In delving into Natasha Romanoff's past, Black Widow will introduce a lot of new characters to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian (David Harbour). Red Guardian is a pretty big character in the comics, so there's a lot we know about him prior to his appearance. In this new video, we discuss what you might not know about Harbour and Red Guardian.
We first met Red Guardian in 1967, where he served as a Soviet counterpart to Captain America. The character was orphaned during World War II and later became highly decorated for his work at as a pilot. Alexi and Natasha were actually, at one point, married, when the latter was a famous ballerina. However, Alexi was first and foremost dedicated to serving his country, and he eventually became Red Guardian. Alexi wasn't allowed to return home, and Natasha was told that he died. This left Natasha stricken with grief and seeking to honor his memory. Just how much of this will make it into Black Widow isn't clear, but it certainly hints the two might have a deep history that hasn't yet been revealed by any of the films.
Check out the video below for more of what you might not have realized about Red Guardian in Black Widow.
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First appearing in 2010's Iron Man 2, Black Widow served as a mainstay in the MCU for the Infinity Saga. She died during the events of Avengers: Endgame, sacrificing herself to retrieve the Soul Stone from Vormir. Black Widow is the title character's first solo movie and the inaugural installment of Marvel's Phase 4, which will also feature such movies as The Eternals and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.
Directed by Cate Shortland, Black Widow stars Scarlett Johansson as Natasha, Florence Pugh stars as Yelena, David Harbour as Alexei aka The Red Guardian and Rachel Weisz as Melina. The film opens May 1, 2020.