Jason O’Mara will burst into Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4 as Coulson’s replacement — but who is this new Director?
In typical Marvel fashion, the comics conglomerate announced that O’Mara will play the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. in the upcoming season, but left most other details to fans’ imaginations. The character’s name remains a mystery, as do most of his motivations. We know that he’s new, he’s not Coulson, and that’s about it.
But Marvel teases that O’Mara’s character will boast some serious comics pedigree — apparently, his roots will stretch back to the 1940’s. (We assume he’s not going to be that old, but hey, we haven’t done time travel yet.)
Marvel’s Head of Television Jeph Loeb also promises that O’Mara’s character will shake up the dynamics of the eternally-embattled agency.
“Bringing Jason into the mix as the new Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. forces everyone, particularly Coulson, to reevaluate their role in the Agency,” Loeb says. “Jason has both the physical presence and acting dynamics that will connect with and challenge even the most loyal agent.”
Speaking to Hypable at San Diego Comic-Con, Clark Gregg (Phil Coulson) was coy on the details of his replacement, but he did suggest a shift in S.H.I.E.L.D.’s attitude.
“It’s clear that the world is very much aware that there are enhanced people around, and so they’re going to need an organization to deal with that that’s under some government control,” Gregg says. “And whatever that government control is, they clearly didn’t feel that Coulson should be the Director.”
The Irish-born Jason O’Mara has been seen on The Good Wife and Steven Spielberg’s Terra Nova. He has also provided the voice of Batman in several animated films by DC Comics.
O’Mara joins actors Gabriel Luna (Robbie Reyes/Ghost Rider) and Lilli Birdsell (Lucy) as new faces in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4.
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4 premieres on Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 10p.m. on ABC.