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Marvel newcomer O-T Fagbenle says there’s “more than meets the eye” with Rick Mason, a man of mystery introduced in spy-thriller Black Widow. Spoiler warning for Marvel’s Black Widow. On the run from Thaddeus Ross (William Hurt) after Captain America: Civil War, a fugitive Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) contacts old friend Mason: a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent turned “private contractor.” Describing his character as Q from James Bond but “with more flirting,” Fagbenle reveals more about the mysterious Mason and hints at how the character could return in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after Black Widow.
“Mason is ex-military, he’s got an experience. He probably works [for] the highest bidder and is probably a bit disaffected and feels maybe a bit cynical about the world powers and the way they all work, and that’s why he’s ready to work for the highest bidder,” Fagbenle told Fandango All Access about Rick Mason. “I think the only difference is with Natasha it’s not just about money, he’s not just a mercenary in this instance. He’s got a connection, he has a soft spot. They have a history together, and I think that’s sort of the interesting thing that plays out in the subtext between them.”
Asked if the history between Natasha and Rick is a romantic one, Fagbenle said, “You get that sense, don’t you? I can’t talk too much about what we decided, because who knows what might happen in future movies, but there’s definitely more than meets the eye, I think, between them.”
Fagbenle worked with Johansson, an executive producer on Black Widow, and director Cate Shortland to develop a backstory for Mason, a mercenary and handler known as “The Agent” in the Marvel comic books.
“We didn’t get it in written form, but Scarlett and I did sit down in rehearsals, and we talked through what Cate had figured, what I thought, what Scarlett’s intuitions were,” he said. “We created this idea, this vision about what their past was.”
The Handmaid’s Tale actor is open to becoming the “Q” for the Avengers after the death of their benefactor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), saying there’s a “great space” for Mason in the MCU post-Black Widow.
“Listen, somebody has to hook them up with their gadgets. So I’m available at the right price,” Fagbenle said of his middle man who can even acquire a Quinjet with “a bit of time and money.”
“I think there’s a great space for Mason. I think he’s a really fun character and has a utility within the stories and stuff like that, so I’d certainly love to do more,” Fagbenle said. “I had such a good time working with Marvel and Disney on the project, so we’ll see if he does get another outing. I think he’s really fun. I’d like to see him go on some missions, that kind of Mission: Impossible thing when you’ve got your techie guy with you. He’s a lot of fun, so I think there’s potential for something like that.”
Marvel’s Black Widow is now playing in theaters and streaming on Disney+ Premier Access.
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