David Harbour Says His 'Black Widow' Character is a Soviet Version of Captain America
By Ryan Carroll
Among Marvel Studios’ considerable output at San Diego Comic-Con was new information on the long-anticipated Black Widow solo film, directed by Cate Shortland. Among the most buzz-worthy announcement was the official reveal of David Harbour’s role in the film as the Red Guardian--which, as Harbour puts it, is the Captain America of the Soviet Union.
In an interview with SYFY WIRE , Harbour, fresh off of his success in Stranger Things Season 3, said that the Red Guardian, "is the counterpart to Captain America. In the Cold War, the Soviets retaliated with the Red Guardian. He has this ‘thing,’ this super-soldier thing."
Per SYFY WIRE, Red Guardian’s true name will be Alexei, and will wield a shield much akin to that of Captain America. Below the surface, Alexei will be a counterpart to Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), remaining loyal to the Soviet Union even as she defects. According to Harbour, the character carries a considerable nuance in his personality.
“He’ll surprise you with his flaws, and with his complexities,” Harbour said. “I kinda don’t want to give it away, because I want you to be surprised as well. He’s just really rich — and it’s expanding me in ways that I love. I never thought I would play a character as rich as [Stranger Things’] Hopper in these sort of genre things. And this guy has his own riches, so it’s exciting.”
While Harbour didn’t offer explicit details beyond this information, we’re still beyond excited to see him take up the role of Red Guardian in Black Widow, releasing in theaters on May 1, 2020.