Cobie Smulders is Front Runner to Portray S.H.I.E.L.D. Agent Maria Hill in THE AVENGERS

The How I Met Your Mother star has topped the recent shortlist consisting of Morena Baccarin (V, Firefly), Jessica Lucas (Melrose Place) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as possible contenders for Nick Fury's S.H.I.E.L.D. sidekick in the ensemble superhero film.

In the summer of 2012, Marvel Studios will release a film that is both a great gamble and crowning achievement. The Avengers, the largest ensemble superhero film produced by a major motion picture studio in cinematic history, will feature characters who have previously been showcased in their own, respective ventures (Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Nick Fury, Black Widow and the Hulk) and ones newly introduced into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (Hawkeye and a plethora of yet to be revealed names). Joss Whedon, of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly cult fame, will direct the film, and is already deeply immersed in pre-production happenings.

Samuel L. Jackson recently revealed that his Marvel movie character Nick Fury, director of clandestine agency S.H.I.E.L.D., will have a female counterpart. Several days ago the names of four actresses vying for the role were listed: Morena Baccarin (V, Firefly), Jessica Lucas (Melrose Place), Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother) and Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim VS The World).

Deadline Hollywood now reports that Smulders has risen the the top of the list due to a successful screen test performed yesterday. They also reveal that the part is for the long standing comics character Maria Hill, the ruthless interim executive director of SHIELD, who was not above blackmailing and bullying superheros to get her way (including Tony Stark/Iron Man).

Production on The Avengers will begin this April with filming locations in New Mexico, Detroit, LA and New York. The film is scheduled to hit theaters on May 4th, 2012, and will unite Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) for the first time in cinematic history.