Tony Stark's sardonic AI system J.A.R.V.I.S. has helped his creator out of quite a few sticky situations over the course of the three Iron Man films and The Avengers. J.A.R.V.I.S. voice actor Paul Bettany is upgrading to the role of Vision in The Avengers: Age of Ultron, so it's likely that we'll see the AI playing an even more pivotal role in that movie.

As explained in the tie-in comic Iron Man 2: Public Identity, the movie version of J.A.R.V.I.S. was created in memory of Edwin Jarvis, the butler of the Stark household (and, in the comic books, one of the longest-serving friends of the Avengers). Since the upcoming Marvel TV series Agent Carter will be set in the 1940s and feature Dominic Cooper back in the role of Howard Stark, it would make sense for a young Jarvis to also make an appearance in the show.

Sure enough, Variety reports that James D'Arcy (Cloud Atlas) has been cast as Jarvis in Agent Carter, joining the recently announced supporting cast members Chad Michael Murray and Enver Gjokaj, who will play Strategic Scientific Reserve Agent Jack Thompson and army veteran Daniel Sousa, respectively.

The show will be led by Hayley Atwell in the role of Peggy Carter, who has to juggle dull administrative work with covert missions in the aftermath of losing the love of her life, Steve Rogers. Atwell has so far appeared in Captain America: The First Avenger, Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the Marvel One-Shot Agent Carter, and is also set to guest star on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. during the season 2 premier episode.

D'Arcy is a British actor whose more recent roles include playing Psycho star Anthony Perkins in the biopic Hitchcock, a forensic psychologist in A&E crime drama Those Who Kill and a supporting role in (fake) buddy cop comedy Let's Be Cops. The fact that Jarvis will seemingly play a key role in the series could mean that we'll be seeing quite a lot of Cooper as Howard Stark. Alternatively, it could mean that Jarvis will act as a messenger for the Stark household, in order to keep Cooper limited to occasional guest appearances.

Atwell has said that the plot of Agent Carter's first season will be fast-moving with "a lot of adventure [and] a lot of action," since it will only be eight episodes long. Two of those episodes will be directed by Captain America: The Winter Soldier filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo, while another will be directed by Captain America: The First Avenger's Joe Johnston.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. had a rough time getting off the ground during its first season, but hopefully the shorter season length, the involvement of Marvel movie directors and the excellent cast will help Agent Carter get off to a stronger start.

Agent Carter will premiere on ABC in January 2015.

Source: Variety