'Captain Marvel' Is When Nick Fury & Coulson First Meet

The Marvel universe heads back to the '90s in Captain Marvel, which features younger versions of both Nick Fury and Phil Coulson, played by Samuel L. Jackson and Clark Gregg respectively. We've seen what a de-aged Fury looks like, but fans haven't heard or seen anything regarding Marvel's favorite SHIELD agent who died at the hands of Loki in The Avengers. Coulson didn't stay dead, though.

If you watched Agents of SHIELD, you know the story: Fury greenlit Project TAHITI, which infused Coulson with Kree DNA to heal his wounds and eventually brought him back to life. Coulson went on to become the director of SHIELD after Fury faked his own death to preserve SHIELD in Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

Coulson should be thought of as a pioneer of the Marvel Cinematic universe, right along with Iron Man. "This isn't my first rodeo," Coulson told Tony Stark in that film, insinuating that he met powered individuals before 2008. Captain Marvel will confirm that assumption, and explain that quote, Gregg tells Entertainment Weekly. "This might be the rodeo," Gregg teased, "It's one of them for sure."

"There was something really special about going back to the early days when he was just kind of coming up the ranks," he said. "I had to take innocence workshops and go back to when he was a little less crusty and jaded!"

Gregg also teased some surprising fashion choices for Coulson, who is still figuring out his life during Captain Marvel. "He's a relatively new S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who is obsessed with MC Hammer and dresses just like him, and it makes Director Fury so angry," Gregg reveals. "The genie pants don't really go with the Armani."

Yes, you guessed it. Gregg goes on to confirm Captain Marvel will show the VERY first meeting between Coulson and Fury — both lowly agents. Regarding the de-aging, Gregg admits Marvel asked him to get a trainer and hit the gym, but he's been "sucking up to the visual effects team" instead.

"People don't know this but Robert Downey is actually 71," Gregg jokes. "So they've been doing that for him in all of these movies."

Captain Marvel arrives March 8, 2019.