The fall television season may have just officially begun, with Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. among the first series out the gate, but our eyes and attention are set on another Marvel show heading our way: Agent Carter. Much like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter will tell the human side of the fantastical and super-powered Marvel Cinematic Universe, but is set in the past, with Hayley Atwell front and center. I don’t know about you, but I’ll take that over Agent Coulson and his band of HYDRA-weary agents any day.
Atwell reprises her role of the titular Agent Peggy Carter, who’s appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger, her own eponymous Marvel One-Shot short film, this year’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Tuesday’s season premiere of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. The series picks up after the events of The First Avenger, with Carter working as an administrator for the Strategic Scientific Reserve and going on secret and dangerous missions for her pal Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper).
As Agent Carter‘s winter premiere draws near, the show is picking up speed and gaining cast members. Just last week Cloud Atlas and Those Who Kill actor James D’Arcy signed on as Edwin Jarvis, Howard Stark’s butler and the man whom Tony later based his artificial intelligence on. Now, we have word that Boardwalk Empire and True Detective alum Shea Whigham is on board as well.
Whigham will serve as the series’ co-lead, according to Deadline. He’ll play the “tough but fair-minded” SSR chief Roger Dooley, who oversees Carter and her fellow agents, Thompson (One Tree Hill’s Chad Michael Murray) and Sousa (Dollhouse’s Enver Gjokaj).
Adding an actor like Whigham is a huge win for Marvel, as he always adds a great deal of depth to any role he’s given. My guess is he’ll get plenty of scene-chewing material to work with in Agent Carter, and compliment Atwell as co-lead quite nicely.
Tell us, are you excited to see Shea Whigham joining the cast? Sound off below.