'Avengers 2' Baron von Strucker Already Filming? Multi-Film Deal For Thomas Kretschmann's HYDRA Villain [VIDEO]
Marvel fans should get used to Baron von Strucker because it looks like the villain will be sticking around for a long time after The Avengers: Age of Ultron comes to an end.
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Head of the Nazi-backed HYDRA organization, Baron Wolfgang von Strucker (Thomas Kretschmann) was announced as Age of Ultron's second baddie back in January. Although Screen Crush posits that von Strucker will have a small role, perhaps serving to introduce Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen), Kretschmann has now confirmed that he is currently signed on for multiple Marvel films.
"I have a multi-picture deal which means I will not only appear in the 2nd part, but they're planning with me for a longer period of time," the Dracula actor told B.Z. Berlin (via Screen Rant). "But I don't know details yet, they're keeping their cards close to their chest - top secret!"
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While Marvel is notorious for their extreme secrecy, Kretschmann let it slip that he is already working on Age of Ultron with director Joss Whedon.
"Oh yes, I was nervous. I was overprepared," Krestschmann told B.Z. Berlin of his feelings as filming began. "Then on the set I went up to Joss Whedon, who passes for a genius, and said 'this is my first day, this is huge, please have patience with me, I'm a bit nervous."
Although Avengers 2 has been shooting an action sequence in Johannesburg for the last two weeks (see video below), Mark Ruffalo (Bruce Banner/Hulk) previously stated that character-based filming would not begin until the end of March. It looks like Whedon may be placing non-Avengers characters in front of the camera even earlier than expected.
The Avengers: Age of Ultron will hit theaters on May 1, 2015.