TV Article 'How I Met Your Mother': New 'Avengers' pics with Cobie Smulders By Lanford Beard Published on March 2, 2012 09:17PM EST How I Met Your Mother star Cobie Smulders is taking on a legen–WAIT FOR IT–dary role in the first big popcorn flick of the summer, Joss Whedon’s highly anticipated The Avengers. Smulders plays S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill, who was described by former Marvel editor-in-chief Joe Quesada as “a force of nature.” See the full-sized pic of Smulders in action below, plus another glimpse of Ms. Hill (if you’re nasty). Lewis Jacobs/NBC NEXT: A full-body shot Lewis Jacobs/NBC The Avengers opens May 4. Whet your whistle in the meanwhile by dissecting Wednesday’s newly released trailer with EW’s Anthony Breznican. Read more: Gallery: We Dissect the New ‘Avengers’ Trailer ‘The Avengers’ fight the good fight in new movie poster — EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS ‘The Avengers’ extended Super Bowl trailer: ‘I have an army.’ ‘We have a Hulk.’