BLACK WIDOW Star David Harbour Reveals Why He Thinks Red Guardian Is The MCU's Best Character

David Harbour plays Red Guardian in the upcoming Marvel Studios movie, and during a recent interview, the actor shared his thoughts on why he believes Alexei Shostakov could be the MCU's best character...

By JoshWilding - Mar 16, 2020 10:03 AM EST

Filed Under: Black Widow

Hellboy may not have exactly been a bright spot in his career, but actor David Harbour remains beloved by film and TV fans, mostly thanks to his work in Netflix's Stranger Things. Now, he's been given the opportunity to steal the show in Black Widow as Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian.

As of right now, we don't actually know whether we'll get to see the Marvel Studios movie on May 1st, but when Entertainment Weekly recently caught up with Harbour, he shared his thoughts on Red Guardian's addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and went so far as to declare him the best character in this shared world.

"I think I'm biased, but I think it's the best character in all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe," he revealed. "I mean, he is a narcissist, so it's very appropriate that I'm playing him and that I think that."

"[He's] just got so many layers," the actor continued, elaborating on his somewhat sweeping statement. "On one level, he's your classic superhero badass character, but then when you meet him, he has this need to be liked, and he wants to be thought of as funny and a big shot — which he isn't."

From what we can gather after watching the trailers for Black Widow, Alexei has been imprisoned for defying his masters in the Red Room and wastes no time in agreeing to help his "daughter" Natasha Romanoff. Whether he has a future in the MCU beyond this movie is hard to say, but many fans are certainly hoping we'll see more of Russia's version of Captain America moving forward.

Do you think Red Guardian could become the MCU's "best character"?

Hit the "Next" button below for more highlights
from EW's recent Black Widow cover story!

Why Kevin Feige Didn't Want A Straightforward Origin Story

Previous MCU movies have dropped some big hints about Natasha's past, with references or flashbacks to her first meeting with Hawkeye in Budapest and the time she spent in the Red Room. With that in mind, many fans expected Black Widow to be a straightforward origin story.

Instead, it will be set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, a surprising move which means we won't get to visit the hero's early years.

"A prequel that simply filled in the blanks of things you already know is not very exciting," Feige argues. "How does she get her Widow stingers for the first time? How did she learn to do a flip? That doesn’t matter." It's a valid point, but many fans were hoping to see all that here!

Natasha Romanoff's "Family"

In the trailers for Black Widow, characters like Melina, Alexei, and Yelena have been described as Natasha's mother, father, and sister. Avengers: Endgame revealed that she never actually even knew her father's name, so you probably won't be surprised to learn that they're not her real family.

Instead, the site reveals that this foursome went undercover as a family when Natasha was just a child, so they have a lot of history together. Melina Vostokoff is described as being "mysterious" and someone else who trained as Widow, while Yelena Belova is another Red Room alum who Natasha now views as an "estranged little sister."

Finally, there's David Habour's Red Guardian, Russia's answer to Captain America. "I thought it would be a straightforward action movie," the actor admits, "and then it wound up being a real character study of a dysfunctional family."

Scarlett Johansson's Reaction To That Age Of Ultron Scene

Joss Whedon delved into Black Widow's Red Room history in Avengers: Age of Ultron when he introduced a romantic element to Natasha's relationship with Bruce Banner.

That alone was pretty controversial, but something which really angered a lot of fans was the filmmaker's decision to reveal that the hero had been forced to undergo sterilization years earlier and seemingly viewed herself as a monster as a result. Johansson didn't have much to say about that, but pointed out that filming those scenes required some movie magic.

"[It was] ironic because I was also really pregnant at the time," the actress reveals with a laugh.

Why Black Widow Wasn't Part Of The Infinity Saga

It's definitely surprising that Black Widow is the movie Marvel Studios has chosen to kick off Phase 4 as Avengers: Endgame set the stage for whole new era of storytelling. However, there's a good reason why Feige decided against including this spinoff in the series now known as the "Infinity Saga."

Johansson reveals that she and Feige first discussed the possibility of a Black Widow movie during the press tour for The Avengers as just "a tiny speck on an idea," and the Marvel Studios President ultimately decided to prioritise Natasha's story as part of the wider MCU during that period.

"We had been planning the conclusion for the Infinity Saga for the past five or six years, and Natasha’s journey within those films took the priority," he explains. "The notion of breaking out for a stand-alone film that takes place in the past, for a character that we already knew and were already following, didn’t feel right."

The MCU's Female-Led Future

When The Avengers was released in 2012, Black Widow was the MCU's only female Avenger. Things have changed a lot since then, of course, and the likes of Captain Marvel, Okoye, and the Scarlet Witch have since assembled alongside the rest of Earth's Mightiest Heroes.

As a result, a female-led superhero movie is no longer a novelty, and Johansson sees that as a good thing. "For anyone who said to me, ‘Oh, this [Black Widow film] should’ve happened five or 10 years ago,’ I’m like, it would not have been as substantial. We just would not have been able to do it. This film is happening now as a result of what’s going on in the zeitgeist, and I think it’s pretty cool."

The actress believes that just casting female heroes isn't enough; instead, distinctly female stories should be a pritority (once being told that Black Widow "could be like Bourne, but with a woman" didn't sit well with her). "I think this character’s strength really lies in her vulnerability and her acceptance of that. She has emotional intelligence that has allowed her to survive without any real superpowers."

"She’s someone who is a problem-solver. She’s a pragmatic person. I think a lot of those qualities are inherently female."

Why Cate Shortland Decided To Direct Black Widow

Cate Shortland didn't have any real interest in directing superhero movies until Black Widow came along, but it sounds like Johansson managed to win her over. "We just bonded over stories about trust and about intimacy and about women surviving," the filmmaker reveals.

"You didn’t have to be a superhero to identify with a woman who has had a really tough childhood and has survived and has a huge heart and helps other people," Shortland continues.

Interestingly, Shortland doesn't sound overly impressed by how Black Widow has previously been portrayed in the MCU. "When I looked at the past films, there’s a lot of sitting outside of the character, so that she is seen and kind of objectified. Oftentimes we don’t really get to see who she is when she’s by herself — who she is when she takes off the action-hero facade."

How Black Widow Informs The Events Of Avengers: Endgame

The magazine doesn't exactly shed a lot of light on Black Widow's plot, but notes that Natasha ends up being drawn into a Red Room-related conspiracy which forces the hero reexamine both her history and past trauma (the latest trailer pointed to her wanting to close down the program which transformed her into a spy once and for all).

"I thought it was interesting to explore this part of her life before she rejoins the Avengers, before she makes that ultimate sacrifice," Johansson explains. "How does she become this full person from all these broken pieces?"

There's certainly been something of a mixed response over the decision to set Black Widow between Civil War and Infinity War, especially when there's a desire among fans to dive into her early years. With any luck, we will get to see her meet the likes of Hawkeye and The Winter Soldier for the first time, but time will tell on that front.

Black Widow's MCU Legacy

We all know how Natasha's story ends, and with Black Widow likely to be a one-off adventure for the fallen Avenger, what does Johansson hope will be the hero's legacy moving forward?

"I hope that this film continues pushing that boundary, so that we can actually have more female superheroes who are inherently female, and aren’t just Batman in heels or whatever."

The future certainly looks bright for female superheroes on the big screen, and there's no denying that Johansson and her take on Black Widow have been a big part of making that happen.

What The Movie Means To Scarlett Johansson

"This film is very much a result of that journey, my own personal journey," Johansson says of the decade she's spent playing this character. "I feel that I probably wasn’t as willing or able to go to the kind of uncomfortable, embarrassing, ugly places before. I think it’s just as you get older, you trust yourself more."

Despite spending years being badgered about a Black Widow solo movie, the actress admits that she was privately unsure whether that was something she even wanted to happen.

"I was like, I think I’m good," she admits. "If we [were] going to do this, it had to be creatively fulfilling. I’ve been working for such a long time, and I have to feel like I’m challenged. I don’t want to do the same thing that I’d already done before."

Scarlett Johansson's Avengers: Endgame Concern

As we've alluded to a few times here, Black Widow made the ultimate sacrifice in Avengers: Endgame when she leapt off that cliff on Vormir to her death to secure the Soul Stone for Hawkeye.

Johansson alluded to an earlier version of the scene which was a lot less personal and featured Thanos' army chasing the heroes down and forcing Natasha to end her life in the process. However, the actress was concerned that such a dark scene would have upset a lot of younger moviegoers.

"I was thinking, 'Parents will never forgive us for how these creatures look,'" she said, describing them as an "army of Dementor-type creatures." As for why it was later reshot by the Russos, Johansson added: "We wanted to leave [the audience] with the weight of that loss and the shock of it."

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51 Comments

1 2

L0RDbuckethead - 3/16/2020, 10:03 AM

Well he can keep on thinking that. I bet he’s the only one lol.

MosquitoFarmer - 3/16/2020, 10:06 AM

m1doriya - 3/16/2020, 10:08 AM

lol

WakandanQueen - 3/16/2020, 10:10 AM

That would be either Tony or Steve. Anyone else doesn't even come close. Periodt.

soberchimera - 3/16/2020, 10:59 AM

@WakandanQueen - Thor doesn't come close? He's the only MCU character so far whose getting a 4th solo film.

E4Nigma - 3/16/2020, 10:15 AM

Well [frick]. My state (New Jersey) just went under complete lockdown and an 8PM curfew. All schools and such are closed effective immediately until further notice. Same goes for NYC and Connecticut.

Kumkani - 3/16/2020, 10:22 AM

@E4Nigma - We're still keeping schools running over here in the UK. Literally have no idea what we're doing.

Vigor - 3/16/2020, 10:29 AM

@E4Nigma - I'm in philly. we are next. Let's lock it all down now so that by end of april, we can start testing the waters to see if things can slowly go back to normal

Kumkani - 3/16/2020, 10:19 AM

I'll see it when I believe it

WeaponXCII - 3/16/2020, 10:25 AM

I hope his character is great. The MCU has a huge pantheon of amazing characters, so if he’s anywhere near the top, I will definitely be happy.

AnthonyVonGeek - 3/16/2020, 10:30 AM

MrCamw1 - 3/16/2020, 11:00 AM

Marvel and Disney PLEASE delay this movie. Even if its finsihed its unfair to the people who would t be able to go and see it.

SensitivityII - 3/16/2020, 11:07 AM

@MrCamw1 - they will.

SensitivityII - 3/16/2020, 11:08 AM

Off-topic question: has anyone watched Infinity War and Endgame back to back? How’s that experience?

MrCamw1 - 3/16/2020, 11:12 AM

@SensitivityII - I actually did try this a month back. Got through Infinity War but couldnt get myself ti immediately start Endgame (maybe to let the dusting linger I dont know) so took a two day break and then went to Endgame.

SensitivityII - 3/16/2020, 11:14 AM

@MrCamw1 - I kinda want to do an entire MCU marathon once I’m done with Star Trek and Doctor Who.

I’m watching Infinity War and realizing that it’s my favorite Avengers film.

1 2

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BLACK WIDOW Star David Harbour Reveals Why He Thinks Red Guardian Is The MCU's Best Character

David Harbour plays Red Guardian in the upcoming Marvel Studios movie, and during a recent interview, the actor shared his thoughts on why he believes Alexei Shostakov could be the MCU's best character...

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Why Black Widow Wasn't Part Of The Infinity Saga

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Why Cate Shortland Decided To Direct Black Widow

How Black Widow Informs The Events Of Avengers: Endgame

Black Widow's MCU Legacy

What The Movie Means To Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson's Avengers: Endgame Concern

Ray Winstone Reflects On "Soul-Destroying" BLACK WIDOW Role: "It's Like Being Kicked In The Balls"

BLACK WIDOW: Saoirse Ronan Reportedly Turned Down Yelena Belova Role In 2021 MCU Movie

Ray Winstone Reflects On "Soul-Destroying" BLACK WIDOW Role: "It's Like Being Kicked In The Balls"

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