Hayley Atwell's MCU return in Avengers: Doomsday will reportedly come with a major twist that nobody saw coming. To the surprise of many, the Captain America: The First Avenger actress became a prominent player in the Multiverse Saga thanks to What If...? Despite its anthology format, Peggy Carter's superhero Variant, Captain Carter, had a recurring role in all three seasons and even came to live-action in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. It's only right that Atwell comes back for the saga's conclusion in Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars.
In a recent edition of The Cosmic Circus' Q&A, scooper Alez Perez touched on Hayley Atwell's return as Peggy Carter in Avengers: Doomsday and confirmed the unexpected twist that she will be a "follower of Doom," but still far from evil.
This comes after MyTimeToShineHello claimed that Atwell will appear as Carter and "Doom's witch" in Avengers 5. That rumor also credited Benedict Cumberbatch (who remains unconfirmed for Doomsday) as "Doom's wizard sidekick," suggesting Doctor Strange will ally with the Multiversal villain as well.
Explaining Carter's reasoning for siding with Doom as the Incursions begin, Perez noted that she feels his plans "will help her and her son to fix the current status of the multiverse, which is partially the fault of Steve Rogers."
A recent report stated that Rogers' mistake caused the events of Doomsday, as it was his journey into history to be with Carter that "sacrificed" the Multiverse and had massive ramifications for all of reality. It may be her guilt for the happiness this choice earned her that pushes Carter to help Doom stop the Incursions his way.
Most fans concluded that it would be one of Carter's many Variants working with Doom, while her Earth-616 self either stays at home with their son or works alongside the Avengers. However, Perez's latest report spoils the unexpected twist that the MCU's existing SHIELD co-founder will board Doom's cause.
Why Hayley Atwell Will Be Vital to Avengers: Doomsday & Secret Wars
Knowing Doctor Doom's Marvel Comics audiences will undoubtedly place fans firmly on the side with the Avengers, X-Men, and Fantastic Four. That said, Avengers: Doomsday may explore both sides of the Incursions debacle, thus explaining why heroes such as Peggy Carter and Doctor Strange ally with Doom.
Scooper Daniel Richtman revealed on Patreon that Atwell will have a "major role throughout the movie," making it her "biggest role" yet for the Avengers franchise. One has to wonder whether she will defect to join Doctor Doom from the get-go, or switch sides to back his cause later on in Doomsday.
Given Marvel Studios' recent confirmation of Chris Evans' comeback while still omitting Atwell from the announced cast, there is a chance her role as one of Doom's followers will be saved as one of the movie's bigger twists. Not to mention, his wife siding with Doom could be pivotal to Steve Rogers' emotional storyline.
Fans previously heard that Doomsday will feature "multiple Doctor Dooms," including a female Variant. Having learned that the Latverian will have a group of followers in the 2026 blockbuster, one has to ponder whether these are actually Multiversal variants, or others, such as Carter and Strange, wearing his attire.
Atwell will officially reprise her role in Secret Wars after Doomsday, perhaps continuing to serve RDJ's Doctor Doom on Battleworld. But there is a chance that more than one Carter Variant features in Avengers 6, as Captain Carter's large presence throughout the saga has many convinced she will appear too.
