Confirming long held speculation, Den of Geek reports that Andy Serkis will be playing supervillain Ulysses Klaw in Avengers: Age of Ultron.
The British actor, acclaimed for his motion capture performances in the likes of Lord of the Rings, King Kong and last year's Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, has made only fleeting appearances in the film's trailers. Yet even though the size of his role is currently unknown, the presence of Klaw in the movie's storyline has got fans rather excited.
Created by Marvel demi-gods Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, scientist Klaw first appeared in 1966. He became infamous as the character who murdered superhero Black Panther's father and has acted as foe to both the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, remaining a popular villain due to his superhuman strength and ability to transform sound waves into physical matter.
Whether any of this will translate into Joss Whedon's vision for Avengers: Age of Ultron remains to be seen. Regardless, Serkis' intensity as an actor should make Klaw an intimidating and formidable opponent. But here's the more pressing question: is Klaw being set up as a potential antagonist for the Black Panther movie, due out in 2017 and with Chadwick Boseman in the lead role? If so, it would tie in nicely to Marvel lore.
Questions, questions. Fingers crossed we'll get some concrete answers when Avengers: Age of Ultron hits our screens on 24th April.