While most fans knew thatCaptain Marvelhad started production quite some time ago, with photos and video surfacing from the set in late January, Marvel has confirmed that filming ‘officially’ began this week. Surprisingly, the studio also revealed three returning MCU characters,Clark Greggas Agent Phil Coulson, Djimon Hounsou as Korath the Pursuer and Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser. This marks the first time that Coulson has been seen in an MCU movie since his “death” in the 2012 blockbusterThe Avengers, while both Korath and Ronan made their MCU debut in 2014’sGuardians of the Galaxy, where they were both also killed off.
SinceCaptain Marvelwill be set in the 1990s, long before this trio of characters were killed off in the MCU, their return won’t cause any continuity issues. What is also interesting, though, is Marvel fans have known since 2013 thatAgent Coulsonis still alive, heading up a S.H.I.E.L.D. team in secret on the ABC seriesMarvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., although none of the MCU characters on the movie side know he’s still alive. Since it was Coulson’s death that helped bring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes together in the firstAvengersmovie, many had been wondering if or when these heroes may finally learn Coulson is still alive after all.
While the movie is set in the 1990s, sinceCaptain Marvelis set between the events ofAvengers: Infinity Warand next year’sAvengers 4, and sinceBrie Larson’s Carol Danvershas been confirmed to appear inAvengers 4, it’s possible that thisCaptain Marvelmovie may end in present day, much like howCaptain America: The First Avengerended with a thawed-out Cap (Chris Evans) waking up in present-day New York City. While no present-day scenes have been confirmed forCaptain Marvel, it would make sense to have some sort of transition from this 1990s origin story to present day, whether it be a post-credit scene or simply the final scene of the movie.
It has already been confirmed that a large portion of theCaptain Marvelstory will be set in outer space, so it makes sense that characters from thecosmic side of the MCUlike Korath the Pursuer and Ronan the Accuser are featured here. Whether or not they will make any sort of return in the present-day timeline of the MCU remains to be seen, and there is no word on any other previously-deceased MCU characters showing up inCaptain Marvel. It has also been confirmed that this story will head into the Quantum Realm, which was first introduced in 2015’sAnt-Man, so there could be an abundance of possibilities for existing MCU characters, deceased or otherwise, to return inCaptain Marvel.
The announcement fromMarvel Studiosalso confirms the recent news that Lashanna Lynch hasreplaced DeWanda Wise, while revealing new cast members Algenis Perez Soto, Rune Temte and McKenna Grace in unspecified roles. The announcement also reveals that directors Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck also worked on the script alongsideG.L.O.W.creators Liz Flahive and Carly Mensch, and previously-confirmed writers Nicole Perlman (Guardians of the Galaxy), Meg LeFauve (Inside Out) and Geneva Robertson-Dworet (Tomb Raider).
