Andy Serkis cast in Avengers: Age of Ultron

Is there a busier actor than Andy Serkis at the moment? Probably. But either way, the incredibly talented Brit has loads of exciting projects on his plate at the moment, from his imminent return as Caesar in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes to his as yet undisclosed role in Star Wars: Episode VII, tentatively scheduled for the end of 2015.

Avenging Andy

And now Andy can add Marvel to his list of accomplishments – because he's joined the cast of next year's The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Directed once again by Joss Whedon, the film reunites Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and Hulk as they battle the eponymous villain Ultron.

With Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo joining James Spader as Ultron and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow, it's a heavyweight cast. But Andy is sure to add a touch of class nonetheless.

Multi-tasking

Not only is he acting but his motion-capture company, The Imaginarium, is consulting on the film's effects. "The Imaginarium is the performance-capture consultant," he tells Variety, "and I'm playing a role [in both Avengers and Star Wars]... On Avengers, I've been working closely with Mark Ruffalo."

So, any tidbits he wants to share? "I'm not at liberty to mention," he replies. "But it's all the same to me. I've never drawn a distinction when playing a role, whether it be live action or performance capture."

From make-believe to reality

Hear hear – although justly acclaimed for his mo-cap performances, I personally feel Andy's live-action roles are somewhat underrated and equally brilliant. Try watching his incredibly chilling performance as murderer Ian Brady in TV film Longford or his live-wire turn as anarchic singer Ian Dury in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.

Are you looking forward to Andy turning up in Avengers: Age of Ultron? If so, post a comment and share your thoughts. The film is set for release on 1st May 2015.