With Black Widow finally drawing close to its long-delayed release, fans are eager to see their first MCU film since 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home. The film itself, which will take place between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, promises to give a better glimpse at Scarlet Johansson's Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow and the "Red Room" mentioned in previous MCU films.
While most of the characters in the project are pulled straight from the pages of the comics, many have wondered about the role O-T Fagbenle's (The Handmaid's Tale) Mason will play in the film. Speculation has gone so far as to claim he's playing the role of the fan-favorite villain, Taskmaster. In a recent interview, Fagbenle shed some light as to his role in the film.
O-T FAGBENLE COMPARES MASON TO BATMAN'S ALFRED
The Playlist sat down with Black Widow star O-T Fagbenle and asked about Mason and the role he'll play in the film.
Fagbenle compared his character to famous "man in the chair" characters, saying, "...in James Bond you’ve got Q, and in Batman, I guess, you’ve got Alfred, and in some ways, I think Mason is that person..."
"I play this character called Mason. It’s really cool, actually, because you know you get those characters, like in James Bond you’ve got Q, and in Batman, I guess, you’ve got Alfred, and in some ways, I think Mason is that person who helps facilitate Black Widow’s missions with all the cool shit that she needs."
O-T Fagbenle then went on to add that Mason also differs from these franchise staples, stating that he also has "a bit of a dark side," and that he can also be "quite a fun character:"
"But very much unlike Q and Alfred, there’s a kind of energy between them that you pick up. Like, “Is it all business, or is it not?” So there’s something really fun about that; that kind of dynamic between the two characters. I hesitate to say that he’s a little fun. It’s quite a fun character, although you might get a sense he’s got a dark side. But yeah, I can’t say too much."
IS MASON MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE?
Of course, nothing kills speculation when it comes to MCU properties, and Fagbenle's comments do give fans some things to consider. His mention of the energy between Black Widow and Mason and the question of "is it all business, or is it not?" might hint at a possible romantic connection, which is definitely strange considering Widow's connection to Bruce Banner in previous films.
Followers of the Taskmaster theory will likely cling to his mention of the character's dark side and that he can't say too much. These comments wouldn't be the first time Fagbenle has hinted at a connection to Taskmaster. A villain with the sort of emotional connection Fagbenle is hinting at could add an extra bit of drama to a film already set to thrill.
While a lot of unanswered questions remain going into the film, all answers will be revealed when Black Widow hits theaters and Disney+ Premier Access on July 9th.
