Black Widow: Stranger Things Star David Harbour Reveals New Details About Red Guardian’s Origin

2020 was the first year since 2009 that did not feature a Marvel Cinematic Universe film, which means fans of the franchise are getting extra anxious to see Black Widow, which was recently pushed back to May of next year. While we wait on the film, we’re eager to learn as much information as we can about the first Scarlett Johansson-led movie in the MCU. In the new book, Black Widow: The Official Movie Special Book (via ComicBookMovie.com), franchise newcomer David Harbour (Stranger Things) spoke about his character, Red Guardian, and gave some new insights into the character’s origin.

“He grew up in the Soviet Union during the arms race. He was a soldier. He was chosen for this program as the Americans were developing weapons and, of course, Captain America,” Harbour revealed. “The Russians were slow to catch up, but they wanted to fight back with their own version of Captain America. He was shot up with a super-strength serum and trained in a certain way. But he didn’t become as famous as Captain America – nobody really knows who he is.”

“The connection to him and Black Widow is that they were set up as a spy family in America in the ’90s. So, Rachel Weisz’s Melina, was sort of the mom, Alexei was the dad, and Natasha and Yelena [Florence Pugh] were their kids. We see that in the beginning of the movie, and they sort of function as a family. They knew each other from long ago and then they lost touch for almost twenty years. He took her from the Red Room and also put her back into the Red Room because he believed in this cause.”

Back in March when Black Widow first got delayed, Harbour said he wouldn’t mind seeing the movie released on Disney+.

“I’m very much looking forward to being in Black Widow if we ever are able to release that movie. I would love to be able to watch that movie too – y’know I have not seen that movie. I have seen some stuff in ADR and it looks really good. And also I was there when we were shooting it and I’m really excited about it. But I would like to see it myself. Hell, I would watch it on Disney+.”

While it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing the Marvel film go straight to Disney+, anything is possible now that Wonder Woman 1984 is dropping on HBO Max on Christmas day.

Black Widow is currently set to hit theaters on May 7, 2021.