If there's one thing that was proven in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it's the fact that Scarlet Witch is the most powerful hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The sequel made this clear when Wanda Maximoff defeated all but one member of Earth-838's Illuminati, even going as far as using Captain Carter's own shield to bisect her. And although it sent a clear message to viewers, Hayley Atwell pointed out that the scene frustrated her because of how Peggy Carter's return was handled.
Peggy Carter has been on an incredible journey since she was introduced in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger. She has since appeared in numerous MCU projects including What If...? which featured Peggy taking the Super Soldier Serum and becoming Captain Carter. Hayley Atwell would go on to play the live-action version of the hero in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Hayley Atwell Blasts Doctor Strange 2's Treatment of Captain Carter
Seeing Captain Carter in action was awesome but audiences agreed that it was also shocking to see her get killed off so easily. Not surprisingly, Atwell shared the sentiment and expressed her frustrations over the decision to make her character appear so weak.
"I'm like, 'That wasn't my choice!'" Atwell said during the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "When she was like, 'I could do this all day' and then... is immediately cut in half by a frisbee. And the audience being like, 'She can't do it all day. Apparently you can't, so, egg on your face.' That doesn't really serve Peggy very well. She had less to do than what she did before, before she had the shield."
Hayley Atwell Was Fresh Off Mission 7 When Captain Carter Scenes Were Filmed
Although it wasn't the ideal situation for Captain Carter, Atwell did admit she enjoyed filming the fight scenes. She also pointed out that working on Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One helped her with the action sequences for the MCU sequel.
"What was really great was coming in and doing all those stunt things. The quick run, and the sliding on my knees... going over backwards..." Atwell said. "I had come straight off, the first time I was wrapped from Mission 7, because I was wrapped nine times, so I went straight from the set of Mission to the airport, to LA."
"I put the outfit on, did one quick costume fitting and then went straight in," she continued. "They were like, 'This is the fight', and because I had been maintaining that level of physicality, I was able to say I just wanted to do it all. It was great fun."
We're glad that Hayley Atwell still managed to have fun while working on Doctor Strange 2. In the meantime, we're hoping that there will be more of Captain Carter in the future of the MCU and perhaps next time, she will be able to do it all day.
Atwell's latest project Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One premiered on July 12, 2023.
