“I Would Love To Have That Opportunity:” Agents Of SHIELD Star Teases Potential MCU Return After Marvel TV Boss’ Recent Comments
Almost five years after its finale, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. occupies a unique space in the Marvel Cinematic Universe canon. The series follows Clark Gregg’s Agent Phil Coulson, a mainstay in Marvel’s Phase 1, and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents after his mysterious resurrection. Other stars included Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Brett Dalton, Iain De Caestecker, Elizabeth Henstridge, and Adrianne Palicki. In its early seasons, it shared continuity with the franchise’s films, even crossing over with Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Thor: The Dark World. Over the course of its seven-season run, it slowly became non-canon to the broader MCU.
There are a variety of factors that go into why, from Marvel choosing to focus on streaming series instead to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. exercising its creative freedom in ways that complicated its continuity. Even so, the series was well-received and still has a cult following. In fact, even Marvel’s Head of Streaming, Brad Winderbaum, has called Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. “a really great show“ and mused about how it could work as part of the franchise.
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Recently, Screen Rant’s Joe Deckelmeier caught up with Wen, who portrayed Agent Melinda May, nicknamed “The Cavalry,’ at AwesomeCon. During a panel discussion, the actress addressed Winderbaum’s comments and the possibility of her returning to the MCU:
Screen Rant: When I was at D23 last year, I had the opportunity to chat with Brad Winderbaum. […] He told me he was rewatching Agents of SHIELD, and he said to me that he thinks “it fits into The Multiverse Saga in an incredible way.” He said, “I want to go down this road with you, but we’re just gonna take a deep breath for a second. Just know that I love that cast, and I love that show.”
Do you think there’s more for you to explore with Melinda May, and where in the MCU would you like to see her return?
Ming-Na Wen: Any! And how lovely. Keep thinking, Brad. Don’t breathe deep for too long.
It’s so weird, when you give birth to these characters. I think I’m very protective of these characters, and somewhere within me, they exist. I miss them a lot. It’s very weird, like there’s a part of me that you know wants to get back into those roles. So, if I ever have a chance to become Agent Melinda May again and do anything [with] that really strong character, I would love to have that opportunity. I love that series.
Since its end, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’s return has been teased by Winderbaum and its stars, but the hangup is how it factors into the broader MCU. Wen herself previously noted how Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D was “the first” MCU series, quipping: “You [would] think we should get some accolade for helping launch Marvel in what the TV [department] that it is now.” For her part, Bennet also addressed reprising her role as Daisy “Quake” Johnson, stating: “I don’t think I’m done playing Daisy. That’s not saying I know anything.” Responding to the fans’ desire for a Coulson return last year, Gregg said:
That’s really sweet … I just love that there’s a connection with Coulson, I think, because he was such an early part of the thing and the kind of human face of the world.
Alternatively, Winderbaum has opened up about what most intrigues him about the series re-entering the MCU: “It’s exciting for me to think about how to square [Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter] with the canon.” With the post-Avengers: Endgame storyline focusing on the multiverse, it would be possible to reintroduce the team either as variants or in an established timeline that simply resembles the main MCU up until some divergent event.
Despite not neatly fitting into the MCU timeline, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D remains a favorite among some fans, hence its respectable seven years on the air. As such, Marvel incorporating the series into its ongoing Multiverse Saga would be a good way to keep the series “canon” to the MCU while explaining the areas where it diverges from the films. Given that Ming-Na and its other stars want to return, bringing the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D cast members as alternate universe heroes could pay tribute to the MCU’s roots without breaking its continuity.
