Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill made her MCU debut almost a decade ago in 2012's The Avengers. Since then, the SHIELD super spy has popped up in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Infinity War, Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home and was one of the few theatrical characters to make the jump to TV with Agents of SHIELD.
Several years after her last appearance, Maria Hill will be returning once again alongside Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury in the Secret Invasion Disney+ series to tackle the Skrull invasion of Earth with the help of Ben Mendelsohn's Talos and some new friends.
With filming on the Disney+ series currently underway, set photos have surfaced online, offering the first look at Cobie Smulders' return to Marvel.
Maria Hill Returns in Secret Invasion Set Photos
Secret Invasion set photos, originally shared on Twitter by @scarletearp, showcase Cobie Smulders' Maria Hill back in action in the Disney+ series:
Cobie Smulders shooting for SECRET INVASION. (via: @scarletearp) pic.twitter.com/kAIQE19dEI
A video captured on the set sees Maria Hill meeting Emilia Clarke's unknown character and conversing in a friendly manner:
Cobie Smulders and Emilia Clarke #SecretInvasion. (via: @scarletearp) pic.twitter.com/LGFRIZlg09
An image also depicts Smulders and Clarke continuing to chat off-camera as the Game of Thrones actress is undeniably out of costume:
Cobie Smulders and Emilia Clarke on set of SECRET INVASION. (via: @scarletearp) pic.twitter.com/VqyWQnifYi
Maria Hill's Biggest Role Yet?
The longer running times of the Disney+ series have given Marvel the opportunity to give more depth than ever to the MCU's side characters. With Secret Invasion being a six-episode outing centered around the MCU's top spies, the series will probably be Maria Hill's biggest role yet.
These set photos offer little clarity in terms of the plot or Cobie Smulders' role, although they do show Hill having a friendly interaction with Emilia Clarke's unnamed character in what appears to be a Russian setting.
Looking at the original comic storyline, the basis of the Secret Invasion storyline came in the surprise twists of popular heroes being Skrull imposters. Originally, these reveals came for many fan-favorite Avengers, but with Earth's Mightiest Heroes being absent from the Disney+ series, an established MCU main-stay like Maria Hill is a top contender to be revealed as a Skrull imposter.
It's worth noting that the Secret Invasion series is expected to tie heavily into 2023's The Marvels. With Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury also believed to be coming back for the Captain Marvel sequel, perhaps Hill will pop up in the female-led blockbuster too.
For now, it remains unclear what Marvel Studios has in store for fans with Secret Invasion, although more ought to become clear closer to the series premiere, which is expected to come in late 2022 or 2023.
