Veteran actor Bill Paxton will play a compatriot of Agent Coulson’s in an upcoming arc on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
According to TV Guide, actor Bill Paxton will play a recurring role in upcoming episodes of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Paxton, best known for his leading role on HBO’s Big Love, will play Agent John Garret in an arc beginning in early spring.
Though the character of Agent Garret is derived from the Marvel Comics Universe (in the comics, he is a S.H.I.E.L.D. assassin-turned-cyborg), Paxton’s version may have a slightly more human arc.
Executive producer Jed Whedon says the character will be “a rough-and-tumble former cohort of Agent Coulson,” complete with “a little bit of attitude and cigar-smoking swagger.”
According to executive producer Maurissa Tancharoen, Garret “is the type who wants to stay out in the field no matter how high-level he gets.” Accordingly, the brash new agent will spend quite a bit of his time with Agents May and Ward, the primary field agents on Coulson’s team.
We have to wonder if Garret’s presence will throw a wrench into May and Ward’s quiet but ongoing sexual liaison, either as a rival or a witness to scenes the two would rather keep private.
Tancharoen is mum on this possibility, but does promise that Paxton’s character “comes into the fold in a very surprising way.”
Bill Paxton is not the only guest star set to make an exciting splash on upcoming episodes of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Comic book legend Stan Lee will make a guest appearance in an episode scheduled for Feb. 4. The 91-year-old recently tweeted about the role.
Counting the days till Feb. 4 and my EMMY-caliber role in SHIELD!
— stan lee (@TheRealStanLee) January 12, 2014
Tomorrow night’s episode of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., titled “Seeds,” will also include its share of guest stars. Lost‘s Dylan Minnette will appear as young potential baddie Donnie Gill, while David Conrad will return in his role as definite baddie Ian Quinn.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. airs on Tuesdays at 8:00 p.m. on ABC.