Agent Carter | |
---|---|
![]() Home media release poster | |
Directed by | Louis D'Esposito |
Screenplay by | Eric Pearson |
Based on | |
Produced by | Kevin Feige |
Starring | |
Cinematography | Gabriel Beristain |
Edited by | Peter S. Elliot |
Music by | Christopher Lennertz |
Production company | |
Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 15 minutes [1] |
Country | United States |
Language | English |
Agent Carter is a 2013 American direct-to-video short film featuring the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter, produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. It is the fourth Marvel One-Shot short film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise and taking place after Captain America: The First Avenger (2011). The film is directed by Louis D'Esposito from a screenplay by Eric Pearson, and stars Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, along with Bradley Whitford and Dominic Cooper. In Agent Carter, Peggy Carter sets out on a solo mission to acquire the mysterious Zodiac while facing sexism post-World War II at the SSR, a precursor to S.H.I.E.L.D.
A Marvel One-Shot featuring Peggy Carter was in the works for some time before Atwell signed on to star in it, reprising her role from the Captain America films. D'Esposito, co-president of Marvel Studios and an executive producer on the feature films, aimed to replicate the period setting of Captain America: The First Avenger, while also giving the short a more modern, superhero feel. The film was a more ambitious production than previous One-Shots, with more action scenes and visual effects required than previously. Several other characters from Marvel Cinematic Universe films also appear, including Cooper reprising his role of Howard Stark.
The short was released on the home media release of Iron Man 3 in September 2013, and was received positively by critics and the audience from an earlier screening at San Diego Comic-Con. It won a Golden Reel Award. This response led to ABC ordering a television series expansion of the short, Agent Carter , which aired from January 2015 to March 2016, over two seasons.
One year after the events of Captain America: The First Avenger , [2] Agent Peggy Carter is now a member of the Strategic Scientific Reserve (SSR). She faces sexism from her boss, Agent John Flynn, who treats her condescendingly and keeps her compiling data and code breaking while assigning field cases to the male agents. The SSR's main concern is the mysterious Zodiac, which they have been unable to recover for some time.
One night alone in the office while the men are out together, Carter answers the case line to hear of the location of the Zodiac. Though three to five agents are recommended, Carter decides to go to the location herself. Fighting off multiple guards, Carter is able to retrieve the Zodiac, a mysterious serum, herself. The next day, Flynn reprimands her for not going through the proper procedures to complete the mission, and dismisses the indignant Carter as just an "old flame" of Captain America's who was given her current job out of pity for her bereavement. However, before he can officially punish her, the case line rings again, this time with Howard Stark on the other end, who informs Flynn that Carter will co-head the newly created S.H.I.E.L.D.
In a mid-credits scene, Dum Dum Dugan is seen poolside with Stark, marveling at two women wearing the newly created bikinis.
Neal McDonough reprises his role of Timothy "Dum Dum" Dugan from previous Marvel Cinematic Universe films, and Chris Evans appears as Steve Rogers / Captain America via archive footage from The First Avenger. Shane Black, director and co-writer of Iron Man 3 , voices the "Disembodied Voice", the caller on the other end of the case line. [3]
In August 2011, Marvel Studios announced that a couple of short films would be released direct-to-video, [6] which were designed to be self-contained stories and known as Marvel One-Shots. [1] Co-producer Brad Winderbaum said "It's a fun way to experiment with new characters and ideas, but more importantly it's a way for us to expand the Marvel Cinematic Universe and tell stories that live outside the plot of our features." [6] One of the ideas developed as a potential One-Shot was a spin-off from Captain America: The First Avenger , following the story of Peggy Carter after the events of that film. The idea was looked at again when Marvel was deciding on a short film to produce for the home media release of Iron Man 3 in 2013, and it was chosen for the spot, dependent on actress Hayley Atwell's availability. [7]
Marvel Studios co-president Louis D'Esposito, who directed the previous One-Shot, Item 47 , returned as director, [7] [8] while writer Eric Pearson also returned from the previous One-Shots. [2] [1] D'Esposito noted that the short had twice the budget of Item 47, but the same amount of shooting time so "the scope of it is much bigger. It's set in a period, there are more actors involved, the scale's bigger, there are three fight scenes—we've never had that in any of [the previous One-Shots]." [9] Atwell agreed to the project after watching Item 47, and due to her love for the character and potential "to show off some of her skill sets" that were not seen in the film. Atwell worked for three days with the stunt team to rehearse the pre-choreographed fight sequences for the short. [10] D'Esposito elaborated on the decision to focus on Carter, saying, "It's telling the best story, and finding that story we want to tell—whether it's connectivity to the Marvel Universe, or it's highlighting a character. In the case of Hayley, it's a little bit of both. We wanted to tell Peggy Carter's story—she's been left back in the '40s. Announcing to the world that she was running S.H.I.E.L.D. with Howard Stark is a great connectivity." [9]
Agent Carter was filmed over five days, [8] with Gabriel Beristain serving as cinematographer. The budget did not allow for a storyboard artist to be hired, so D'Esposito, Winderbaum, and Beristain worked together to plan a shot list for the production using stand-in actors. The stunts were also pre-filmed to show the actors. D'Esposito explained that having the shots planned helped with planning the visual effects for the film. [7] The mid-credits scene with Neal McDonough as Dum Dum Dugan was planned to show the character in a pool, but had to be changed on set to taking place beside the pool when it was found that the muscle suit McDonough wears to portray the character could not get wet. [2]
D'Esposito chose to differentiate the short from The First Avenger by avoiding the sepia tone used for that film by director Joe Johnston, instead using a cooler blue color. The production used two old lenses (for both night and day) that gave the short some "better" lens flares that D'Esposito felt gave the period setting a more modern feel. D'Esposito used a Steadicam or a camera dolly for the action sequences, to avoid a "quick cutty or blurry or shaky" feel. D'Esposito said that the crew was ultimately "pushing our limit" to get the planned shots on schedule, and he eventually realized that he "wasn't going to get every shot and I wasn't going to get every punch and kick, so what we do is get the optimum". [7]
External videos | |
---|---|
![]() |
Visual effects shots of 1940s New York from Captain America: The First Avenger were reused in the short for budgetary reasons. [11] D'Esposito noted the sequence where Carter comes "flying with the gun into the door" and the last fight, when Carter is "being attacked by the big guy", were both created with visual effects elements after they ran out of time to complete filming on them on set. [7] In early 2013, Marvel approached visual effects company Perception to create the main-on-end title sequence for the short. Visual effects supervisor Sheena Duggal was told to retell the story of the short in 90 seconds, so she decided to use stylized versions of imagery from the period and the short itself. A mixture of 2D and 3D animation was used to achieve a final 2D look. [12]
Composer Christopher Lennertz, who previously collaborated with D'Esposito on the One-Shot Item 47, composed the music for Agent Carter. [13] Like the rest of the short, D'Esposito wanted the music to reflect the period setting, but to have a modern feel to it as well, so he sent Lennertz Johnny Rivers' "Secret Agent Man" as a reference track, despite it having been released in the 1960s, since it had the feel and sentiment D'Esposito was looking for. [7]
Agent Carter was first shown in full at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con. [3] It was then released on the Iron Man 3 home media, first on September 3, 2013, in digital download form, and then on Blu-ray and 3D Blu-ray on September 24, 2013. [14] [1] D'Esposito said that it was decided to release the short along with Iron Man 3 because "the time was right", with Captain America: The Winter Soldier being released in theaters several months later. [2] The short is also included on the bonus disc of the "Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection" box set, which includes all of the Phase Two films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as the other Marvel One-Shots. The collection features audio commentary from D'Esposito and Atwell, and was released on December 8, 2015. [15] After being available on Disney+ under the "Extras" tab of Iron Man 3, the short was given its own listing on the streaming service for the last two weeks of September 2021, and then was removed for unspecified reasons. [16] [17] It returned to Disney+ on January 21, 2022, along with the other One-Shots and the Team Thor films. [18]
Rosie Fletcher of Total Film noted that the short was well received by the audience at Comic Con, and praised Atwell's performance. She said the short "looks great and packs some euphoric action moments". [3] Andy Hunsaker at CraveOnline gave the short a score of 8.5 out of 10, calling it a fun treat that "gives its title character the send-off she deserves", and hoping that it would lead to further female-focused properties from Marvel. [19] IGN 's Scott Collura called Atwell "the big-screen female superhero we've all been waiting for. She kicks so much ass in this short story with such aplomb, using not just brawn but also brains, and it's all very clever and fun." He felt the short seemed more of a proof-of-concept that female-based superhero projects could work, but that "Atwell never loses touch with her feminine side" either. [20]
The Movie Ramblings review of the short highlighted its "short, sharp and witty script mixed with some equally sharp action" and D'Esposito's direction, naming it the best Marvel One-Shot at that point. [21] Flickering Myth called the short "a great effort. A nice, compact story that gives us a lot of great moments with the character." The reviewer felt Flynn made a "great foil" to Carter, and also noted the "great cameos and a post credit scene that should put a smile on everybody's face....Agent Carter is another great Marvel offering that shows how committed they are to the idea of an expanded universe where these great characters get time to shine." [22]
The short won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound & Music Editing: Direct to Video – Live Action. [23]
Marvel's Agent Carter, a television series inspired by the short film also starring Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter, [24] was ordered by ABC on May 8, 2014, [25] and began its first season of eight episodes on January 6, 2015. [26] Dominic Cooper and Neal McDonough also reprised their role of Stark and Dugan in the series, [27] [28] while D'Esposito directed the first episode, [29] and Christopher Lennertz returned to compose the music. [30] The series was created by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, writers on the Captain America films, with Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas, and Chris Dingess serving as showrunners. [31] The series takes place in the middle of the short, before Carter learns that she will be co-head of S.H.I.E.L.D., [32] where she secretly assists Stark with a mission, unbeknownst to the SSR. [33] The series was renewed for a second season on May 7, 2015, [34] consisting of 10 episodes. [35] ABC canceled Agent Carter on May 12, 2016. [36]
Hayley Elizabeth Atwell is a British and American actress. After appearing on various West End productions, Atwell gained popularity for her roles in period-drama films, appearing in the films Brideshead Revisited (2008), The Duchess (2008) and the miniseries The Pillars of the Earth (2010); for the latter two, she was nominated for a British Independent Film Award and a Golden Globe Award respectively.
Margaret Elizabeth "Peggy" Carter is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. She is usually depicted as a supporting character in books featuring Captain America. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, she debuted, unnamed, in Tales of Suspense #75 as a World War II love interest of Steve Rogers in flashback sequences. She would later be better known as the aunt of Sharon Carter.
Captain America: The First Avenger is a 2011 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics character Captain America. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is the fifth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film was directed by Joe Johnston, written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America alongside Tommy Lee Jones, Hugo Weaving, Hayley Atwell, Sebastian Stan, Dominic Cooper, Toby Jones, Neal McDonough, Derek Luke, and Stanley Tucci. During World War II, Rogers, a frail man, is transformed into the super-soldier Captain America and must stop the Red Skull (Weaving) from using the Tesseract as an energy source for world domination.
Marvel One-Shots are a series of direct-to-video short films produced by Marvel Studios, set within or inspired by the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). Initially released from 2011 to 2014, they were included as special features on the MCU films' Blu-ray and digital distribution releases. The films, which range from 3 to 15 minutes, are designed to be self-contained stories that provide more backstory for characters or events introduced in the films. Two of the shorts inspired the development of MCU television series.
Marvel's Agent Carter, or simply Agent Carter, is an American television series created by Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely for ABC, based on the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter following her roles in the 2011 film Captain America: The First Avenger and the 2013 Marvel One-Shot short film of Agent Carter. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and shares continuity with the franchise's films and other television series. The series was produced by ABC Studios, Marvel Television, and Fazekas & Butters, with Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas, and Chris Dingess serving as showrunners.
The first season of the American television series Agent Carter, which is inspired by the film Captain America: The First Avenger and the Marvel One-Shot short film of the same name, features the character Peggy Carter, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name, as she must balance doing administrative work and going on secret missions for Howard Stark while trying to navigate life as a single woman in 1940s America. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise, and was produced by ABC Studios, Marvel Television, and Fazekas & Butters. Tara Butters, Michele Fazekas, and Chris Dingess served as showrunners.
"Shadows" is the first episode of the second season of the American television series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Based on the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D., it follows Phil Coulson and his team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents as they fight Hydra for a powerful artifact in the possession of the U.S. military. It is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and acknowledges the franchise's films. The episode was written by Jed Whedon and Maurissa Tancharoen, and was directed by Vincent Misiano.
"Now is Not the End" is the first episode of the first season of the American television series Agent Carter. It features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter as she goes undercover to try clear the name of her friend Howard Stark. The episode is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and acknowledges the franchise's films. It was written by series creators Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, and directed by Louis D'Esposito who previously directed the Marvel One-Shots short film that inspired the series.
"Bridge and Tunnel" is the second episode of the first season of the American television series Agent Carter, inspired by the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the Marvel One-Shot short film also titled Agent Carter. It features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter as she searches for a truck filled with imploding bombs, and is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The episode was written by Eric Pearson and directed by Joseph V. Russo.
"A Sin to Err" is the sixth episode of the first season of the American television series Agent Carter, inspired by the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the Marvel One-Shot short film also titled Agent Carter. It features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter as she hunts for a Russian spy in New York, and is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The episode was written by Lindsey Allen and directed by Stephen Williams.
"The Blitzkrieg Button" is the fourth episode of the first season of the American television series Agent Carter, inspired by the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the Marvel One-Shot short film also titled Agent Carter. It features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter as she must hide the fugitive Howard Stark while she retrieves the titular device for him, and is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The episode was written by Brant Englestein and directed by Stephen Cragg.
"Snafu" is the seventh episode of the first season of the American television series Agent Carter, inspired by the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the Marvel One-Shot short film also titled Agent Carter. It features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter as she must face coworkers, who she has deceived while working a secret mission, and is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The episode was written by Chris Dingess and directed by Vincent Misiano.
"Valediction" is the eighth episode and season finale of the first season of the American television series Agent Carter, inspired by the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the Marvel One-Shot short film also titled Agent Carter. It features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter as she fights to stop the Russian antagonists, and is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The episode was written by Michelle Fazekas and Tara Butters and directed by Christopher Misiano.
Item 47 is a 2012 American direct-to-video short film featuring the Marvel Comics organization S.H.I.E.L.D., produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment on the home media release of Marvel's The Avengers. It is a follow-up and spin-off of The Avengers, and is the third Marvel One-Shot short film set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The film is directed by Louis D'Esposito, with a screenplay by Eric Pearson, and stars Lizzy Caplan, Jesse Bradford, Maximiliano Hernández, and Titus Welliver, with Hernández reprising his role from the film series. In Item 47, two civilians come across a Chitauri gun and use it to commit crimes.
"Better Angels" is the third episode of the second season of the American television series Agent Carter, inspired by the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the Marvel One-Shot short film also titled Agent Carter. It features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter as she falls deeper into a strange conspiracy, and is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The episode was written by Jose Molina and directed by David Platt.
"Hollywood Ending" is the tenth episode of the second season, and premature series finale, of the American television series Agent Carter, inspired by the films Captain America: The First Avenger and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and the Marvel One-Shot short film also titled Agent Carter. It features the Marvel Comics character Peggy Carter trying to defeat Whitney Frost, and is set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), sharing continuity with the films of the franchise. The episode was written by Michelle Fazekas and Tara Butters and directed by Jennifer Getzinger.
Margaret "Peggy" Carter, also known as Agent Carter, is a fictional character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) media franchise portrayed by Hayley Atwell, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name. Carter is depicted as a British MI6 agent and member of the Strategic Scientific Reserve who became Steve Rogers's love interest during World War II. Following the war, she become one of the founders of S.H.I.E.L.D., eventually serving as the Director. Atwell has received critical praise for her depiction of the character.
Marvel's ABC television series are a set of interconnected American television series created for the broadcast network ABC, based on characters that appear in publications by Marvel Comics. Produced by Marvel Television and ABC Studios, they are set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and acknowledge the continuity of the franchise's films and other television series. When categorizing their wider television slate, Marvel considers the ABC series to be their "Marvel Heroes" series.
"What If... Captain Carter Were the First Avenger?" is the first episode of the first season of the American animated television series What If...?, based on the Marvel Comics series of the same name. It explores what would happen if the events of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) film Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) occurred differently, with Peggy Carter taking the Super Soldier Serum instead of Steve Rogers and becoming the superhero "Captain Carter". The episode was written by head writer A. C. Bradley and directed by Bryan Andrews.