Come 2019, Captain Marvel is expected to bring back a number of friendly faces – namely Nick Fury, Ronan the Accuser and Agent Phil Coulson – for what is sure to be a unique and deeply nostalgic expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Chief among them is Clark Gregg as Coulson, the fan-favorite S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who fell at the hands of Loki during The Avengers, only to be resurrected in time for Marvel’s spinoff TV series. Yes, it’s fair to say that the MCU’s brain trust has bent the rules to accommodate Phil Coulson – not that we’re complaining, mind you – but Captain Marvel is different in that Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s standalone adventure is poised to unfurl in the 1990s, long before Gregg’s hero kicked the bucket.
How did that role come about? Good question, and one that the actor addressed during a recent interview with ComicBook.com:
That was a fun call from my friends in the Cinematic Universe, who I normally see at these events, saying, ‘You know, we think once again we have some work for you, but it takes place in the ’90s. Can you go to the gym?’ Yeah, I said, ‘The ’90s? I mean, there is no gym that can get me back to the ’90s.’ And they said, ‘Well, don’t worry. We’ve been working on that technology, and we think we can goose you back a few years.’
Could this welcome surprise ultimately lead to a role in the current MCU? It’s a long shot, though Clark Gregg is happy to leave the fate of his character in the hands of Marvel Studios.
I don’t know – that’s above my pay grade. I just show up where they tell me to show up. If the day comes when I’m no longer playing Phil Coulson, I’ll very gratefully bid him farewell, because it’s been an incredible journey, but I’ve learned that it’s best to just be grateful for where I am and make the most out of that opportunity that day.
So, there you have it; Clark Gregg has officially punched his ticket for Captain Marvel. Its estimated time of arrival? March 8th, 2019, placing it smack bang in the middle of Infinity War and the as-yet-untitled Avengers 4.
