Stanley Tucci on fans calling him and ‘Citadel’ co-stars Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra the NEW Nick Fury, Captain America and Black Widow: I love that idea! – Times of India

Joe and Anthony Russo, better known as the Russo Brothers, introduced Marvel fans to a world of espionage, super-spies and secret covert government operations when they helmed ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’. The film starring Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L Jackson, not only set the ball rolling for the hit sequel, ‘Captain America: Civil War’, but also gave the MCU its highest-earning films – ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ and ‘Avengers: Endgame’.
The Russo Brothers are now tasked to flag off Prime Video’s new global spy thriller, ‘Citadel’, starring Richard Madden, Priyanka Chopra and Stanley Tucci in lead roles. The series will follow Tucci’s Bernard Orlick, who sets out on a high-stakes mission to bring down the organisation Manticore responsible for the fall of Citadel. He seeks out Mason Kane (Richard) and Nadia Sinh (Priyanka) and they embark on a mission, all while contending with a relationship built on secrets and lies.

The Citadel teaser trailers that dropped online early this month had fans dubbing the cast as the Russo Brothers’ new-age Captain America, Black Widow and Nick Fury. Another fan referenced the gap in the MCU timeline and asked, “Why does this look like the Winter Soldier/Black Widow movie we’ll never get?”

In a round table discussion with Stanley Tucci, ETimes decided to get these questions answered. Visibly amused by being dubbed as the character Nick Fury, Tucci said, “I love that idea. I think that’s really funny. I think it’s great. I happen to love those Marvel movies. I was lucky enough to be in the first Captain America, and it was just one of the best experiences ever. Ever! Joe Johnson directed it and it was just a wonderful, wonderful experience.”

He further added, “As a kid growing up, you read comic books. So to kind of see that brought to life, especially, with today’s technology, is something you never could have fathomed when I was a kid in the 1960s. And those guys did it. And then the Russo Brothers just took it and ran with it.”

“So, yeah, sure, I’m happy for that moniker, the new-age Nick Fury,” he laughed.

Playing a character who relies on his wits, came with its perks for Stanley, who had ‘fun’ watching hit co-star and friend Richard getting beaten up on the sets. “It was fun. I like to watch Richard get beat up,” he quipped.

The series will see Richard sharing some rather steamy scenes with Priyanka, and will also see him packing on the ‘bromance’ with Tucci. Opening up about their friendly chemistry, Tucci said, “One of the reasons I wanted to do it was because of Richard. I really admire him. And then we met and we became friends very quickly. He’s a wonderful person and he’s very funny, very smart and we had a great time together. I think that, as you say (bromance), I think it shows in the series and I’m glad about it.”