Not content with sharing the bill on TV smash hit Sherlock and Peter Jackson's (not quite so smashing) Hobbit films, Martin Freeman has now joined Benedict Cumberbatch by signing up with Marvel.

While Cumberbatch is set to play the title character in next year's Doctor Strange, Freeman will join Chris Evans in Captain America: Civil War.

There's no word yet on Freeman's role, but the actor's adaptability should stand him in good stead wherever they fit him in. '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 Marvel producer Kevin Feige.

As well as adeptly handling comedy and pathos in The Office, Freeman's recent performance in the Fargo TV series demonstrated a hitherto unseen dark edge. Having played the hero in The Hobbit, could this be a chance for the actor to work for the bad guys?

Captain America: Civil War is out on Fri 29 Apr 2016