Martin Freeman joins Captain America franchise

The Hobbit trilogy star Martin Freeman has been tapped to join the cast of the next instalment of the Captain America franchise.

Bosses at Marvel Studios announced the casting news on Tuesday (05May15), but it has yet to be revealed what character the Emmy Award winner will play in Captain America: Civil War.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige praised Freeman's talents in a statement which reads: "His range from the dramatic to the comedic has consistently impressed us. We couldn't be more honored or excited to have such a talented actor join the Marvel Cinematic Universe."

Freeman joins Captain America Chris Evans, as well as fellow Avengers Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson in the upcoming film, due in cinemas in 2016.

Freeman's Sherlock co-star Benedict Cumberbatch also recently joined the Marvel Universe after signing on to play Doctor Strange in the big screen adaptation of the comic book character in a film also set for release next year (16).