Skip to main content

Why Marvel’s ‘Agents of SHIELD’ will set a darker tone in season 4

Disney-owned ABC is pushing Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD to a later 10 p.m. (EST) Tuesday night time slot on Sept. 20, which ABC claims will open up a “slightly darker tone” for Season 4. The cast and producers were on hand for San Diego’s most recent Comic Con gathering and the panel at the fan convention announced the addition of some new and returning characters to the comic book TV series.

We had a chance to meet up with some of the key players, shown in the video above, including Clark Gregg (Agent Coulsen), Elizabeth Henstridge (Hemma Simmons), Henry Simmons (Alphonso “Mack” Mackenzie), Chloe Bennet (Daise “Skye” Johnson), and producer Jeph Loeb. The cast gave us some hints about season 4, and shared some interesting insights into their characters.

Loeb, who serves as the head of Marvel Television, told us Season 4 will “be the series’ biggest, most ambitious story yet, and it all begins with the introduction of one of our greatest legacy characters in Ghost Rider.”

But the Spirit of Vengeance depicted in Agents of SHIELD is Roberto “Robbie” Reyes (who will be played by Gabriel Luna), not Johnny Blaze (who Nicolas Cage played in two big screen outings). One of the big differences between the two iterations is that Reyes drives a muscle car instead of a motorcycle.

Bobbi Morse (played by Adrianne Palicki) and Lance Hunter (played by Nick Blood) could be returning to the fold in Season 4, since their spin-off series Marvel’s Most Wanted was canceled by ABC. Creator Joss Whedon said, “It’s definitely classified, but keep watching.”

Marvel has had huge success on the big screen of late with its blockbuster films, which has allowed the studio time to evolve Agents of SHIELD With Agent Carter now canceled, this remains the only Marvel comic book series on network TV — although Cloak and Dagger is in development at Freeform (formerly ABC Family) for 2017. Marvel continues to expand its Netflix offerings with Luke Cage joining shows Daredevil and Jessica Jones, and Iron Fist, The Defenders and The Punisher coming in 2017.

Catch season 4 of Agents of SHIELD starting Tuesday, September 20.

John Gaudiosi
Former Digital Trends Contributor
John Gaudiosi has been covering video games for over 25 years, dating back to his work for The Washington Post while in…
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (January 3-5)
The Vast of Night on Amazon Prime

If you've ever perused Amazon Prime Video, you likely know that the streaming service has plenty of movies. Spending all day researching every one of those movies is not the best use of your time, though, even if it's the only way you can really know which ones are worth your time.

That's where we come in. We've pulled together three great Prime Video movies that are well worth wathcing. From low-budget sci-fi to decades-old Oscar fare, this list has something for everyone.

Read more
5 most anticipated Hulu shows of 2025, ranked
Glen Powell stars as Chad Powers in the new Hulu series

This could be a pretty big year for Hulu thanks to some high-profile series premiering on the popular streamer. The year will bring new seasons of hit shows like The Handmaid’s Tale and Nine Perfect Strangers, and Hulu is set to release a slate of new original series that span everything from comedies to political thrillers and even a highly anticipated Alien spinoff.

If you’re a Hulu subscriber, or have the Disney+ bundle that includes Hulu, there's tons to explore, but which ones should you keep your eye on in the next 12 months? Here are five of the streamer’s most anticipated new series for 2025.
5. Deli Boys

Read more
3 great free movies to stream this weekend (January 3-5)
Amber Midthunder in "Prey."

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2025. Hopefully, the new month will allow you to watch more movies. At the theater, the Christmas lineup of A Complete Unknown, Babygirl, and Nosferatu has done solid business. Nosferatu, in particular, is already Robert Eggers' highest-grossing film at the domestic box office with $53 million.

If you can't get to the theater this weekend, streaming is the next best option. While many streamers continue to raise prices, FAST services remain free of charge. On a FAST service, users can watch movies for free, though they have to view ads during the broadcast. Below are three recommendations for free movies to stream: a prison break thriller, an action prequel, and a sci-fi classic.

Read more