Cobie Smulders isn't playing an actual superhero in The Avengers, and she's not a huge star like Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Evans, but it's still a little strange how small a presence she's had in the marketing materials for The Avengers thus far. Showed up briefly newest trailer, but it's still unclear what she'll be doing in the film beyond standing around at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters, looking like she disapproves of all the shenanigans everyone else is getting up to.
Unfortunately the two new images of her character, which showed up today at Marvel.com, don't tell us much more either. In both of them she's standing in the same standard-issue S.H.I.E.L.D. jumpsuit, standing at the control panel, and even wearing the same generally disapproving face. Did someone just piss in her cornflakes this morning, or is something going legitimately wrong? her face gives nothing away. Check out the two images below.
The biggest unclear thing about The Avengers at this point is how the balance of all the characters is going to work. Is it going to feel like a patched-together mess the way Iron Man 2 did, with Black Widow and Nick Fury flitting in and out of a central, shambling story? Or will it feel like an honest ensemble piece the way Captain America did, fitting together a large cast with precision and a sense that everyone gets a turn. It worries me that we've seen so little of Maria HIll so far, but even if she's used well in the film, it'll be as a vital supporting character-- more Agent Coulson than Black Widow. Here's hoping it turns out well when we finally get a look at The Avengers once it opens May 4.
