Robert Redford Joins Captain America: The Winter Soldier!

Deadline reports that the legendary Robert Redford is currently in talks to star in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Talk about a fun surprise for the end of the week!

The veteran actor, star of classic films Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting and All the President€™s Men, and who at one point was pretty much "Mr America" of Hollywood, would play a senior leader at SHIELD, the counter-terrorism and intelligence agency run by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson). It's the first huge blockbuster release Redford has been involved in for decades and one that in theory could lead to him appearing in several movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. As for who Redford might play specifically, a lot of websites are making the apt suggestion of Colonel Rick Stoner, the first director of SHIELD, who predates Nick Fury. Here's a description of the character from Comic Vine;

Stoner fought alongside Fury during World War Two, and clashed with Fury because of his recklessness. As Director of SHIELD he did not want any of Fury's Howling Commandos to become SHIELD agents.

As the Marvel movies don't have Fury as age appropriate for WWII, this could easily be changed for another war. Chris Evans will return as the super soldier Steve Rogers (aka Captain America) alongside a confirmed cast featuring Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson/The Falcon), Frank Grillo (Brock Rumlow/Crossbones), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Cobie Smulders (Maria Hall), Scarlett Johansson (Black Widow), Toby Jones (Arnim Zola), Emily VanCamp (Sharon Carter), Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter), Maximiliano Hernández (Jasper Sitwell), and the returning Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, the Winter Soldier. The film takes its cue from Ed Brubaker and Steve Epting€™s acclaimed comics series where Bucky, Cap€™s friend and sidekick from WW2, has become a brainwashed Russian assassin called the Winter Soldier. Captain America: The First Avenger helmer Joe Johnston isn't back for this one, to be directed, somewhat surprisingly, by the guys behind the utterly forgettable comedy You, Me And Dupree. Redford€™s upcoming film The Company You Keep which he directed and stars in, is out on April 5th. As for why he might have taken on the role when he has declined so many others? Who knows... but maybe Sundance needed a wad of new cash to fund the next few years? Captain America: The Winter Soldier is scheduled for release on April 4th, 2014.