Meet the first characters from Joss Whedon's S.H.I.E.L.D. and then guess which Whedonverse actors will play them
Joss Whedon has already made it clear that his S.H.I.E.L.D. pilot for ABC will function autonomously from the larger, more expensive Marvel Universe, featuring all-new characters that won't interact with the superheroes and Samuel L. Jacksons of the films (at least until Sweeps Week, probably). But that doesn't mean "all-new" in terms of Whedonverse archetypes, of course. These preliminary character sketches dug up by TV Line offer your first glimpse at the blue-collar underdogs of the superhero universe, as well as your first chance to guess at the members of Whedon's regular acting company that might be called upon to fill them:
SKYE | This late-20s woman sounds like a dream: fun, smart, caring and confident — with an ability to get the upper hand by using her wit and charm.
AGENT GRANT WARD | Quite the physical specimen and “cool under fire,” he sometimes botches interpersonal relations. He’s a quiet one with a bit of a temper, but he’s the kind of guy that grows on you.
AGENT ALTHEA RICE | Also known as “The Calvary,” this hard-core soldier has crazy skills when it comes to weapons and being a pilot. But her experiences have left her very quiet and a little damaged.
AGENT LEO FITZ and AGENT JEMMA SIMMONS | These two came through training together and still choose to spend most of their time in each other’s company. Their sibling-like relationship is reinforced by their shared nerd tendencies — she deals with biology and chemistry, he’s a whiz at the technical side of weaponry.
So, just a guess here, but Summer Glau, Adam Baldwin, Gina Torres, Fran Kranz, and Amy Acker, right? Right. So that's all settled then (with allowances for substitutions of Felicia Day, Enver Gjokaj, and/or Tahmoh Penikett). Time to make the show now.