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The Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a behemoth force in the entertainment industry over the past decade and change of filmmaking. But with Black Widow pushed back a number of time over global health issues, the fandom has been forced to wait longer than anticipated for Phase Four. There are a ton of questions lingering around Cate Shortland's highly anticipated blockbuster, and now we finally know some information regarding a mysterious character: O.T. Fagbenle's Rick Mason.
The footage and information for Black Widow has been relatively limited, as Marvel Studios is known for guarding its secrets and spoilers. As such, we haven't seen any of O.T. Fagbenle's Rick Mason, aside from an appearance on the movie's official poster. But the actor himself spoke to his character in a Black Widow book, revealing:
Mason is a finder for people who aren't so affiliated with armies, like people who are part of the underworld. He can find anything you need as well. He's had a relationship doing that work for the Black Widow, and they have a bit of a vibe going on. There's a sense that there's more to their relationship than it being purely work-related, so that's always in the mix.
Well, this is intriguing. Natasha Romanoff has had a few romantic connections throughout her tenure in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, sharing chemistry with both Bruce Banner and Captain America. And it turns out that Black Widow's Rick Mason will be more than just friends with Scarlett Johansson's character in her first solo movie.
Black Widow's tenure in the MCU is currently available on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Black Widow will be the first solo flick for Natasha Romanoff, and set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. Without the support of S.H.I.E.L.D. or the Avengers, Nat will have to get supplies and vehicles for her mission through O.T. Fagbenle's Rick Mason. We'll just have to see how their interpersonal dynamic plays out on screen.
Later in O.T. Fagbenle's comments in Black Widow: The Official Movie Special Book (via Comic Book), the Handmaid's Tale actor went on to explain how his mysterious character will factor into Cate Shortland's delayed blockbuster. And while Mason hasn't been in any of the trailers, it sounds like he'll factor heavily into the title character's ability to battle the Red Room and Taskmaster. As he put it,
Mason's story starts when Natasha is trying to escape, and she needs a place to hide out. So we hang out for a little bit. And then later on, when she gets in trouble, she calls me up again. I help her out with a Chinook. If you need a helicopter, I'm the guy to ask, and then again every time she's in trouble, she calls me… Mason is the guy that you want on your side if you get into a hard corner. Natasha definitely takes advantage of the opportunities for him to provide certain things- she never really pays with cash and she doesn't have credit either. She's always like, 'Yeah, put it on my tab.' It's a pretty long tab by now! I'm a giver.
Well, this is intriguing. Part of what makes Black Widow such an intriguing character within the Marvel Cinematic Universe is because she's notably lacking any superpowers. This should make the action for her long awaited solo flick especially thrilling, with trailers showing Natasha doing battle with Taskmaster mid-air. And it's clear that she'll be getting her new gear thanks to Rick Mason.
Fans have been waiting years for Scarlett Johansson's character to finally get her own solo movie, so Black Widow is a long time coming. Unfortunately for the rabid fanbase, it's also been delayed a number of times so Marvel can release the blockbuster in theaters and make a ton of money at the box office. This requires the cast and crew to guard secrets for a bit longer, although O.T. Fagbenle's update about his character will help satiate the fandom for the time being.
Black Widow is currently set to arrive in theaters on May 7th, 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.
