In a recent interview, MCU actor Hayley Atwell commented on how 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness took her character, Peggy Carter, in a different direction than she had expected.
Following the introduction of the Captain Carter variant of Atwell's character in the first season of What If...?, fans got the chance to see the originally-animated character in live-action during Doctor Strange 2, played by the same actress as her main MCU counterpart.
In her brief appearance in the film, Captain Carter, one of the members of the Illuminati, fights alongside her team against Wanda Maximoff (the Scarlet Witch). After uttering Steve Rogers' catchphrase, "I can do this all day," Carter is split in half when Maximoff throws the captain's shield directly into her chest, killing her.
Now, Atwell has opened up about her feelings on that brutal ending in the Multiversal sequel.
Peggy Carter Actor Sees Doctor Strange 2 Role as Out of Character
During an interview with Digital Spy, Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter/Captain Carter) spoke about how she felt that her character's storyline in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness did not match "the trajectory that [she sees] for Peggy:"
"It was definitely not, you know, the trajectory that I see for Peggy. I would definitely like her to have more to do."
In this same conversation, Atwell discussed how when she began playing Peggy Carter over a decade ago, it was "because [she] love[s] the people:"
"It’s so funny, because, you know, I did that 10 years ago, and I love her because I love the people, and you never know [if there could be more]."
Atwell continued, regarding any potential to see Carter back in future MCU films, saying "it depends on what Marvel, and what the audiences, want:"
"It depends on what Marvel, and what the audiences, want ... I’m a custodian of her. Compared to the rest of my career and everything I’ve done or my stage work and doing Mission: Impossible now and all the diversity of roles I’ve played, and the diversity that I get to explore, and to be able to play more complex roles and villains and lots of different things — she is not mine anymore."
She finished by expanding on how the role is impacted by the "people that have taken her into their heart:"
"She lives in the world of people that have taken her into their heart. And that’s beautiful. But it’s kind of like: yeah, you can’t control the impact a particular role has on the rest of the world."
What's Next for Hayley Atwell in the MCU?
Last fans saw the main MCU version of Peggy Carter in Avengers: Endgame, she and Steve Rogers were living out their lives in the 1940s, happy together. While many fans have wondered if this changes the event of the Agent Carter television show, Atwell herself has addressed how new stories about the pair, story-wise, could still both happen and be consistent with MCU continuity.
Further, fans of the Captain Carter variant of Atwell's character might not have to wait too long to see more of her. The post-credit scene in the finale of the first season of What If...? teased a story for Captain Carter reminiscent of Captain America: The Winter Soldier. With the series' second season right around the corner, perhaps Captain Carter's story will soon continue.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
