorn in the Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton-led movie Eddie the Eagle, but Captain Marvel will introduce him to a lot more people stateside. Like Algenis Perez Soto, Temte is playing a Kree Starforce member and teammate of Carol's, and with his large build, I can see him specifically playing a bruiser who puts up a good fight with Carol Danvers by his side.

Young Carol Danvers

At only 11 years old, Mckenna Grace has already assembled quite the acting resume, appearing in The Angry Birds Movie, Independence Day: Resurgence, Gifted, I, Tonya, Once Upon a Time, Fuller House and Designated Survivor, to name just a few. Captain Marvel will be another impressive credit to add to the list, but rather than play a role in the main storyline, it's been confirmed that she's playing a young Carol Danvers either in a prologue sequence or during some flashbacks.

Now that we've covered Captain Marvel's confirmed characters, let's go over the actors who have been officially announced to appear, but we don't know who they're playing.

Unknown Character Played By Annette Bening

Annette Bening isn't exactly known for taking roles in big blockbuster productions... but that could now be said about a few actors who have joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Bening has officially signed on for a part in Captain Marvel, though the exact specifics of her character have not yet been revealed. The casting story announcing her involvement with the project said that she is playing a scientist, and from the look of her that we got in the second trailer for the film, she does appear to be a member of the Kree who helped lead Carol through her transformation, but we're not yet sure why they felt that had to happen. The most important thing is that Captain Marvel has signed one of the most talented actresses around.

Unknown Character Played By Robert Kazinsky

Robert Kazinsky is known in the U.K. for his roles in Dream Team and the long-running soap opera EastEnders, but his notable U.S. credits include True Blood, Pacific Rim, Warcraft and Mute. For Captain Marvel, while it's also plausible that he could be playing a Kree or Skrull, given that we'll see Carol Danvers serving in the Air Force, perhaps Kazinsky is playing one of her fellow pilots or a superior officer. Nick Fury's presence in the movie could also mean that Kazinsky is playing a fellow S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, although if that's the case, I worry about his chances of survival.

We now only have a few weeks until Captain Marvel finally hits theaters, so it won't be long until we can find out all the secrets the blockbuster has to offer!

It's true that DC Comics has beat Marvel Studios to the box office with their first female-led superhero blockbuster in the form of 2017's Wonder Woman, but the folks at the House of Ideas truthfully aren't trailing too far behind. As was officially announced in October 2014, the comic book studio is officially moving forward with a Captain Marvel movie, and it will be here before we know it.

Given the source material and the talent involved, it's easily one of our most anticipated projects of the coming year, and we'll be keeping a very close eye on it. It's for this reason that we've organized this guide, used to keep track of all the latest developments of the Captain Marvel movie. So, where do things currently stand, and what do we know so far? Read on and find out!

What Have We Seen From Captain Marvel?

Actually, because the premiere of Captain Marvel is less than a month away as of this writing, we've gotten a pretty good look at the film and what at least some of the main themes will be. Both trailers, combined with a quick teaser that was shown during the Super Bowl and other footage have given us a good look at the main players, delved into some of the issues that will be faced and shown off some amazing action sequences as well as given us a taste of Captain Marvel's powers.

What Is Captain Marvel's Release Date?

As far as Marvel Studio's Phase Three slate goes, Captain Marvel sits in an interesting position. While the film was originally announced for release on July 6, 2018, project additions (and the introduction of Spider-Man to the Marvel Cinematic Universe) led to schedule changes that wound up with the blockbuster having its current March 8, 2019 date. This is a bit odd for the comic book movie studio, as they've never put a feature in March before. What makes the placement more interesting is where it lands within the slate - specifically between Avengers: Infinity War on April 27, 2018 and Avengers: Endgame on April 26, 2019.

Why is this significant for Captain Marvel? At the end of Avengers: Infinity War, Nick Fury (we'll talk more about him later) activated a spruced-up pager that displayed the Captain Marvel insignia right before he was turned to dust by the Thanos snap. This gave audiences the first hint of Carol Danvers' existence in the MCU, leaving Captain Marvel to officially introduce her to us, and almost two months after that, she'll return for Avengers: Endgame to aid the surviving heroes in fixing what the Mad Titan wrought.

What Is Captain Marvel's Rating?

The MPAA doesn't give ratings to movies until they are just about finished and getting ready for theatrical release, but even with Captain Marvel a few weeks away we can already guarantee the film's rating: PG-13. How do we know this? Because every Marvel feature to this point has been rated PG-13, and it's been confirmed by the CEO of Disney that there are no plans to make an R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe title any time soon.

It makes sense for Marvel Studios to stick with PG-13 ratings in general, given that most of the characters from the comics lend themselves to a younger-skewing audience anyway, and Captain Marvel doesn't buck that trend. The blockbuster will surely have moments of intense and thrilling action, and possibly a cuss word or two tossed in for humor, but this movie is going to be made so that it's accessible to audiences of all ages.

Who Is Captain Marvel?

Created by writer Roy Thomas and artist Gene Colan, Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers' original moniker) first debuted in Marvel Comics in 1977, but it was nine years before that when readers were introduced to her alter ago. While serving as a member of the United States Air Force, she was present during the explosion of a device created by the Kree (an alien race you may remember from Guardians of the Galaxy). As a result of this accident, Danvers' human genes were fused with alien DNA, and the result was that she gained super powers.

Captain Marvel is super strong, can fly, both absorbs and projects energy, and even has limited precognitive abilities. In addition to her own run of comics, she's also been a part of many different teams and organizations over the years in the Marvel world, including The Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Guardians of the Galaxy.

Who Will Play The Lead?

The casting process is easily one of the most exciting parts of any developing superhero project, and for the Captain Marvel movie both actors and fans alike made their voices heard when it came to selecting who would play Captain Carol Danvers in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Over the years we heard many suggestions, including Bryce Dallas Howard, Katheryn Winnick, Emily Blunt, Jessica Chastain, Katee Sackhoff, and Shailene Woodley. Ultimately only one actress could get the gig, however, and that actress is Brie Larson.

Fans started buzzing about Brie Larson as a potential Captain Marvel candidate after she won the 2016 Best Actress Oscar for her performance in Room, and in June 2016 trade reports began saying that Larson was in talks with Marvel Studios for the part. It wasn't until about one month later at San Diego Comic-Con 2016 that Marvel made the news official, bringing their new star on stage to meet the fans for the first time.

Who Will Direct?

As far as time between project announcement and director selection goes, Captain Marvel basically set a record for Marvel Studios - but the hunt did eventually come to a conclusion in April 2017. There were numerous reports about potential candidates for the job, including Angelina Jolie, Elizabeth Wood, Niki Caro, Jennifer Kent, and Rachel Talalay. Ultimately, however, it was decided that the movie would be the first blockbuster directed by filmmaking duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck.

Given that the filmmakers are primarily known for their work on independent features, it's hard to say exactly what it is about Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck that Marvel Studios felt made them a good fit for Captain Marvel. That being said, their resume is impressive. They broke out on the scene with 2006's Oscar-nominated Half Nelson (which Fleck directed and they both co-wrote), but since then they've worked on projects like It's Kind of a Funny Story starring Zach Galifianakis and Mississippi Grind with Ryan Reynolds and Ben Mendelsohn.

What Will Captain Marvel Be About?

With no director attached for years, Captain Marvel has remained a long-lasting mystery in the plot department - with the only information available being word from Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige that the film would be an origin story. The veil finally lifted during the Marvel Studios panel at Hall H during San Diego Comic-Con 2017, however. For starters, while many expected that Captain Marvel would be set in between the events of The Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4, it turns out that's not the case. In fact, the blockbuster will be the first in the franchise to extensively explore the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe during the 1990s.

But wait! There's more! As though it weren't cool enough that the film is a period piece, Kevin Feige also confirmed that Captain Marvel will be the first MCU blockbuster to feature the alien race known as the Skrulls. Famously in perpetual intergalactic conflict with the Kree (mentioned earlier in this piece), this legendary alien species from Marvel Comics is a race of shape-shifters who have created some serious drama in Marvel history (ahem). We don't precisely know what they are up to in the 2019 blockbuster, other than the fact that it involves infiltrating Earth, which obviously isn't good.

Of course, that isn't the end of it either. It turns out that Captain Marvel will feature a familiar Marvel Cinematic Universe character who will cross paths with Carol Danvers during the craziness. It's been announced that Samuel L. Jackson will have a key supporting role in the film as Nick Fury, and it's been revealed that he will still have two eyes at the start of the story.

Finally, rather than give Carol Danvers a traditional origin story, Captain Marvel will begin with her already empowered and serving on the Kree military team known as Starforce. That being said, eventually Carol will return to Earth with new questions about her past and identity, meaning that not only will we learn how she obtained her abilities, but perhaps our intrepid heroine is dealing with memory issues.

The Skrulls

The Skrulls were first introduced all the way back in Fantastic Four #2, released in January 1962, and while initially they were a primary foe for the Fantastic Four, their attempts to try and conquer the Earth have basically made them an enemy of every hero in the Marvel universe. Their war against the Kree in late 1970s-era Avengers comics famously stuck our planet right in the middle of their conflict, and the aliens have continued to pop up in all of the decades since. Given their shape-shifting abilities, they make for seriously scary, paranoia-inducing storytelling, and it's hard not to expect at least a taste of that in the Captain Marvel movie. At the very least, it probably explains why Carol had to fight that old lady during the train sequence seen in the trailer that topped this guide.

It's worth noting that the Skrulls' stance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe rights-wise is somewhat complicated. Similar to the situation involving the characters Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, both Marvel Studios and 20th Century Fox have the rights to use the Skrulls in their respective comic book universes. The only thing that is off-limits for Marvel Studios is use of the Super-Skrull - who is a member of the Skrull species imbued with all of the powers of the Fantastic Four.

Nick Fury

Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury has been a key part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe for nearly a decade now, and fans will never forget how he introduced both Tony Stark and audiences to a larger universe unlike anything ever seen on the big screen before. Since the first Iron Man, he was featured in Iron Man 2, The Avengers, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Avengers: Age of Ultron. Fury finally returned in Avengers: Infinity War, although as mentioned earlier, his time on screen was brief.

As for how Nick Fury fits into Captain Marvel, the movie will be peeking in on him at a time in his life when he believes the best years of his career are behind him due to the Cold War wrapping up. Now a bureaucrat, Fury hasn't had any experience with superheroes or aliens, but that will change once he meets Carol Danvers. Whatever happens to him in the movie, two things are clear. One, there's a good chance we'll see how Fury lost his eye, and two, these events are going to set him on the path to becoming the man who will one day bring the Avengers together to protect humanity from unusual threats.

Just like has been done in the past on Ant-Man, Captain America: Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Ant-Man and the Wasp, Marvel is putting its digital magic to work to de-age Samuel L. Jackson in Captain Marvel by approximately 25 years. Only unlike those previous examples, which were done for brief flashbacks, this is the first time that a character is being de-aged for the whole movie.

Mar-Vell

As mentioned, Carol Danvers didn't become Ms. Marvel until 1977, and wasn't named Captain Marvel until 2012 -- but there was a Captain Marvel that preceded her. I'm referring to Mar-Vell, who was a Kree hero first introduced in the comics in 1967. In the character's origin story, he first came to Earth to spy on humanity on behalf of his people, but fell in love with us instead. Now he may finally make his live action debut in Captain Marvel, where he'd be played by Academy Award-nominee Jude Law.

Most audiences know Jude Law for his dramatic work, but he has dipped his toe into the blockbuster world -- coincidentally with another Marvel Cinematic Universe star. Going back to 2009 he has played the Dr. Watson to Robert Downey Jr.'s Sherlock Holmes in Guy Ritchie's series of movies, and those movies did give him the chance to kick a little ass. He's certainly proven himself one of the most talented actors around, so we're incredibly excited to see what he brings to Captain Marvel.

It is worth noting that as of right now, Marvel hasn't actually identified Jude Law as playing Mar-Vell. So far all that's been revealed about Law's character is that he's the leader of Starforce, is a devout Kree warrior and has taken a liking to Carol, prioritizing her over the team's other members. Law could still be playing the MCU's version of Mar-Vell, but that's not officially confirmed, and there's also been speculation that he might actually be playing Kree villain Yon-Rogg.

Agent Phil Coulson

This is not a drill, folks. After years of waiting, Clark Gregg is finally returning to the movie side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Agent Phil Coulson has a supporting role to play in Captain Marvel. Fans will recall that the character was incredibly vital to the start of the franchise, appearing in Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and Thor before The Avengers, but he has been relegated to television ever since his big screen death. The events of Captain Marvel obviously won't deal with any of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. aftermath for the brave hero (let's not forget that this is a period piece), but it's still very exciting.

As you probably expected, this will show him back when he was the "new guy" at the spy organization and not as "crusty and jaded." Remember when Coulson told Tony Stark and Pepper Potts in Iron Man that this wasn't his "first rodeo"? Well, who wants to place bets that whatever goes down in Captain Marvel will be the first time he considers himself to have swung the proverbial lasso? And just like Samuel L. Jackson, Clark Gregg will be put through Marvel's digital de-aging process.

Ronan The Accuser

Phil Coulson isn't the only dead Marvel character that is being brought back for Captain Marvel. Audiences saw Lee Pace's Ronan The Accuser die a pretty horrific death at the end of James Gunn's Guardians of the Galaxy -- disintegrated using the Power Infinity Stone -- but the first MCU title of 2019 will apparently let fans see what the angry Kree fanatic was up to 25-plus years ago.

It's pretty clear that Captain Marvel will be digging into the legendary forever war between the Kree and the Skrulls, and it's easy to imagine finding Ronan in a military position within that fight. Sure enough, Ronan will be serving on Starforce during the movie, although nothing else about how he fits into the movie has been revealed yet. Maybe whatever happens in Captain Marvel will pave the way for him to become the radical we saw in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Korath The Pursuer

We learned in Guardians of the Galaxy that Ronan The Accuser has a close association with Djimon Hounsou's Korath The Pursuer, and apparently that's a bond forged over many decades. We now know this because it looks like the two characters will be coming back together in the early 1990s, years before Ronan sent Korath to go acquire the Power Infinity Stone on Morag.

Djimon Hounsou's role in Captain Marvel was confirmed in the same Start of Production announcement that confirmed many of the parts noted in this feature, and like Ronan, he's on the Starforce team. Beyond that, nothing else has been said about Korath's role in Captain Marvel, but one would imagine that his experience will directly or indirectly lead to why he ultimately becomes one of Ronan's subordinates.

Ben Mendelsohn

Ben Mendelsohn seems to be carving out a niche for himself as a classic sci-fi villain figure in pop culture. It started with his nefarious role as Orson Krennic in Gareth Edwards' Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but then he was cast as central antagonist Nolan Sorrento in Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One. Now he's ready to create a trilogy of sorts with his first Marvel Cinematic Universe appearance, as he will be playing the big bad in Captain Marvel: Talos, the Skrull leading the infiltration of Earth.

The only other thing that's been revealed about Talos in Captain Marvel so far is that he's working undercover as Nick Fury's boss within S.H.I.E.L.D. That's interesting, but then let's also remember that line Fury gave Steve Rogers in Captain America: The Winter Soldier: "The last time I trusted someone I lost an eye." Since Fury's superior is actually a Skrull, then there's a decent chance that Talos is the one responsible for ruining Fury's 20/20 vision. That scarring around Fury's blind eye could certainly come from an alien energy weapon.

The Rest Of The Supporting Cast

Thus far we've covered the principal stars of Captain Marvel, but there is a full line-up of other actors who have been officially announced as being part of the project. Now we're turning our heads to the rest of the ensemble, who are listed below:

• Lashana Lynch (Brotherhood, Fast Girls)
• Gemma Chan (Humans, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them)
• Algenis Perez Soto (Sambá, Sugar)
• Rune Temte (Eddie The Eagle, The Last Kingdom)
• McKenna Grace (Gifted, I, Tonya)
• Annette Bening (American Beauty, The Kids Are All Right)
• Robert Kazinsky (True Blood, Warcraft)
• Vik Sahay (Roxy Hunter, Chuck)
• Colin Ford (We Bought a Zoo, Under the Dome)
• Chuku Modu (Game of Thrones, The Good Doctor)

Let's start off with the first five actors on this list. Arguably the most important of the bunch is Lashana Lynch's Maria Rambeau, Carol Danvers' best friend and fellow Air Force pilot who flies under the call sign "Photon." Maria is a single mother taking care of her daughter, Monica, someone who longtime Marvel Comics fans will recognize. Monica will be a young girl in Captain Marvel, but it's possible that this movie is laying the groundwork for her to be a superhero in the present day MCU.

Then we have the other members of Starforce: Gemma Chan as Minn-Erva, Algenis Perez Soto as Att-Lass and Rune Temte as Bron-Char. No specific details for Att-Lass and Bron-Char have been revealed yet, but Minn-Erva is said to be a Kree sniper who was the star of the group before Carol Danvers joined and is now "slightly threatened" by the heroine. Given Minn-Erva's villainous past in the comics, perhaps her movie counterpart will follow suit, giving Carol some trouble on the side while the Kree-Skrull conflict unfolds.

Finally, McKenna Grace is confirmed to be playing young Carol Danvers, meaning we will get a peek into her childhood during in the movie. As for the latter five actors, while Annette Bening was rumored to be playing Carol's mother, from the looks of her in the above trailer she appears to be portraying another Kree. Aside from her, no one else's character has been identified yet, so we'll have to wait and see how they fit into the proceedings.

As we mentioned previously, Captain Marvel is just a few weeks away from opening, so be sure to keep your eyes on this guide for the latest updates!

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was bigger and bolder than ever in its fifth season on ABC, but it also wasn’t doing too well in the ratings, and a renewal for Season 6 was hardly a sure thing. As it turns out, fans who pay attention to ratings weren’t the only ones who thought that the end was nigh with the Season 5 finale. According to S.H.I.E.L.D. star Clark Gregg, the cast also thought they were done after Season 5. Here’s how Gregg described the situation:

Apparently, the S.H.I.E.L.D. cast had enough of a reason to believe they were done that they were “very, very sad.” Clark Gregg’s comments to ET at the TCA press tour reveal that he considered the finale a “really wonderful end,” but fans probably consider it far more wonderful that S.H.I.E.L.D. has gotten two more seasons. S.H.I.E.L.D. didn’t join the slew of Marvel TV series that did get the axe in 2018!

Clark Gregg’s comments also reflect some of what S.H.I.E.L.D. co-showrunner Jed Whedon had to say about how the show was preparing for a possible end with Season 5. The team was “ready for if this is the end,” and they intended to make it “rewarding,” with last-minute changes that could be made in the event of a renewal.

After having watched the finale, I have to wonder what might not have happened if the show hadn’t been renewed. Would Coulson have been saved, rather than dropped off to enjoy his final days alive with May in Tahiti? Would Fitz have been spared, and/or would Simmons have been pregnant with Deke’s mom? Would there have been a connection to Avengers: Infinity War or Endgame?

We may never know. I do wonder if Clark Gregg’s praise of the renewal for two seasons of 13 episodes each is a sign that S.H.I.E.L.D. is done after Season 7. That really wouldn’t be the worst thing. The show would have plenty of time to wrap things up in the next two seasons, and S.H.I.E.L.D.’s original era in the MCU is likely ending in the not-too-distant future. It would also explain why the show got a renewal for Season 7 well before Season 6 even got a premiere date.

S.H.I.E.L.D. has excelled since it started splitting its 20+ episode seasons up into multiple arcs, or “pods.” 13 episodes could certainly be ideal. Also, those ratings that seemed to spell doom during Season 5 weren’t all that bad, considering the time slot. Few shows break ratings records in good ways if they air on Friday nights, and S.H.I.E.L.D. wasn’t exactly helped by Once Upon a Time’s numbers. The fairy tale-based series was cancelled last season.

The wait for Season 6 won’t end until some point this summer, but the first trailer certainly points toward an intense and intriguing batch of episodes. Clark Gregg confirmed that he’s playing a different character next season, and he may have debunked a certain theory about how that’s going to work.

For some viewing options while we wait for the new season, swing by our midseason TV premiere guide.

Ever since the first footage of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 released and revealed Clark Gregg seemingly playing an entirely different character than Coulson, theories have abounded about how this lookalike came about. One popular theory has been that Gregg’s new character is actually a Skrull taking the shape of Coulson. Well, CinemaBlend’s Nick Venable spoke to Clark Gregg at the winter TCA tour, and Gregg dropped some comments that may have debunked the Skrull theory. Here’s what he had to say:

Clark Gregg already confirmed that he’s playing a different character than the Phil Coulson we’ve come to know and love; is it possible that he’s also willing to drop spoilers ruling out one major possibility for the Coulson lookalike? He was the one to bring up Skrulls, after all, and he goes on to say that the Skrulls will be part of a different project. Namely, Captain Marvel, which will see Gregg play Coulson again.

The movie is set in the 90s, so there’s no need for Coulson to be resurrected from what appears to be his off-season death on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Viewers will see a past version of Coulson, as well as another unforgettable MCU character.

It’s no secret that Skrulls will have a huge role in Captain Marvel, so it was no surprise that the shapeshifting aliens were suggested as a reason why Clark Gregg’s new S.H.I.E.L.D. character seems to know nothing about S.H.I.E.L.D.’s very existence. There are some problems that would arise from Skrulls impersonating MCU characters, although S.H.I.E.L.D. would sidestep some of them by not having this new character try to pass himself of as Coulson.

But should we dismiss the Skrull theory from our speculation in the coming months while we wait for S.H.I.E.L.D.’s return? The reason why the Skrulls are finally debuting in the MCU indicates that they’re not going to be dealt with and then dismissed in the span of one movie, and Clark Gregg’s comments were pretty casually dropped. Could he have been joking, and a Skrull looking like Coulson is still possible for Season 6?

We’ll have to wait and see. Unfortunately, that wait is not going to end for quite a while still. S.H.I.E.L.D. will not return to the airwaves until the summer, after Avengers: Endgame and Captain Marvel have both hit theaters. In fact, depending on when in the summer S.H.I.E.L.D. returns, it could release after the next Spider-Man installment as well! At least we know that S.H.I.E.L.D. won’t be done after Season 6.

Only time will tell. For some television options while we wait for more of those Marvel 2019 (and beyond) shows, check out our midseason TV premiere schedule.

When Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. concluded its fifth season on ABC, all signs pointed toward the end of the Coulson era as the longtime leader was dying of his illness. The first trailer for Season 6 reveals Clark Gregg back, but he didn’t seem to be playing the Coulson fans came to know and love. Well, Gregg has now settled the question of whether he would be playing original Coulson or not, and the answer is a definitive no. Here’s what Gregg had to say:

So there we have it! According to his comments to Marvel, Clark Gregg will be playing this “other very mysterious person,” and that person will not be Phil Coulson. Alas, the only new footage we may ever get of original Coulson may be via flashback, hologram, or MCU projects set in the past, such as Captain Marvel. Now, the big question is who this new character is.

May’s words in the trailer indicate that she watched Coulson in his final days and presumably was by his side when he died, so it would be difficult for S.H.I.E.L.D. to say that this new character is original Coulson with just a mind wipe or something. Coulson certainly never mentioned having a twin brother.

Also, the trailer has the newcomer saying “Never heard of it” when asked if he’s from S.H.I.E.L.D. Surely somebody from the MCU’s version of Earth would have at least heard of S.H.I.E.L.D. at some point.

The agency was outed to the world after the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier (which forced S.H.I.E.L.D. to reinvent itself after less than one full season), and it has been a public agency in years since. Could Clark Gregg’s new character be from another Earth, one on which S.H.I.E.L.D. never came together, or at least was never outed?

While I would certainly be on board with S.H.I.E.L.D. introducing another Earth (especially if it means the show establishing itself farther from the larger MCU), there are other possibilities for why this new character looks exactly like Coulson. Could this person be a Skrull, with the stage set in Captain Marvel? The movie will be released before S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6 premieres.

Or could he be a robot of some sort? S.H.I.E.L.D. is no stranger to introducing artificial intelligence creations that look exactly like the main characters. What about a clone, with DNA taken while Coulson was the subject of T.A.H.I.T.I.? The possibilities are endless. Fans will certainly have plenty of time to speculate about them. S.H.I.E.L.D. won’t be back with the Season 6 premiere until this summer.

The good news is that there are plenty of Marvel projects in the works on top of the new season of S.H.I.E.L.D. On the big screen, we have Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home on top of Captain Marvel, and plenty happening on the small screen as well. S.H.I.E.L.D. itself has already scored a renewal for Season 7 as well.

Goose the cat may steal Captain Marvel, but it won't be due to lack of other action. Last night, Carol Danvers star Brie Larson dropped a new extended look at her film. While Captain Marvel gets into a fight on the roof of a train, '90s-era Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) have their own car chase trying to keep up. Check it out:

Superheroes always do so much damage -- destroying property, flinging pieces of train across a freeway. Yeah, they save the world, but that is going to clog traffic for HOURS.

The clip ends with Fury and Coulson planning to "meet them at the station," so the scene must then head to a train station.

We're assuming that's a Skrull Carol is fighting, right? The first trailer showed Captain Marvel punching a little old lady on a train, and we're also assuming that lady was a shape-shifting Skrull in disguise. So this scene should continue right into that moment, yes? Since Carol punches a hole in the roof and jumps inside the train?

Previous Captain Marvel teases focused on Carol Danvers' origin story, or the humor of Nick Fury bonding with Carol's cat (or non-cat), and Danvers trying to explain to Fury how she's a Kree and totally different from a Skrull.

Perpetual blockbuster bad guy Ben Mendelsohn will be playing Talos, who leads the Skrulls' invasion of Earth. Jude Law plays the commander of Starforce and also Carol Danvers' mentor, with Annette Bening as the Kree scientist who rescued Carol and made her part-Kree. Djimon Hounsou plays a Kree mercenary called Korath, with Gemma Chan as Kree sniper Minn-Erva. Lashana Lynch plays Carol's friend and fellow Air Force pilot Maria "Photon" Rambeau.

The MCU's Captain Marvel is set in the 1990s, well before the events of Avengers: Infinity War, but we're expecting the story to connect the dots and explain why Nick Fury sent a message to Captain Marvel before being dust-busted by Thanos. Since Avengers: Endgame opens about a month-and-a-half after Captain Marvel, we're also expecting Danvers' story to segue into the aftermath of Infinity War.

So there's a lot we still need to learn, but Captain Marvel isn't going to just sit us down for long exposition talks, it's going to give some train fights and car chases and other such action. Captain Marvel arrives in theaters March 8, followed by Avengers 4, aka Avengers: Endgame, on April 26. Keep up with all things MCU in our handy Marvel Cinematic Universe guide. And here's what else is playing on the big screen during the busy busy busy blockbuster-heavy spring 2019 movie season.

Clandestine organizations always have their share of secrets to keep, but S.H.I.E.L.D. likes to kick it up a notch by wrapping secrets inside of mysteries and sending them to space. Arguably the biggest of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s conundrums involves the fate of Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson, who was last heading to Tahiti to live out his last days. The first Season 6 trailer, however, offers up some potentially different answers for Coulson's fate. Check it out!

The first moments of the actual trailer, as opposed to the mini-teaser, probably made fans pull a double-take, considering Agent Coulson appeared to be standing there talking to Mack as naturally as could be. Before too much speculation could be spent on where this scene took place, reality upended hope.

It wasn't actually Coulson in the office, but rather a hologram of the presumably lost leader. Disappointing as that may be, it was kinda cool watching Mack walk through him like that.

I can't be the only one who found it curious that Coulson brings up forming a team built on "trust," and then warns not to try and think about everything all at once, just before the plainly stated message "Agent Coulson is Dead" popped up on the screen. Are we meant to put trust in this statement, or will thinking about such things cause us to crack?

May says that she was with Coulson "until the very end," and that beyond just some beach-time together, that the two got "more than they thought they would." One may infer something romantic from a light reading of that line, thinking Coulson and May took their relationship to a deeper and more loving level in his final days. But what if she's talking about something else entirely?

The trailer ends on a whopper of a shock, with the official reveal of Clark Gregg's return for Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Season 6. Only, this might not be Coulson. Or is it? Or isn't it? Coulson's on first?

WTF, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? The dialogue heard over the reveal has...this character...saying that he's "never heard of" S.H.I.E.L.D., even though he was pegged as someone who works for them. Which brings about its own host of questions, which we'll run through from least fantastical to most fantastical.

Did Coulson's somehow get cured in a natural way? Did Coulson somehow get cured in an unnatural way that he was happy with? Did he pass on and then come back from the dead somehow, possibly in ways similar to how his death was reversed in the first place?

If any of these are true, then is Coulson just acting like he doesn't know what S.H.I.E.L.D. is for safety reasons of some kind? Or did he actually lose his memory, either through injury or through someone else's intentional scheming?

Speaking of intentional scheming, the other major possibility here is that this is actually Evil Coulson. That concept opens up its own subsection of answer-less questions. Is it actually a different version of Coulson or is it just someone using the protagonist's visage? Or was he initially saved, but losing his morality was the price he paid? So many scenarios built out of a three-second moment. Kucos, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

We're still not sure when Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will debut its sixth season, but we know it's coming in July 2019, so expect to see lots more trailers and clips before then. And take comfort in knowing that Season 7 is also on the way. In the meantime, the midseason primetime schedule is full of shows that should be rewarded with your attention.

Even though on ABC, we know Agent Phil Coulson is alive and well in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, as far as the film side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is concerned, Coulson's last words were said amidst the Earth's Mightiest Heroes' first team-up in 2012's The Avengers. But thanks to the upcoming Captain Marvel being set in the mid-1990s, Clark Gregg will be returning to the big screen as Coulson. With the help of Marvel's incredible de-aging technology, this time Coulson will play a younger agent who's just starting out his career with S.H.I.E.L.D. After being introduced in the first MCU film, Iron Man, and digging deep into his character for five seasons of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D, Gregg loved exploring this different era of Coulson. Here's what he said:

We're excited to see a young and chipper Agent Phil Coulson grace the screen with Captain Marvel's release. During his interview with Entertainment Weekly, Clark Gregg explained that Coulson is quite the fan of MC Hammer and attempts to channel him, much to Nick Fury's annoyance. Samuel L. Jackson will also be getting the de-aging treatment in the film, as other actors such as Michael Douglas, Robert Downey Jr. and Kurt Russell have for flashback sequences in other MCU films. However, for Gregg and Jackson, the technique will be used throughout the film, as the two S.H.I.E.L.D agents are part of the principal cast.

With Phil Coulson and Nick Fury being much younger in Captain Marvel, the film will mark a turning point for their characters who will meet each other in the film and haven't had any exposure to superheroes or aliens yet. While the superhero flick at first follows Carol Danvers in the elite military team Starforce on the Kree planet of Hala, a good amount of the film will take the hero back to her home planet, where we will meet Fury and Coulson, who are a lot more desk ridden then when we first came to know them. In Fury's case, he will be struggling with the thought that his glory days are over now that the Cold War has concluded.

Seeing Agent Phil Coulson back to the MCU after a seven-year drought from the major leagues while he has been on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D adds to the high anticipation for Captain Marvel. For fans of his television show, Coulson's resurrection has ties to the Kree, and for Carol Danvers, it's the source of her powers. So Coulson's return to the MCU film realm in this specific installment might not be so out-of-the-blue and could have some sort of larger effect on the shared universe. Captain Marvel comes to theaters on March 8, 2019.

During the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase One, Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson served as one of the primary connective threads between those early movies, with both him and Nick Fury serving as S.H.I.E.L.D.'s main representatives. Since The Avengers, Coulson has been sticking to the TV corner of the MCU as one of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s main characters, but next year, Gregg will reprise the popular agent for Captain Marvel. However, because Captain Marvel is set in the 1990s, we'll be watching a Coulson who's not the pro we're used to following. Gregg explained:

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. has touched on Phil Coulson's life before he crossed paths with Tony Stark in Iron Man, but Captain Marvel will be the earliest we've gone back to see him, so he'll only have just joined S.H.I.E.L.D. when the movie begins. Like most of his fellow agents, Coulson doesn't have any special powers, but as we've seen numerous times in the MCU movies, shorts and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., he's able to keep a cool head when dealing with unusual threats. Judging from Clark Gregg's comment to EW, it sounds like because Coulson's a fresh recruit to the spy organization in Captain Marvel, seeing aliens and a woman shooting energy blasts will throw him for throw him for a loop, to put it mildly. Still, the events of Captain Marvel are just the beginning for Coulson, and they'll help shape them into the experienced agent we first met in Iron Man.

Captain Marvel takes place over a decade before the modern MCU kicked off, but even at that point in the timeline, S.H.I.E.L.D. has been working to maintain global security for decades, albeit mostly from nefarious forces from Earth. And even though Phil Coulson will be the S.H.I.E.L.D. newbie, he won't be the only one who might get frazzled by what goes down in the movie. Captain Marvel will also feature a two-eyed Nick Fury, who, as Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige noted, believes his best days are behind him when the story begins. Little does he know that's far from the truth, as he, Coulson and whatever other players are involved will soon meet a genuine superhero and potentially have to directly deal with members from two different alien species. Being a spy already makes for an exciting life, but throwing extraterrestrial elements into the mix kicks things up several notches on the craziness scale.

Captain Marvel will be released in theaters on March 8, 2019, so keep checking in with CinemaBlend for more updates about the movie. Don't forget to also look through our Marvel movies guide to learn what other MCU projects are in development.

Sure, all eyes are on the release of Avengers: Infinity War right now, but there are already more MCU stories on the way. One such project is Captain Marvel, which will take the Marvel Cinematic Universe back to the 1990s to introduce Brie Larson as Carol Danvers. Setting a Marvel film in the past inherently means that old characters can return, which is precisely what will happen with the already-announced return of Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson. With the fan-favorite S.H.I.E.L.D. agent set to come back to the big screen, it also looks like Gregg is excited to see how Marvel will use technology (instead of a traditional fitness plan) to de-age him. The Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actor explained:

If Captain Marvel took place a few years in the past, Clark Gregg might have to get back to the gym and do some sit-ups to get himself back into fighting shape. That said, with this film firmly taking place in the 1990s, it looks like Marvel is going to dust off some of the CGI technology to send him back a few decades. Marvel has honed this tech in recent years, as it similarly used it to de-age Kurt Russell in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Michael Douglas in Ant-Man, so Clark Gregg seems excited about what the project can do to his character (and likely the fact that the 56-year-old won't have to kill himself at the gym.)

However, in all fairness to Clark Gregg, he has aged pretty well over the years. Just check out how he looked in an appearance on Law & Order back in 1991.

The question of Clark Gregg returning to the big screen corner of the MCU also raises the question of whether or not we will see him come back to the present-day Marvel movie world for Avengers 4. Per his recent remarks to Comicbook.com, it seems that Gregg doesn't even know, and is only looking forward -- or backward -- to Captain Marvel. Nevertheless, he appears grateful to finally have the chance to make his way back to a Marvel movie.

Of course, we should also note that Clark Gregg won't be the only classic Marvel actor to appear in Captain Marvel. In addition to Agent Coulson, we're also going to see Samuel L. Jackson reprise his role as Nick Fury, and this time he will have two eyes -- a stark contrast from his typical, eyepatch look. We don't yet know if the folks plan to similarly de-age Jackson, but if it's happening to Clark Gregg, then it's entirely possible that it will happen other returning actors, as well.

On that note, make sure to keep an eye out for more updates related to Captain Marvel as new stories related to the film break. Until then, make sure to check out our review of Avengers: Infinity War and our review roundup, and catch the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe blockbuster for yourself!

At this point, we already know that 2019 will be a big year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not only will Phase 3 come to a conclusion with the premiere of Avengers 4, but Brie Larson's Carol Danvers will also take center stage in a solo movie of her very own with the release of Captain Marvel. There's obviously a lot of anticipation leading up to the 1990s-set Marvel outing, particularly with regards to the return of Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson. Now it looks like Gregg has finally arrived on the set of the film, and he has taken to social media to tease a heartfelt reunion with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury. Check out Gregg's post, below.

I swear I'm not crying. You're crying. We don't get much information from that photo, which makes sense considering Marvel's characteristically tight-lipped nature, but it clearly promises that Clark Gregg and Samuel L. Jackson will reunite as Phil Coulson and Nick Fury, respectively. As the film will take place in the 1990s (long before Coulson's apparent demise in The Avengers), the general assumption is that the film will show the earlier years of their relationship and lay out how they came to be friends during their time as agents. New job, old friends, and all of the Marvel-ous emotion.

Of course, despite Clark Gregg's Instagram post, we still have to wait to learn some key information about Captain Marvel. For starters, we still don't know precisely how Coulson, Nick Fury, and S.H.I.E.L.D will factor into the film's story. Moreover, we also don't yet know what Nick Fury will look like in the movie, aside from the fact that he will apparently have two eyes.

It is also worth noting that Clark Gregg is not the only seemingly deceased, longtime member of the Marvel Cinematic Universe who will return in Captain Marvel. In addition to the fan-favorite side character/Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D hero, it was also recently announced that Guardians of the Galaxy actor Lee Pace would return to the MCU as Ronan the Accuser to help flesh out the film's adaptation of the Kree-Skrull war. With all of these new and old elements coming together, it's becoming increasingly apparent that Captain Marvel may be a Marvel film unlike any that we have seen before.

Clark Gregg will return to the film side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe when Captain Marvel premieres next year on March 8, 2019. Until then, make sure to watch out for all of the major Marvel heroes when the MCU comes together for Avengers: Infinity War, which will debut in theaters on April 27. If you are looking for more information about Infinity War, then check out our full guide to the movie and get yourself up-to-speed before it finally premieres!

For years, Clark Gregg's Agent Phil Coulson served as glue that helped the Marvel Cinematic Universe stick together. He first made his debut in Jon Favreau's Iron Man, but appearances in Thor and Iron Man 2 helped create the cohesion that the franchise is now known for. Sadly, he has been off the big screen ever since 2012, as he was killed in Joss Whedon's The Avengers, but now we have confirmation that he will be making his big comeback in Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's Captain Marvel.

Production is officially underway on the 2019 Marvel Studios blockbuster, and an official press release announcing the start of filming has confirmed the return of Clark Gregg's Phil Coulson. We know nothing about his role in the movie at this point, but we do know that his character's death probably won't play a factor (the plot is set in the early 1990s). That's not a lot, but it's still hard not to get excited about the development.

Of course, just because Phil Coulson hasn't been active on the big screen since 2012 doesn't mean he hasn't been active period. In fact, fans of the television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. have seen the character grow a whole lot over the course of five seasons (he was actually the Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. for a significant amount of time). Sadly we probably won't get to see any of that specific development because of the time period in which Captain Marvel is set, but we can all still cross our fingers and hope that we will eventually have a scene where Tony Stark is reunited with his old, not-dead friend. Something tells us that he will be a bit surprised to see him.

In addition to Phil Coulson, Captain Marvel is bringing together a whole lot of awesome characters together in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Brie Larson was confirmed as the titular hero, a.k.a. Carol Danvers, a few years back, and last summer it was confirmed that the movie will have a key role for Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury to play. It's also worth noting that Coulson won't be the only formerly-dead guy in the bunch, as both Lee Pace's Ronan The Accuser and Djimon Hounsou's Korath from Guardians of the Galaxy will also be in the mix. The rest of the cast (as unidentified characters) includes Ben Mendelsohn, Lashana Lynch, Gemma Chan, Algenis Perez Soto, Rune Temte and McKenna Grace.

As mentioned, Captain Marvel is now in production, preparing for its arrival in theaters on March 8, 2019. It is unquestionably one of the blockbusters we are looking forward to most in the coming months, so stay tuned for all of the latest updates and news about the project's development here on CinemaBlend!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe turns ten this year, and Marvel Studios recently decided to commemorate the occasion by bringing the entire MCU together for a class photo ahead of Avengers: Infinity War. Well, it was almost the entire MCU, except for a significant omission: Clark Gregg. The Phil Coulson actor couldn't make it to the class picture, raising questions about why he didn't show. But now Gregg has taken to social media to confirm that his commitments to promoting Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. at New York Comic Con prevented him from doing so. Gregg tweeted.

Even though Clark Gregg couldn't be there to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the rest of the live-action Marvel heroes, he was still doing diligent work as a member of the Marvel family. It just happened that he was doing that job on the TV side of things.

Longtime fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe already know how vital Phil Coulson (and by extension, Clark Gregg) is to the MCU as a whole. Coulson is one of the oldest characters in the entire franchise, having made his debut in 2008 when Jon Favreau's Iron Man first debuted in theaters. From there, he went on to appear in several of the Phase 1 movies such as Thor and Iron Man 2, before being killed by Loki (Tom Hiddleston) during the events of The Avengers -- the event that caused the team to gel into a cohesive unit.

Clark Gregg's tweet helped to clear up why he wasn't present for the class photo (mainly because other "dead" characters were there as well), but it didn't answer the question of whether or not we will ever see Phil Coulson in a Marvel movie ever again. The continuity between Marvel's films and Marvel's TV shows has remained shaky at best, and many on the film side of things continue to insist that Coulson is still very much dead -- despite his apparent resurrection in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. For now, it looks like we're going to have to take solace knowing that Clark Gregg is still out there in flying his Marvel flag.

Only time will tell if Clark Gregg will ever return to the silver screen side of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Agent Phil Coulson. Until he does, you can keep an eye on the MCU's current movie heroes when Black Panther debuts in theaters on February 16, as well as later this year when everyone unites for Avengers: Infinity War on May 4. Here's all of the information that we currently have on Black Panther, and here's what we know about Infinity War.

For a time, the Marvel Cinematic Universe was really making strides to emphasize its interconnectedness as events from the films were referenced and impacted the TV side of things. More specifically, Marvel's flagship network show, Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. was directly impacted by the events of Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Age of Ultron. But as the cinematic universe is coalescing in magnificent ways, the television universe is being left to do its own thing. One glaring example of this is the fact that the Avengers haven't been made aware of or acknowledged that Agent Phil Coulson is still alive. Speaking to reporters in advance of the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season five premiere, the man behind the resurrected agent, spoke about why that will probably never happen.

While fans may be disappointed in Clark Gregg's statement (via CBR), he is probably right. If Coulson's revival was going to be addressed it would have been done by now. It's been too long a this point, might come off as forced if they tried; but fans still love the Phil Coulson character and want recognition of his continued existence. He was integral to The Avengers, and his death at the hands of Loki was the emotional catalyst that unified the group into the world-saving team they are now. Never acknowledging Coulson's resurrection does cheapen the sacrifice made in The Avengers. But Clark Gregg is accurate in saying that the Avengers are a little busy, having fought robots and each other since the first film and now facing a galactic threat.

Why Earth's mightiest heroes have never mentioned Coulson again is anyone's guess. But there are certainly some behind the scenes reasons that could have played a part. The film and TV divisions of Marvel are now separate, and not exactly working as one cohesive unit with a unified vision. We have heard in the past about filmmakers having issues with the Isaac Perlmutter leadership that is now in charge of the TV side of things, so it is unlikely that the two divisions would work together to achieve something as small as having the Avengers see Coulson again. There is also the matter of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. never really being a hit or must see television for fans of the Marvel universe. That's unfortunate, because the show has improved in quality year over year and become a good show that plays with fun comic-booky concepts.

Despite the small chance that it ever happens, fans will continue to hope to see Phil Coulson on screen with the Avengers again. A small cameo would be enough and as long as there is a Marvel Cinematic Universe this hope will not fade. While we wait, you can see Agent Phil Coulson on his own cosmic adventure in the two-hour fifth season premiere of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Friday, December 1st at 8/7c on ABC.