Joss Whedon Alum Nabs a Role in Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D.

Even though principal photography has already wrapped, casting details for the Joss Whedon-directed pilot for Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D.  continue to dribble out. The filmmakers seem to have mastered the art of keeping the show's secrets, in part by "leaking" so many set photos and videos themselves, most of which didn't say anything. But now we learn that Angel's J. August Richards will rejoin the Whedon camp for an as-yet-undisclosed role in the pilot, which will go to ABC in the fall. TV Line, who uncovered the casting news, refer to Richards's part as "a super top-secret role," which will likely leave fans wondering who he might be in the same way J. J. Abrams's choice to keep Benedict Cumberbatch's villain secret did. Will he be Marcus Johnson, the heir to the Nick Fury eyepatch? That could be an interesting twist to introduce to the show, certainly. Eli Bradley would be another candidate, just based on looks alone. Of course, both of those assume that he's both a good guy and an established character, so who knows?