Cobie Smulders is a Canadian actress best known for playing Robin Scherbatsky on the long-running sitcom How I Met Your Mother and Maria Hill in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Her movie career began with smaller appearances before expanding into comedy, romance, drama, action and superhero films. Her breakthrough on the big screen came with The Avengers in 2012, where she introduced audiences to the capable S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill. She subsequently returned to the role across several Marvel productions while also taking on independent films and mainstream comedies. Smulders has also demonstrated her range through dramatic projects such as The Intervention, Cicada and Sharp Corner. The following Cobie Smulders movies by year list covers her released feature-film appearances, including voice work, documentaries and notable cameo appearances where appropriate.
2004 — Walking Tall
Walking Tall marked one of Cobie Smulders’ earliest feature-film appearances, with the actress credited as Exotic Beauty. Directed by Kevin Bray, the action crime film stars Dwayne Johnson as Chris Vaughn, a former U.S. soldier who returns home and takes on local corruption. Smulders has only a small role, making this an early and relatively minor entry in her movie career. The film helped give her experience in a major studio production before her later rise to wider recognition.
2004 — Ill Fated
Ill Fated is a Canadian comedy-drama directed by Mark A. Lewis, with Cobie Smulders appearing as Mary. The story follows Jimmy, a small-town teenager whose hopes for a better future become increasingly complicated after the return of his estranged biological father. Peter Outerbridge and Paul Campbell lead the cast, while Smulders appears among the film’s ensemble. Released theatrically in Canada in September 2004, the film is notable as another early feature credit in her career.
2005 — The Long Weekend
In The Long Weekend, Smulders plays Ellen in a comedy centered on two brothers whose attempts to improve their romantic lives lead to increasingly chaotic situations. The film was directed by Pat Holden and features Chris Klein, Brendan Fehr and Cobie Smulders among its cast. It was released in 2005 and represents one of Smulders’ first more substantial film appearances. The comedy helped establish her screen presence before her television breakthrough in How I Met Your Mother.
2009 — The Slammin’ Salmon
The Slammin’ Salmon is a 2009 comedy from Broken Lizard, the comedy group behind Super Troopers. Smulders plays Tara in a story about employees at a Los Angeles seafood restaurant competing to see who can generate the most money in a single night. Michael Clarke Duncan, Jay Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan and Steve Lemme are among the cast. The film is a smaller comedy credit in Smulders’ filmography, arriving while she was becoming increasingly recognizable through television.
2012 — The Avengers
The Avengers was the major turning point in Cobie Smulders’ movie career, introducing her as S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Maria Hill. Directed by Joss Whedon, the superhero blockbuster brought together Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo and Jeremy Renner as Marvel’s central team of heroes. Smulders’ Maria Hill works closely with Nick Fury and plays an important supporting role in the organization coordinating the Avengers. The film became one of 2012’s biggest box-office successes and established Smulders as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
2012 — Grassroots
Also released in 2012, Grassroots gave Smulders a very different role from the action-oriented Maria Hill. She plays Clair in this independent political comedy-drama directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal. The film follows a Seattle journalist and his friend as they become involved in an unconventional local political campaign. Although it received far less attention than The Avengers, Grassroots demonstrated Smulders’ ability to move between large-scale studio productions and smaller character-driven films.
2013 — Safe Haven
Safe Haven is a romantic drama directed by Lasse Hallström and adapted from Nicholas Sparks’ novel. Smulders plays Carly Jo Wheatley, also known as Jo, alongside Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel. The story follows a mysterious young woman who starts a new life in a North Carolina coastal town while trying to escape her troubled past. The film was commercially successful and gave Smulders a prominent supporting role outside the superhero genre.
2013 — Delivery Man
In Delivery Man, Smulders plays Emma, part of an ensemble led by Vince Vaughn. Directed by Ken Scott, the comedy-drama follows a man who discovers that a fertility-clinic mistake has made him the biological father of hundreds of children. The film balances broad comedy with themes of responsibility, family and personal growth. Smulders’ role is connected to the protagonist’s family life, giving her an opportunity to work in a more grounded contemporary comedy.
2014 — The LEGO Movie
Smulders moved into animation in The LEGO Movie, providing the voice of Wonder Woman/Diana Prince. Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the hugely successful animated comedy follows ordinary LEGO figure Emmet as he becomes involved in a conflict threatening the entire LEGO universe. The voice cast includes Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Morgan Freeman and many other performers. Smulders’ Wonder Woman is part of the film’s large superhero ensemble, making this a notable expansion of her work into voice acting.
2014 — Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Smulders returned as Maria Hill in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. The political action thriller stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers and features Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie. Maria Hill becomes involved as S.H.I.E.L.D. faces an internal conspiracy that fundamentally changes the organization. The film was praised for combining superhero spectacle with the tone of a political thriller and became a major step forward for the MCU.
2014 — They Came Together
They Came Together is a romantic comedy directed by David Wain and starring Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler. Smulders plays Tiffany Amber Thigpen in the deliberately exaggerated story, which parodies familiar romantic-comedy conventions. The movie uses absurd situations, self-aware humor and exaggerated character types to poke fun at the traditional formula of romantic films. Smulders’ supporting appearance adds another comedy credit to a year that also included two major superhero and animation projects.
2015 — Unexpected
In the independent comedy-drama Unexpected, Smulders plays Samantha Abbott, a teacher whose life changes when she becomes pregnant around the same time as one of her students. Directed by Kris Swanberg, the film explores pregnancy, friendship, career uncertainty and the transition into adulthood. Smulders leads the film opposite Gail Bean, giving her a more central dramatic role than many of her earlier supporting performances. The movie premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and was later released theatrically and digitally.
2015 — Results
Results is a comedy-drama written and directed by Andrew Bujalski, with Smulders playing Kat. The film follows a group of characters connected through a gym, including Danny, a wealthy but directionless man played by Kevin Corrigan, and Paul, a trainer portrayed by Guy Pearce. Smulders’ character is caught up in the film’s exploration of relationships, ambition and self-improvement. The movie premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and received positive critical attention for its understated ensemble comedy.
2015 — Avengers: Age of Ultron
Smulders reprised Maria Hill in Avengers: Age of Ultron, the second major Avengers film. Directed by Joss Whedon, the superhero sequel features the returning Avengers alongside new characters including Wanda Maximoff, Vision and Quicksilver. Maria Hill remains connected to the wider S.H.I.E.L.D. network and helps support the heroes as they confront the artificial intelligence Ultron. The film further cemented Smulders’ connection to one of the world’s most successful cinematic franchises.
2015 — Being Canadian
Being Canadian is a documentary comedy rather than a conventional narrative feature, and Smulders appears as herself. Directed by Robert Cohen, the film examines Canadian identity through a cross-country journey featuring interviews with numerous Canadian celebrities, including Seth Rogen, Catherine O’Hara, Ben Stiller and Michael J. Fox. Smulders’ appearance is therefore best classified as a documentary/self appearance rather than an acting role. The film premiered at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in 2015.
2016 — The Intervention
The Intervention is an independent comedy-drama written and directed by Clea DuVall. Smulders plays Ruby, a married woman whose friends organize a weekend getaway disguised as a vacation but actually intended to confront problems in the couples’ relationships. The ensemble includes Melanie Lynskey, Natasha Lyonne, Jason Ritter, Vincent Piazza, Ben Schwartz and Alia Shawkat. Released in limited theaters and through video on demand in August 2016, the film gave Smulders a more intimate ensemble role away from blockbuster franchises.
2016 — Jack Reacher: Never Go Back
In Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Smulders plays Major Susan Turner, a military officer who becomes entangled in a dangerous conspiracy. Directed by Edward Zwick, the action thriller stars Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher and is based on Lee Child’s novel of the same name. Turner and Reacher work together while trying to uncover the truth behind a conspiracy involving the military. The role was an important showcase for Smulders’ ability to handle a physically demanding action part outside the Marvel universe.
2017 — Literally, Right Before Aaron
Literally, Right Before Aaron is a romantic comedy written and directed by Ryan Eggold. Smulders plays Allison, a woman whose wedding brings complicated feelings back into the life of her former boyfriend, played by Justin Long. The film also features Ryan Hansen, John Cho, Kristen Schaal and Peter Gallagher. Its story focuses on awkward romantic choices and unresolved relationships, giving Smulders another opportunity to work within the contemporary independent comedy genre.
2017 — Killing Gunther
In Killing Gunther, Smulders plays Lisa McCalla, a member of an eccentric group of assassins attempting to eliminate the world’s greatest hitman. The action comedy was directed by Taran Killam and stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bobby Moynihan, Paul Brittain and Smulders. The film mixes exaggerated action with ensemble comedy as the characters repeatedly attempt to outsmart Gunther. It was a relatively small release but stands out as one of Smulders’ more overtly comedic action roles.
2018 — Alright Now
Alright Now, originally titled Songbird, stars Smulders as Joanne, a former rock musician who enrolls in college after her relationship ends and her band falls apart. Directed by Jamie Adams, the comedy-drama was largely improvised and follows Joanne as she tries to rebuild her life while discovering that her former musical fame means little to her new classmates. Richard Elis and Jessica Hynes also star in the film. Released in the United States in September 2018, it is particularly notable because Smulders carried the film in its lead role.
2018 — Avengers: Infinity War
Smulders made an uncredited appearance as Maria Hill in Avengers: Infinity War. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the enormous Marvel crossover brings together characters from across the MCU as the Avengers and their allies face Thanos. Smulders appears during the post-credits sequence alongside Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury, in a scene that connects directly to the film’s shocking ending. Although it is only a cameo, it is an important part of Maria Hill’s continuing MCU story.
2019 — Avengers: Endgame
Smulders returned as Maria Hill in Avengers: Endgame, another cameo in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the film follows the surviving heroes as they attempt to undo the devastating consequences of Thanos’ actions in Infinity War. Smulders’ appearance is brief, but her return helps maintain continuity with the larger MCU story. The film became a landmark global blockbuster and one of the defining superhero releases of its era.
2019 — Spider-Man: Far From Home
In Spider-Man: Far From Home, Smulders again plays Maria Hill alongside Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury. Directed by Jon Watts, the superhero adventure follows Peter Parker, played by Tom Holland, as a school trip to Europe becomes entangled with a new threat. Maria Hill and Fury recruit Spider-Man to help investigate mysterious elemental creatures and the arrival of Quentin Beck. The film also became notable for its post-Endgame position in the MCU and continued Smulders’ long-running Marvel role.
2019 — The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part
Smulders returned to animation as the voice of Wonder Woman in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part. Directed by Mike Mitchell, the sequel reunites characters from the original film as Emmet attempts to protect his friends from a new threat. Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett and Tiffany Haddish are among the principal voice cast. Smulders’ recurring Wonder Woman role made this her second feature-length appearance as the LEGO version of the DC superhero.
2020 — Cicada
Cicada is an independent romantic drama directed by Matthew Fifer and Kieran Mulcare. Smulders plays Sophie in the story of two men, Ben and Sam, whose relationship develops as they confront difficult experiences and deeply personal secrets. The film premiered at Outfest in 2020 before receiving a limited U.S. theatrical release in 2021. Its intimate subject matter and independent production marked another departure from Smulders’ better-known blockbuster work.
2025 — Sharp Corner
Sharp Corner stars Smulders as Rachel Davis-McCall, the wife of Ben Foster’s character Josh. Directed by Jason Buxton and based on a story by Russell Wangersky, the thriller follows a family man who becomes increasingly obsessed with fatal car crashes occurring at a dangerous corner near his home. Rachel watches as her husband’s fixation grows and begins to threaten the stability and safety of their family. Although the film is sometimes listed as a 2024 production or festival title, its theatrical release came in 2025, making 2025 the appropriate release year for this chronology.
2025 — Easy’s Waltz
Easy’s Waltz is a crime drama and music film written and directed by Nic Pizzolatto in his feature directorial debut. Smulders plays Monica in a cast led by Vince Vaughn and Al Pacino, with Kate Mara, Mary Steenburgen and Simon Rex also appearing. The story centers on a struggling Las Vegas crooner who receives an opportunity for a comeback while personal and professional problems threaten his plans. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2025, making it Smulders’ latest released feature-film credit in the current filmography.
Conclusion
Cobie Smulders’ movie career has developed across several distinct phases, from early Canadian productions such as Walking Tall and Ill Fated to independent comedies, dramas and major Hollywood blockbusters. Her portrayal of Maria Hill transformed her film profile after The Avengers, leading to recurring appearances throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe. At the same time, films such as Unexpected, The Intervention, Alright Now, Cicada and Sharp Corner have allowed her to explore more personal and character-driven material. Her work in animation, documentary and action films further demonstrates the breadth of her screen career. From her earliest features to Easy’s Waltz, these Cobie Smulders movies by year show an actress who has continually moved between mainstream entertainment and independent filmmaking.
