“S.H.I.E.L.D.” has picked up two new recruits.
Iain De Caestecker and Elizabeth Henstridge are joining the Joss Whedon-directed pilot about the covert agency spun off from last summer’s Marvel superhero smash “The Avengers.”
They join “E.R.” vet Ming-Na and Marvel movie universe regular Clark Gregg, who will somehow be reprising his role as Agent Coulson, last seen in “The Avengers.”
Coulson, along with Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), has represented S.H.I.E.L.D. in multiple Marvel movies, including the “Iron Man” films, “Thor” and “Captain America: The First Avenger.”
The agency will likely continue to play a pivotal role to such upcoming Phase II films as “Iron Man 3,” “Thor: The Dark World” and “Guardians of the Galaxy,” so there’s a chance that the stars of the show could pop up on the big screen.
The duo will both be a part of S.H.I.E.L.D.’s tech arm, with Henstridge playing Agent Gemma Simmons, while De Caestecker will play Agent Leo Fitz, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Whedon is also co-writing the pilot for Marvel TV and ABC TV Studios along with his brother Jed Whedon and sister-in-law Maurissa Tancharoen (“Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog”).
Henstridge also starred in J.J. Abrams and Mark Schwahn’s “Shelter” pilot, while De Caestecker starred in the BBC’s BAFTA-winning “The Fades” and will soon be seen opposite James McAvoy in “Filth.”