Thomas Kretschmann joins 'The Avengers: Age of Ultron,' but will he play Baron von Strucker?

The already packed roster for Joss Whedon's sequel The Avengers: Age of Ultron aka The Avengers 2 has added another member, as Thomas Kretschmann, who plays Abraham van Helsing on NBC's Dracula, has signed on for a major role as a villain in the film.

The Hollywood Reporter reported the news, and sources told the site that Kretschmann would play Baron von Strucker. For those unfamiliar with the comics, von Strucker is a super villain, a former Nazi and a leader of HYDRA, the organization that antagonizes both S.H.I.E.L.D. and The Avengers (fans might remember HYDRA from Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011). He is ageless and continually comes back from the dead.

Latino Review, a site that routinely delivers solid spoilers and information about upcoming movies, first reported in December that "a breakdown is currently circulating in Hollywood where Marvel is looking for a PHYSICALLY IMPOSING MAN, age range 40-50, Caucasian, for a supporting role." That role, according to the site, is for Baron von Strucker.

Latino Review also reported that Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) work for Baron von Strucker in Age of Ultron, which would likely explain how the film introduces them. The site also notes that they would likely work for HYDRA instead of the Masters of Evil because Captain America already introduced HYDRA into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Kretschmann's other works include Wanted alongside Angelina Jolie and Peter Jackson's King Kong. He also stars in Stalingrad, the acclaimed Russian war movie that hits theaters in IMAX in February.