Hayley Atwell Returning As Captain Carter?

Hayley Atwell's appearance as Captain Carter in Doctor Strange 2 left fans wanting more and they just might get it.

By Britta DeVore | Published

This article is more than 2 years old

hayley atwell

Arguably one of the best parts about Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was the introductions of new characters. Leading it all, we had butt-kicking teen, America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) as the main newbie, traveling alongside Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) as they tumbled through multiple realities together. Eventually, the two wound up in a world where the Illuminati actually exist, which led to several other incredible cameos that were short, but sweet. In the film, we got to see Mr. Fantastic aka Reed Richards (John Krasinski), Maria Rambeau/Captain Marvel (Lashana Lynch), Black Bolt (Anson Mount), Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Baron Mordo (Chiwetel Ejiofor), and Peggy Carter/Captain Carter (Hayley Atwell) each give fun and quick performances. 

And while we’d absolutely LOVE to see any of these actors return to reprise their roles (even if they each met terrifying ends at the hands of Scarlet Witch), there’s one in particular that has expressed her desire to return to the MCU and give the baddies of the world a royal butt-kicking. That actress would be Hayley Atwell who picked up the Union Jack shield and answered her country’s call to serve as Captain Carter. According to The Cosmic Circus, during a spot at AwesomeCon, the actress told fans that she’d be delighted to have another chance at playing the role.

Telling fans that she also felt their “enthusiasm,” Hayley Atwell was careful to choose her words, noting that at that moment in time she didn’t have any “news” for them. Putting the ball in the studio’s court, the actress mentioned that she would “love to if Marvel did find a home for her,” but there’s a catch. Atwell mentioned that this “home” would need to be “worthy of [Captain Carter] in terms of her evolution as a character and development as a character.” That is one dedicated performer – and we absolutely love it. Nothing makes us happier than when someone is so tied and committed to their character that they would only agree to play them again if the timing and script is right. Good on you, Hayley. 

Part of the reason Hayley Atwell hangs so tightly onto the idea of doing good by Peggy/Captain Carter is that, as she puts it, over the years the character has given her the “most incredible opportunity” to grow as an actress. She also sees the importance of bringing Captain Carter’s story to the forefront. In other Marvel productions, she’s been Peggy, who is still a badass lady but hasn’t had the main story focused on herself. To this, Atwell comments that she’s “got more to do… because I feel the fans deserve that.” We agree! Give us more lady-powered Marvel films!!

And now could be the perfect time. With so many of the legendary characters stepping down or moving on after Avengers: Endgame, it’s a great opportunity to bring fresh blood and fresh stories to the forefront. With Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson now carrying the shield of Captain America, how awesome would it be to zap Hayley Atwell’s Captain Carter in from another universe to join in the fight? It would be a huge step forward for the franchise and mean more than the world to female-identifying fans of the MCU. 


After appearing in Marvel and Disney+’s series, What If…? Captain Carter became an immediate MCU fan favorite. In her episode, viewers watched as Peggy Carter became the world’s first super-soldier instead of Steve Rogers. Due to the episode and the character’s popularity, it was soon announced that Captain Carter would be getting her story illustrated in a new set of comic books. With such a successful run, we’re now asking Marvel: What if you brought back Hayley Atwell for her very own Captain Carter-centered film?