Speaking in a profile interview with The Straits Times, Captain America: The Winter Soldier star Robert Redford revealed that his character, Alexander Pierce, believed to be a high-ranking SHIELD operative, isn’t as he seems.
“I like the idea of playing a villain,” said Redford. “I did that just because it’s a different thing for me to do.”
Alexander Pierce isn’t a character from the comic, but there’s two roles as yet uncast – Red Skull, as Hugo Weaving won’t be reprising, and Aleksander(!) Lukin, the Soviet-era handler of the Winter Soldier.
Perhaps Redford’s Pierce is the Red Skull in his new disguise, a new Red Skull – comic-book longevity isn’t as easily hand-waved on screen – or Lukin seemingly reformed and joined SHIELD. Maybe he defected at a critical juncture and sold out his KGB masters.
Whatever the case, it fits in perfectly with the “political thriller” we’ve been promised.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier is due in cinemas 4 April 2014. Buy the first film as triple-play DVD, Blu-ray and digital copy for £17.99 from Amazon.co.uk.