Captain America: The Winter Soldier is getting pretty deep into Cap’s mythology. Leaving aside the title villain, we know Cap beats up Batroc the Leaper in the opening scenes, for example. But it’s also beginning to leak there’s a ‘surprise’ villain on the way. Needless to say, potential spoilers right below the cut.
It’s not a given that the Red Skull is in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, but, more and more confirmation is beginning to leak. First of all, there’s a Red Skull figure as part of the main toy line for the movie, on the shelves today, in fact. Even more attention-getting is that it launches a drone, and the trailers have all hinted that this movie is about subverting US security organizations and systems.
Secondly, there are claims that the Red Skull is mentioned in the soundtrack. However, those aren’t backed up by anything substantial.
But who’s playing him? Hugo Weaving has stated it was a one-and-done for him, although he also signed a multipicture contract. This may simply be a cameo to fulfill a contractual obligation; after all, the movie will have WWII flashbacks, complete with Arnim Zola. Also, if Weaving were that heavily involved in the movie, we probably would not be finding out about it through an action figure.
The rumors mostly center around Robert Redford, but that doesn’t quite seem a good fit. True, we already know Redford is playing a villain, both because he said as much and because you don’t hire Robert Redford to appear in a handful of scenes as a bureaucrat. Then again, you also don’t hire him to portray a cackling Nazi, either, and it’s hard to see Redford taking such a broad role, or even there being much room for such a character in a movie described as a political thriller.
Secondly, the soundtrack claim is that there’s an entire track titled “Alexander Pierce Is The Red Skull”, and that just seems a little too on-the-nose. Nobody took Henry Jackman, the composer, aside and said “Henry, this is a bit much. How about ‘Pierce’s Sudden But Inevitable Betrayal?'”
We’re betting one of two things happens: One, Pierce is framed by HYDRA who, let’s face it, are going to turn up somehow. Two, Pierce is actually a member of HYDRA’s ruling council. But, hey, we’ll find out for sure this April.