Marvel Studios is finally bringing back two characters who previously starred in ABC’s Marvel shows in the late 2010s in different 2026 projects. Since the MCU began in 2008 with Iron Man, the franchise has grown tremendously. Now, in 2026, there are dozens of films and TV shows, and fans have even seen some characters from other franchises, networks, and/or universes crossover.
While reporting on a new Broadway production, Variety confirmed that MCU star Hayley Atwell will be reprising her role as Peggy Carter in Avengers: Doomsday. Previously, Atwell was expected to return, and insiders teased that she would have her biggest role yet in an Avengers film.
The last time Atwell popped up in an MCU project was in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. In that flick, she portrayed a Variant of the Peggy Carter fans were used to and was killed by Wanda Maximoff.
Notably, Atwell also starred in the Marvel series Agent Carter on ABC, a two-season production that ran from 2015 to 2016. Therefore, an actress from one of the ABC Marvel shows will be returning to the MCU in 2026. Most importantly, though, she won’t be alone.
It was also confirmed that James D’Arcy will return in 2026, another actor who had a prominent role in Agent Carter. D’Arcy portrayed Edwin Jarvis in that television show and will bring that character to life once again later this year.
Specifically, D’Arcy will pop up in VisionQuest, the Disney+ sequel to WandaVision and Agatha: All Along. D’Arcy will physically appear on-screen as a human version of the JARVIS artificial intelligence software that was originally integrated into Tony Stark’s Iron Man suits.
Jarvis was a real person, as shown in Agent Carter and Avengers: Endgame. However, this specific version in VisionQuest will only appear as the human version, when in reality, it will just be a manifestation of the AI program.
It is worth noting that a teaser for VisionQuest was already revealed to private audiences at New York Comic-Con, reportedly featuring the human version of Jarvis.
So, fans will get to see two major actors and characters from one of the ABC Marvel shows return in different projects in 2026. While those ABC titles may not be as popular as most regular MCU movies and series, the fact that the characters who appeared in them are still relevant in 2026 speaks volumes.
Other ABC Marvel Connections to the MCU in 2026
Cybertek’s Daredevil: Born Again Appearance
The Agent Carter characters returning in Avengers: Doomsday and VisionQuest aren’t the only connections to any of the ABC shows the MCU has or will include in 2026 projects.
For example, in multiple episodes of Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, a newspaper clipping could be seen on the wall that talked about Cybertek reaching a settlement agreement. No context was given for this newspaper headline in Born Again Season 2, but Agents of SHIELD diehards will know what it references.
Essentially, the “Cybertek Settles” headline is an Easter egg to Agents of SHIELD, as Cybertek was a corporation heavily involved in the main plot of that show’s first season. Cybertek worked directly alongside HYDRA to develop cybernetic tech, and it eventually turned Mike Peterson (an important Agents of SHIELD character) into a half-super soldier.
Agents of SHIELD’s VisionQuest Connection
While Marvel Television or Marvel Studios has not explicitly confirmed it, reports surfaced that the upcoming VisionQuest series on Disney+ will feature some connection to ABC’s Agents of SHIELD.
The exact connection to Agents of SHIELD in VisionQuest hasn’t been revealed, but it was referenced in a report from insider Alex Perez at The Cosmic Circus that “the connection” will have something “to do with AI:”
the wizzler: “Will Daisy Johnson be in ‘Vision Quest?’ Is that a safe bet at this point, or is it still very up in the air?”
Alex Perez: “No. The connection to ‘Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ has to do with AI.”
Most likely, the Darkhold will come into play and be the reason the former Tony Stark AIs will have physical bodies. In Agents of SHIELD, an AI named AIDA used the Darkhold to give herself a soul. That soul could be put into a Life Model Decoy, which could be exactly how AIs like JARVIS, EDITH, and FRIDAY will appear to humans in VisionQuest. The Darkhold was featured heavily in WandaVision and Agatha All Along, so it would not be a surprise if it also popped up in VisionQuest.
