Marvel's Clark Gregg fuels speculation about Phil Coulson's potential MCU return

Renowned for his portrayal of Phil Coulson across a range of Marvel endeavors, Clark Gregg recently sparked anticipation by hinting at a potential return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in a recent interview. Phil Coulson served as a crucial pillar during Phase 1 of the MCU, his trajectory concluding dramatically with his death at the hands of Loki in the 2012 blockbuster, The Avengers.

Despite Coulson's cinematic downfall, Gregg's association with the character didn't end there. He resurrected the role for seven successful seasons of the widely-acclaimed ABC series, Agents of SHIELD and lent his character to the 2019 release, Captain Marvel.

Gregg further reprised his role in the innovative animated series, What If...?, which audiences can now enjoy on the streaming platform, Disney+.

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Clark Gregg on Phil Coulson's potential Marvel return: The Multiverse always offers a chance

Clark Gregg as Phil Coulson: Contemplating a Marvel Multiverse comeback - because in the Multiverse, there's always a chance (Image via Marvel Studios)

In a recent engaging discourse with The Cosmic Circus at the Motor City Comic Con, Clark Gregg unmasked his sentiments regarding a potential reprise of his role in the MCU. When prompted about his likelihood of stepping into Phil Coulson's shoes again, Gregg jestingly intimated, "there's always a chance."

Progressing along the same line of thought, the Agents of SHIELD protagonist alluded to the boundless possibilities of the Multiverse when asked about his eagerness for a resurgence. He said:

"There's just always a chance that- I mean, you know, it's a multiverse."

In the same interaction with The Cosmic Circus, Gregg addressed the conjecture that Coulson was a Skrull in The Avengers. He conceded that Marvel "confirmed" his character as a Skrull, though this may be a misinterpretation of the Agents of SHIELD plot, where he impersonated a Life Model Decoy of Coulson in Season 7:

Upon clarification from The Cosmic Circus about no such confirmation from Marvel, Gregg expressed his conviction that Coulson was indeed a "real life person:"

"Okay, maybe not. No, I don't know. No, I think he was a real life person. I can barely keep track of all the things he became, or that he might show up as some other time. But I think he was, what made him, I don't know what, stand out or connect with the fans was the fact that he was very, very human."

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Agent Coulson's potential return in the Multiverse era of the MCU

Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, poised for a potential return in the expanding Multiverse of the MCU (Image via Marvel Studios)

The culmination of the beloved series Agents of SHIELD proposed an alternate universe setting, departing from its roots in the primary MCU Earth. This narrative decision interestingly aligns with Gregg's speculative remarks about the Multiverse's potential, opening doors for a possible resurgence of his character, Phil Coulson, to Earth-616 (or Earth-19999).

Yet, the likelihood of Gregg reprising his role as Phil Coulson in Secret Invasion is uncertain, especially considering the character's comprehensive and emotionally satisfying resolution in Agents of SHIELD.

Nevertheless, should Coulson make a surprise return, it could manifest as an alternate version of the character, in keeping with the malleable reality of the Multiverse. One intriguing possibility could transpire in one of the universes of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Imagine a world, Earth-838, reeling from the destructive actions of Wanda Maximoff against the Illuminati. In this chaos, an alternate version of Agent Phil Coulson may be standing, ready to muster the remaining heroes of this distraught Earth for a retaliatory strike against Earth-616.

For fans eager to revisit Phil Coulson's journey thus far, the Agents of SHIELD series is available for streaming on Disney+.