The Marvel Cinematic is always expanding, and we’re currently in the middle of Phase Five. One of the mot hotly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is definitely Jake Schrier’s Thunderbolts, which will be a crossover event featuring a number of MCU villains. One of the familiar faces making up that titular team is David Harbour’s Red Guardian, who debuted during Black Widow. The Stranger Things actor offered his thoughts about returning for Thunderbolts, and what excites him about his future in the shared universe.
Black Widow revealed Natasha’s chosen family, including her father figure Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian. He was basically Russia's answer to Captain America, and even had his own shield. He and Florence Pugh’s Yelena are both getting in on the fun for Thunderbolts, and Harbour seems psyched. Namely because of the motley ensemble of antiheroes and villains that are being assembled. As he told our sister site Total Film:
I really like him, and I love Florence [Pugh] as Yelena [also in Thunderbolts]. And then you throw in Wyatt [Russell, as U.S. Agent] from Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Sebastian [Stan, reprising Bucky Barnes]. You have all these great, colorful characters. I’m really excited for that movie.
Points were made. Part of why fans are eager for the forthcoming DC flick is because of how many returning characters make up the Thunderbolts cast list. This will no doubt make action sequences thrilling, as each member of the team has different skills and powers. And who knows, maybe we could see them facing off against The Avengers sometime down the line.
For some actors, a job in the MCU means years and years of playing their signature character. OGs like Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson spent a decade kicking ass before retiring from their superhero roles. So is David Harbour interested in this treatment as Red Guardian? In the same interview he answered this very question, saying:
I do. I love Red Guardian. I can’t wait to pull back the layers. The great thing about him is that he’s not very well-defined in the comics, like some of the other Marvel superheroes. So we can play with him in a different way, and be surprising and unexpected.
Well, that’s definitely exciting. With Stranger Things ending after Season 5, David Harbour’s schedule should presumably open up for more Marvel projects. So as long as he makes it out of Thunderbolts alive, we’ll hopefully see plenty of the Red Guardian. After all, who doesn't want to see him and the new Captain America come to blows?
Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a bit longer than anticipated for that film. Thunderbolts recently got delayed, seemingly in connection with the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike. The movie is expected to be massive in scale, so it remains to be seen when filming will actually begin. Especially considering how many people’s schedules need to be taken into account.
Thunderbolts is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 20th, 2024. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan you next movie experience.
