We still haven't heard any confirmations on Martin Freeman's role in Captain America: Civil War and the Marvel movieverse at large since his reported addition in early May, but some new comments from Freeman himself give strong hints towards him playing one comic book character in particular. If these hints play out and we see Freeman playing the part we think he will, then it's likely you can expect to see him in at least another Marvel movie as well.
In an interview with BadTaste, who asked him about his role in the upcoming Captain America movie. Here's what he had to say:
He works for the American government. He works in conjunction with the superheroes and certain agencies that help to tame the superheroes' power, I suppose. So you’re not quite sure which side he’s on. It looks a little bit like he’s playing one game when actually he’s playing another. It’s the kind of character I like because it’s ambiguous and because you don’t know whether he’s good or bad. I like that area that isn’t black or white, I like the grays, because I think there’s just more fun to be had in not playing one obvious line.
It's also worth noting that Freeman said his accent would neither be British nor Minnesota-nice, but rather an East Coast American one. This tidbit, along with Freeman's other comments, lead us to the assumption that he'll be playing Everett Ross. The very human employee of the U.S. State Department is soon thrust into the world of superpower politics when he's assigned as an escort to the Wakandan king, T'Challa, aka the Black Panther. Ross accompanies T'Challa and his associates on American soil (to somewhat absurd and hilarious ends) in the comics, but is also an expert on Wakanda and so becomes an adviser to the State Department, NSA, and S.H.I.E.L.D. on all things Wakandan.
Seems like a perfect role in line with Freeman's typically nervous yet accommodating characters. While we can expect him to be introduced in Captain America: Civil War, I would be surprised if he didn't play a bigger role in Marvel's 2018 picture, Black Panther.
As for Cap, that picture also stars Chris Evans (Steve Rogers/Captain America), Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark/Iron Man), Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow), Jeremy Renner (Clint Barton/Hawkeye),Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/The Winter Soldier), Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/Falcon),Elizabeth Olsen (Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch), as well as Chadwick Boseman’s debut appearance as Black Panther, Daniel Bruhl as the villainous Baron von Zemo, and Tom Holland as the new Spider-Man. Look for Captain America: Civil War to bow on May 6, 2016.
