Hayley Atwell Reportedly Returning to the MCU for ‘Avengers: Doomsday’

Atwell looks likely to be back as Peggy Carter, the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who captured Captain America’s heart and starred in her own spin-off TV series.

Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter / Captain Carter in 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'. Photo: Marvel Studios.

Preview:

Hayley Atwell is reportedly headed back to the MCU for ‘Avengers: Doomsday.’
Joe and Anthony Russo are aboard to direct the movie.
Robert Downey Jr. will be playing Dr. Doom, and Chris Evans is also coming back in some capacity.

It appears that, while it has a newer crop of heroes who will be tackling a giant new threat, Marvel intends to get at least some of the old gang back together –– in both familiar and fresh roles.

Following on from this summer’s huge announcement that Hayley Atwell is also in line to show up.

Avengers: Doomsday

Not Yet Rated Dec 18th, 2026

The Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, Thunderbolts, and X-Men all fight against Doctor Doom. Plot TBA. Read the Plot

While there has been chatter about Evans possibly playing a character other than Steve “Captain America” Rogers –– Nomad, a title that Rogers takes on after giving up the Cap mantle to Sam Wilson, it seems Atwell would be back as Peggy Carter, AKA the MI6 and S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who is the great love of Steve’s life.

What has happened with the new ‘Avengers’ movies so far?

To say the road to the new ‘Avengers’ films has been problematic is to say ‘Kraven the Hunter’ had a slightly disappointing start at the box office this past weekend.

Originally announced as part of a big reveal by studio boss Avengers: Secret Wars’.

‘The Kang Dynasty’ has been the real sticking point here. Though the plan had presumably been to build to a confrontation with Majors found himself cut by Marvel after accusations (and, later a guilty result) of harassment.

While ‘Anthony Russo are back to handle the two giant team-up efforts.

‘Avengers: Doomsday’ will focus on the likes of the current Avengers team and the Fantastic Four (played by their own movie next July) having to face the new threat of Doom.

‘Secret Wars’ has been more of a mystery on the filmmaking front.

What is Marvel’s ‘Secret Wars?

‘Secret Wars’ would draw from (through the usual Marvel movie filter where changes will be made) a pair of 1980s comic book series focused on an all-powerful antagonist known as the Beyonder, who in the first installment pitted Marvel’s heroes and villains against each other on a planet known as Battleworld.

In a 2015 revival by Jonathan Hickman, the resulting conflict left the multiverse collapsed, the survivors living on a single planet ruled by classic villain Doctor Doom.

The Russos have previously talked about their enthusiasm for ‘Secret Wars’, and they’re bringing along scripter Stephen McFeely, who co-wrote most of their previous Marvel output.

Carter’s return also makes sense for McFeely, who along with regular writer Agent Carter’ series.

Who else will be in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’?

Robert Downey Jr. to play Doctor Doom in 'Avengers: Doomsday'.

Alongside Evans in whatever capacity, we’ll of course see Downey plus the ‘Fantastic Four’ cast.

Mackie is very likely to show up as Cap, and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man or any of the other stalwarts will be back.

There’s good money on Sebastian Stan’s Bucky Barnes will report for duty.

What is Peggy Carter’s Marvel history?

Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter / Captain Carter in 'Agent Carter'. Photo: Marvel Studios.

Introduced (on screen, at least) in ‘Captain America: The First Avenger,’ Peggy Carter is a heroic British agent who met Evans’ Steve Rogers before the experiment that turned him into Captain America.

Believing Steve lost for decades at the end of that film, Peggy forged ahead with her own career, helping to build S.H.I.E.L.D. and appearing in her own TV series, ‘Agent Carter.’

By the time Rogers was discovered in the ice, Peggy was an old woman, and the pair had an emotional reunion. At the end of ‘Avengers: Endgame,’ Steve chose to go back in time and live a life with Peggy.

Where and when (and how) we’ll find Peggy this time around remains to be seen. Could it be a multiversal variant of the character? (We met an ill-fated version of Peggy, who got the Super Soldier Serum herself and became Captain Carter in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’)

However she returns, we’ll be happy to see Peggy on screen again.

Outside of the MCU, Peggy has been busy in other action movies, including the most recent ‘The Final Reckoning’ in May.