Having already comprehensively nailed the art of portraying literary characters on the small and big screens, British actor Martin Freeman has set his sights on the world of comic books with the announcement that he has been added to the cast of Captain America: Civil War.

The 43 year old actor has gained worldwide recognition for his extremely popular depiction of Dr John Watson in the BBC’s newest adaptation of ‘Sherlock’ alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, and for his role as Bilbo Baggins in ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy. Now, he’s entering the Marvel universe, according to the part-Disney-owned Marvel studios on Tuesday.

Martin FreemanMartin Freeman has joined the cast of 'Captain America: Civil War'

Intriguingly, the role of Spider-Man has not yet been cast – it is the first time that the new depiction of the web-slinging superhero will make an appearance on the big screen – so could it be Freeman? Details of his casting are being kept under wraps for the moment…

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“From his roles as Bilbo Baggins and Doctor Watson to Tim in ‘The Office,’ Martin’s range from the dramatic to the comedic has consistently impressed us,” said Civil War’s producer and Marvel boss Kevin Feige in a statement. “We couldn’t be more honored or excited to have such a talented actor join the Marvel Cinematic Universe.”

Freeman’s other notable roles in the past have been in the Emmy-nominated FX series ‘Fargo’, in which he plays the small-town insurance salesman Lester Nygaard as he undergoes a mid-life crisis, and in the 2005 movie adaptation of the cult novel The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide To The Galaxy.

Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr are already signed up for Civil War to reprise their respective roles as Captain America and Iron Man, and the movie’s plot will compel viewers to side with one superhero against the other as the two fight.

Chadwick Boseman, who recently played James Brown in the biopic Get On Up to rave reviews, will undertake the hitherto unseen role of the superhero Black Panther in the movie. Captain America: Civil War is scheduled to be released in cinemas on May 6th, 2016.

More: Martin Freeman reckons regular episodes of ‘Sherlock’ would lose their appeal