Cobie Smulders, star of How I Met Your Mother and Maria Hill actor in numerous Marvel Cinematic Universe films, is heading back to network television in an adaptation of of the Greg Rucka/Matthew Southworth graphic novel series Stumptown.
According to Deadline, one of ABC's "buzziest" pilots of the season follows the tale of Dex Parios, an army veteran who returns to Portland, Oregon to become a private detective. The network "handed its first new drama pickup" to Stumptown as part of a deal with writer-producer Jason Richman. Richman's previous credits with ABC include Detroit 1-8-7 and Lucky 7, and he will continue to develop new properties for the network even as he heads up Stumptown.
The new series will mark Smulders' first regular television role since How I Met Your Mother, which ran from 2005 through 2014. Smulders appeared on television a number of times in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., reprising her MCU role of Maria Hill, and has recently been most visible as Nick Fury's second-in-command, appearing in Avengers: Endgame, currently in theatres. Maria Hill will also appear in the forthcoming Spider-Man: Far From Home, though after Phase 3 of the MCU wraps up, it's unclear as to whether she will be reprising her role in future Marvel films.
The Stumptown graphic novels follow the story of Parios as she uses skills and training from her military days to help in her work as a private investigator. Parios' gambling debts and unapologetic style put her in conflict with both criminals and the police, and with a "complicated love life" and a brother to care for, it sounds like the television series will have plenty of dramatic grist. Writer Rucka is known for his strong female leads, as is Smulders, making Stumptown a very exciting new series to keep an eye on.
Stumptown is executive produced by Richman, along with Ruben Fleischer and David Bernad. Rucka, Southworth and Justin Greenwood will also be involved in the production of the series. Smulders will be joined by Tantoo Cardinal, Cole Sibus, Adrian Martinez, Camryn Manheim and Michael Ealy in the show.