Black Widow star and Red Guardian actor David Harbour revealed he was unaware the Marvel Studios movie was being made when he was cast in it.

Harbour clarified the circumstances that led to his casting in the film, stating that his interviewer's "perception of events" was wrong.

RELATED: Black Widow: The MCU’s Greatest Rivalry Is… Entirely in One Hero’s Head

"Marvel does not call me and say we want you to play Red Guardian," Harbour told Insider. "What happens is I'm in London randomly doing some stuff and [Black Widow director] Cate Shortland calls my agents and asks if I want to have lunch and talk about some stuff. I go to lunch and she tells me she's shooting a movie called Black Widow about [Scarlett Johannson's] character in the Marvel Universe and there's this guy we want you to play."

David Harbour added that he had no idea there was a Black Widow movie or what the production team had going on. "I couldn't believe it," Harbour concluded. "And [Shortland] describes this character that is this guy who is a father figure and has all these tattoos, so to me, it was a fresh character. Then I went back and did some research and was like, 'Oh, the comics are clearly all wrong. Finally, the movie will correct them.'"

Originally slated to open last year, Black Widow was delayed several times due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The movie was eventually released on July 9 simultaneously in theaters and Disney+ Premier Access, with the latter earning $60 million globally.

Starring Scarlett Johansson, Black Widow is the first Marvel Cinematic Universe film to be released on Disney+. Fans can decide whether or not to view the MCU film by paying $30 for Disney Premier Access, or heading to their nearest open theater.

KEEP READING: Black Widow: Red Guardian’s Most Poignant Scene Was Completely Improvised

Source: Insider